Executive Director

Position Title: Executive Director

Organization: TAP at NYU School of Law

Reports to: Executive Director, Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU School of Law

Position: Hybrid remote; candidates must be available to work in person approximately 2–3 days per month from the NYU School of Law in New York City

Location: Remote, NYC or DC preferred

Salary: $135,000-$150,000 annually + comprehensive benefits

About The Appellate Project

After seven years of operating as a standalone 501(c)(3), The Appellate Project (“TAP”) is excited to begin its next chapter as an initiative operating within the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at New York University School of Law. While TAP’s organizational structure is evolving, its mission remains the same: fostering emerging leaders as they work to build a more just, equitable, and representative appellate field through mentorship, professional development, community-building, and access to career pathways within the appellate profession.

At TAP, we believe our highest courts should reflect all of our communities. Since launching in 2019, TAP has supported more than 600 law students through its award-winning programming, providing access to mentorship, clerkship support, skill-building opportunities, and networking pathways within the appellate bar. TAP’s growing network includes judges, law clerks, attorneys, alumni, and legal leaders committed to expanding access to the appellate profession and strengthening a judiciary that better reflects the diversity and lived experiences of communities nationwide.

The Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU School of Law engages in research, advocacy, litigation, and public education to advance systemic change and address issues of race and inequality. Through this partnership, TAP is uniquely positioned to deepen its national impact while continuing to expand opportunities for future appellate advocates and legal leaders.

Learn more at The Appellate Project

The Role

The Appellate Project seeks an Executive Director to lead the organization into its next phase of growth, institutional development, and national impact. This is a pivotal leadership opportunity for a strategic, entrepreneurial, and equity-driven leader who will strengthen TAP’s organizational infrastructure, expand partnerships and fundraising efforts, and help shape the organization’s long-term vision and sustainability.

While TAP will operate within the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU School of Law, the Executive Director will lead TAP’s strategic direction, programmatic growth, external partnerships, and community engagement.

Reporting to the Faculty Director of the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law, the Executive Director will oversee TAP’s strategic and operational leadership, including program implementation, fundraising, partnerships, and organizational development. This individual will work closely with NYU leadership, funders, judges, alumni, law firms, volunteers, and strategic partners to strengthen TAP’s visibility, deepen partnerships, and expand opportunities for participants nationwide.

The Executive Director will also serve as a public representative and thought partner within the appellate and broader legal community. The ideal candidate is a collaborative and emotionally intelligent leader with strong strategic instincts, operational experience, fundraising acumen, and a demonstrated commitment to expanding access and representation within the legal profession.