Application Guide
How to Apply for Staff Attorney
at Respect Together
🏢 About Respect Together
Respect Together uniquely combines national leadership through the NSVRC with Pennsylvania-specific advocacy via PCAR, creating a dual impact model that addresses sexual violence at both state and national levels. Their trauma-informed, holistic approach to legal services makes them a pioneer in victim-centered advocacy, offering attorneys the rare opportunity to work on diverse cases while contributing to systemic change in sexual violence prevention and intervention.
About This Role
As a Staff Attorney at Respect Together, you'll provide comprehensive legal representation to sexual violence survivors across multiple practice areas including Title IX, protection orders, and employment discrimination, while collaborating with Pennsylvania rape crisis programs. This role is impactful because you'll directly advocate for survivors using trauma-informed approaches while helping shape legal responses to sexual violence through PCAR's statewide network.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve preparing legal documents for a protection order hearing, consulting with a rape crisis center advocate about a client's needs, researching Pennsylvania-specific employment discrimination precedents for a survivor's case, and participating in PCAR network meetings to discuss systemic advocacy approaches. You'll balance direct client representation with collaborative work across Pennsylvania's sexual violence response system.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Respect Together Is Looking For
- A Pennsylvania-licensed attorney with 3+ years of litigation experience, particularly in courtroom proceedings related to sexual violence, family law, or civil rights
- Someone with demonstrated understanding of trauma-informed legal practice and cultural competency when working with diverse survivor populations
- A professional who can balance independent case management with collaborative work across PCAR's network of 50+ rape crisis centers
- An attorney experienced in multiple practice areas mentioned (Title IX, protection orders, landlord-tenant, employment discrimination) or with transferable skills across these domains
📝 Tips for Applying to Respect Together
Highlight specific Pennsylvania courtroom experience and your active PA law license status prominently in your resume
Demonstrate understanding of both NSVRC's national resource role and PCAR's Pennsylvania-specific work in your materials
Provide concrete examples of trauma-informed legal practice from your experience, not just general statements
Show how you've worked collaboratively with community organizations or multi-disciplinary teams in past roles
Mention any experience with the specific case types listed (Title IX proceedings, protection orders, etc.) even if from different contexts
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your Pennsylvania law license status and specific courtroom experience in the state', 'Demonstrated commitment to trauma-informed legal practice with sexual violence survivors', 'Experience collaborating with community organizations or multi-disciplinary teams', "Understanding of how this role bridges individual client work with systemic change through PCAR's network"]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → PCAR's specific initiatives and partnerships with Pennsylvania rape crisis centers
- → NSVRC's national resources and how they inform local practice
- → Pennsylvania-specific laws and procedures related to protection orders and sexual violence cases
- → Respect Together's dual structure and how NSVRC and PCAR work together
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying without clearly stating Pennsylvania law license status and courtroom experience
- Using generic social justice language without specific examples of trauma-informed legal practice
- Focusing only on national NSVRC work without acknowledging the Pennsylvania-specific PCAR responsibilities
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Respect Together!