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