Senior Staff or Staff Attorney, Democracy: Voting Rights Litigation Team

Southern Poverty Law Center•Atlanta, AL

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) Democracy - Voting Rights Litigation Team (DVR) is seeking a Senior Staff or Staff Attorney committed to voting rights. This team works across the Deep South in collaboration with community partners and organizers to engage and mobilize voters, restore voting rights to returning citizens, pursue electoral policy reforms, and litigate against unconstitutional and discriminatory voting practices. Their efforts focus on expanding ballot access, promoting fair redistricting, defending against racial gerrymandering and vote dilution, improving election administration, and community outreach. Current work includes challenging Georgia's SB 202, Alabama's state legislative maps, Mississippi's Supreme Court districting plan, and Alabama's absentee ballot system accessibility for blind and print-disabled individuals. The team also engages in public education, election monitoring, and other legal advocacy across the Deep South.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience litigating individual and class action civil rights cases in federal and state courts at the trial and appellate levels.
Experience working with community organizations, grassroots campaigns, and impacted communities, particularly in the Deep South, to promote voting rights.
Demonstrated interest and commitment to voting rights, civic engagement, campaign work, organizing or election law.
Ability to synthesize complex issues and communicate them effectively to diverse audiences.
Demonstrated ability to conduct legal research and factual investigations.
Ability to create vision and take calculated risks in crafting and executing strategies to move litigation forward.
Demonstrated ability to work with other litigation teams, external organizations, and stakeholders.
Exceptional communication skills and ability to communicate persuasively to a variety of audiences through writing and speaking.
Demonstrates an understanding of and a commitment to SPLC's mission, vision and values.
At least one (1) year of federal court civil litigation or comparable experience post law school (for Staff Attorney I-II).
At least six (6) years of federal court civil litigation or comparable experience post law school (for Senior Staff Attorney I-IV).
Membership in good standing of at least one state bar in the United States, preferably Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, or Mississippi.
J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school.

Responsibilities

Litigate cases in state and federal courts, primarily across SPLC’s five focus states, including co-counseling with private attorneys.
Conduct extensive research and factual investigations.
Write motions, briefs, and other court filings.
Conduct discovery, court appearances, and oral arguments.
Lead advocacy and litigation, including legal research, factual investigations, and drafting memorandum and complaints.
Identify and develop new cases and litigation strategies to advance voting rights, working with community groups, coalitions, and individuals.
Mentor and train legal staff and interns (for Senior Staff Attorneys).
Participate on relevant task forces and coalitions.
Collaborate across departments within SPLC to ensure effective implementation of impact area goals.
Represent DVR on relevant task forces and coalitions.
Work closely with SPLC’s Policy Department, Communications, and other departments to advance policy objectives.
Engage in public speaking and articulate SPLC’s policies and programs to the public and media on voting rights issues.
Perform other duties as required or assigned.
Uphold JEDI principles by seeking diverse collaborators and partners.