Director of CAVC Litigation

Position Summary The Director of CAVC Litigation leads and centralizes the firm's federal appellate practice, with primary responsibility for the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and strategic opportunities before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). This role sits between Squad Leader and Platoon Leader in the firm's leadership structure — managing a team of appellate practitioners while remaining deeply embedded in the substantive legal work. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role that requires both exceptional appellate legal skill and the leadership ability to build, manage, and develop a centralized appellate team. The Director is also responsible for identifying trends and legal developments in federal appellate courts that can be leveraged to strengthen the firm's broader administrative practice. This position is being created to reflect the firm's strategic commitment to appellate excellence and to ensure that federal appellate work — which requires a distinct skill set from administrative practice — receives dedicated, expert leadership.   Why This Role Exists Federal appellate practice is fundamentally different from administrative advocacy. It requires: Mastery of appellate procedure, briefing standards, and oral argument The ability to identify and frame issues with circuit-wide or national precedential impact Strategic thinking about when and how to appeal — and when not to A deep understanding of how appellate outcomes shape and inform administrative strategy The firm has reached a stage of growth where centralizing this expertise under dedicated leadership will improve outcomes for clients, create consistency in appellate work product, and generate strategic intelligence that benefits the entire organization.   Key Responsibilities Appellate Practice Leadership Lead and manage all CAVC appeals from assignment through final disposition Identify, evaluate, and pursue meritorious appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Monitor and evaluate opportunities for certiorari petitions to the Supreme Court of the United States Establish and enforce quality standards for all appellate work product, including briefs, motions, and oral arguments Serve as the firm's primary subject matter expert on federal appellate procedure, standards of review, and appellate strategy Team Management & Development Directly supervise and develop federal appellate team members Assign cases and workload across the appellate team based on complexity, skill level, and capacity Conduct regular case reviews and provide substantive feedback on legal work product Mentor junior appellate practitioners and build the team's collective appellate skill set Participate in hiring decisions for appellate team members, including Topgrading interviews Strategic Intelligence & Trend Analysis Monitor federal appellate court decisions — CAVC, Federal Circuit, and SCOTUS — for trends, emerging issues, and precedential developments Translate appellate trends into actionable intelligence for the firm's administrative practice teams Identify systemic issues in the administrative practice that may create appellate opportunities Prepare regular briefings for Platoon Leaders and firm leadership on appellate landscape developments Develop and maintain a strategic appellate pipeline — identifying cases in the administrative practice that may be strong appellate candidates Cross-Practice Collaboration Work closely with Platoon Leaders and Squad Leaders to identify cases with appellate potential early in the administrative process Advise administrative teams on how to build records that will support appellate review Provide training to administrative practitioners on appellate standards and how appellate outcomes affect administrative strategy Serve as a resource for the broader firm on questions of federal appellate law and procedure Metrics, Reporting & Accountability Track and report key appellate metrics to Platoon Leaders and firm leadership (see Metrics section below) Maintain accurate and current case management data for all appellate matters Ensure all appellate deadlines are met with zero tolerance for missed filing dates Report on team performance, capacity, and development needs on a regular cadence   Performance Metrics The Director of CAVC Litigation will be evaluated on the following key performance indicators: Case Outcomes CAVC appeal win rate (remand + reversal) Federal Circuit appeal outcomes Percentage of cases resolved favorably prior to full briefing (joint motions, single judge dispositions) Average time from NOD/Notice of Appeal to final disposition Strategic Pipeline Number of cases identified as appellate candidates from the administrative practice per quarter Number of Federal Circuit appeals filed per year Number of SCOTUS opportunities identified and evaluated per year Quality and timeliness of appellate trend reports delivered to leadership Team Performance Team member retention and development Work product quality scores (peer review / leadership review) Deadline compliance rate (target: 100%) Caseload capacity and throughput per team member Cross-Practice Impact Number of administrative practice teams trained on appellate record-building Measurable improvement in administrative case records attributable to appellate guidance Feedback scores from Platoon Leaders and Squad Leaders on cross-practice collaboration   Bonus Structure (To be finalized with Platoon Leaders and HR) The Director's bonus will be funded through the Platoons and structured around: Outcome-Based Component – Tied to CAVC and Federal Circuit win rates and favorable resolution rates Strategic Impact Component – Tied to the quality and utilization of appellate trend intelligence by the administrative practice Team Development Component – Tied to team retention, development milestones, and work product quality Pipeline Component – Tied to the identification and advancement of Federal Circuit and SCOTUS opportunities Specific bonus thresholds and targets will be established during the role finalization process and communicated prior to posting.   Required Qualifications Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school Active bar membership in good standing Minimum 3–5 years of federal appellate experience, with demonstrated CAVC experience required Proven track record of successful appellate outcomes at CAVC Strong appellate brief writing skills — ability to produce publication-quality work product Experience managing or mentoring other legal professionals Deep understanding of veterans law, VA administrative process, and the relationship between administrative and appellate practice Exceptional analytical and issue-spotting skills Ability to manage a high-volume caseload while maintaining quality and meeting all deadlines   Preferred Qualifications Federal Circuit appellate experience Experience identifying or pursuing SCOTUS certiorari opportunities Prior experience in a leadership or supervisory role within a legal practice Demonstrated ability to translate legal trends into strategic organizational intelligence Familiarity with the firm's existing administrative practice and case management systems   Leadership Competencies Consistent with the firm's Topgrading standards, the ideal candidate will demonstrate: Intellectual Horsepower – Quickly grasps complex legal issues; thinks several steps ahead Strategic Agility – Sees the big picture; connects appellate work to firm-wide strategy Drive & Results Orientation – Sets high standards; holds self and team accountable for outcomes Team Leadership – Develops others; builds a high-performing team culture Communication – Writes and speaks with precision and persuasion; adapts communication for different audiences Integrity – Models the firm's values; earns trust through consistency and transparency Adaptability – Thrives in a dynamic environment; adjusts approach as the appellate landscape evolves   A Note on This Role This position represents a significant strategic investment by the firm. The Director of CAVC Litigation will shape how the firm engages with federal courts, how appellate intelligence flows into the administrative practice, and how the firm positions itself for high-impact, precedent-setting work. The right person will not only manage cases — they will help define what appellate excellence looks like for this organization. Location Remote Department Veterans Practice Employment Type Full-Time Minimum Experience Experienced Apply To This Job