Pro Bono and Intake Senior Attorney

New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation•New York, NY

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) seeks a senior staff attorney with six or more years of legal experience to manage pro bono relationships and intake within the legal department. This role involves developing relationships with pro bono partners to assist NYCLU clients and take on matters in conjunction with the NYCLU. The senior staff attorney will coordinate with NYCLU staff to identify firms for specific projects and identify pathways to expand the program. Additionally, this position is responsible for coordinating the intake program, including managing the team that responds to members of the public seeking assistance, referrals, and/or resources. Pro bono and intake matters will cover the full spectrum of NYCLU's work, including challenging institutional and systemic racism, immigrants' rights, government transparency, free expression, equal protection, reproductive justice, criminal legal system, detention, the rights of LGBTQ communities and gender equity, police misconduct, student rights, and privacy. This is a part-time position of approximately 20-25 hours per week. The NYCLU's Legal department consists of seventeen lawyers, a director of legal operations, an investigator, two paralegals, a data research analyst, and a legal assistant, who work on a wide range of civil rights and civil liberties cases and support the NYCLU's legislative, advocacy, communications, and field work.

Requirements

Excellent writing, research, analytical, and communication skills.
Six or more years of legal experience, with a preference for significant public-interest litigation experience.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically and advocate effectively, including an ability to coordinate with teams working on public-interest litigation or advocacy.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a diverse public-interest setting and to foster and support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Demonstrated commitment to the goals and priorities of the NYCLU.
Admission to the New York Bar.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with civil rights or constitutional law is a significant plus.
Fluency in Spanish is a plus.

Responsibilities

Develop relationships with pro-bono partners and networks.
Consult with attorneys and staff across the NYCLU on pro-bono matters.
Draft and prepare pitches for pro bono projects; follow up on engagements to ensure successful completion.
Manage intake team of volunteers and non-litigators evaluating and following up on requests from the public for assistance, resources, or referrals.
Prepare demand letters and/or Freedom of Information Law and Freedom of Information Act requests where appropriate.
Consult with attorneys and staff on intake matters and referrals.
Participate in public education on civil liberties and civil rights issues in the form of speaking engagements and published writings.
Collaborate with leaders and staff across the NYCLU— including the Education Policy Center, Racial Justice Center, Policy, Communications, and Field Departments —to ensure that the NYCLU has an integrated approach to address injustice.
Supervise and mentor law students as part of the NYCLU summer-intern program and contribute to the professional development of other members of the legal department.