ACLU-NC Legal Foundation Staff Attorney

The ACLU-NC Legal Foundation (ACLU-NCLF) has requested that you include the following job opportunity in the listings you make available to your experienced alumni:

Job Title:  Staff Attorney

Lawmatch Job ID 862
Company Name: The ACLU-NC Legal Foundation
Practice Setting: Public Interest
Job Function: Attorney
Required Exp. 2+ Years
Job Type: Full-time
Location(s): Raleigh, NC, United States
Job Expire Date: 10/18/2017
Job Admin. Contact* bsteele@acluofnc.org

Job Description:

The ACLU-NC Legal Foundation (ACLU-NCLF) seeks to hire a full-time Staff Attorney to work out of our office in Raleigh and join a dedicated team to work on expanding our civil rights and civil liberties legal program.  The ACLU of North Carolina is the state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU-NCLF conducts our legal and educational work.  Our mission is to preserve and expand the individual rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, the North Carolina Constitution, and related federal and state civil rights laws, with a particular emphasis on racial justice, voting rights, immigrants’ rights, criminal justice reform, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ equality, freedom of speech, religious liberty, and the right to privacy.  The North Carolina affiliate has approximately 34,000 members statewide.

The Staff Attorney works under the legal director’s supervision and in close collaboration with the legal department, law student interns, and with volunteer attorneys who are co-counsel on ACLU of North Carolina cases as well as staff from the policy and communications departments in a fast-paced environment that addresses headline-making issues through litigation, advocacy and community education. The successful Staff Attorney will move fluidly from the courtroom to the community and will be able to work with diverse allies and coalitions to achieve our ambitious goals.

Compensation:

The annual salary range for this position starts at $48,000. The ACLU of North Carolina offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within parameters of the ACLU of North Carolina’s compensation scale. Excellent benefits include paid vacation, sick time and holidays; medical, vision and dental insurance; life and long-term disability insurance; and 401(k) plan with employer match.

Responsibilities:

  • Investigate, develop and litigate impact civil and human rights cases in federal and state courts to protect and expand the rights of all North Carolinians.  This includes conducting factual and legal research, reviewing intake complaints, interviewing clients and potential witnesses, preparing memoranda, writing demand letters, drafting pleadings, briefs and correspondence, conducting discovery, arguing motions, trying cases, handling appeals and amicus briefs and negotiating settlements.
  • Work with affected communities to achieve policy change.
  • Organize and lead community education events and trainings to enhance civil liberties awareness throughout the state of North Carolina.
  • Provide legal research and analysis on legislative proposals and public education materials.
  • Provide strategic leadership and technical assistance to advocates and grassroots coalition partners.
  • Work with ACLU of North Carolina staff and coalition partners to implement integrated advocacy campaigns utilizing the ACLU of North Carolina’s Communications department.
  • Serve as a spokesperson for the ACLU of North Carolina at public forums, meetings and press events.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with the national ACLU, its projects, and other state affiliates.
  • Prepare necessary dockets and reports for the public, the ACLU membership, the Board, Legal Committee and the ACLU of North Carolina staff.
  • Assist in recruiting and supervising legal fellows, law students, interns and volunteers.
  • Participate in national ACLU legal conferences and maintain the requisite CLE requirements at the ACLU of North Carolina’s expense.
  • Provide administrative support as needed.

Required Qualifications:

  • J.D. degree and at least two years of litigation experience.
  • Membership in good standing with the North Carolina Bar or admission to the North Carolina Bar within one year of hire.
  • Demonstrated commitment to and a strong understanding of civil rights, civil liberties and social justice.
  • Experience with the ACLU of North Carolina’s strategic priorities (racial justice/immigrant rights, criminal justice reform, gender equity, LGBTQ equality) is a plus.
  • Experience in working with vulnerable and diverse communities, preferably with immigrants, incarcerated people or indigent populations.
  • Excellent organizational and case management skills; meticulous attention to detail.
  • Strong self-motivation and ability to manage multiple deadlines.
  • Excellent research, writing and analytical skills.
  • Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with diverse staff, coalitions, and community groups.
  • A commitment to diversity and equity; a personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.
  • Ability to think creatively and use non-litigation strategies to promote objectives, including building coalitions with ally organizations and public advocacy.
  • Work demands may require travel, working evenings, weekends and holidays.
  • Fluency in Spanish is a plus but not required.
  • Other duties may be assigned as needed.

 To Apply:

Applications should include a cover letter, resume, relevant legal writing sample (no more than 10 pages), and list of at least three professional references to HR@acluofnc.org .  To facilitate our review, your emails should have the subject line: “[Your last name] Staff Attorney Application.” We will review applications on a rolling basis beginning October 2, 2017 until we will fill this position. 

 The ACLU-NCLF is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture.  We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, arrest or criminal conviction history, or veteran status.

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