Staff Attorney, Education Equity

ACLU FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIF • Los Angeles, CA

4d • $89,068 - $119,543 • Hybrid

About The Position

The ACLU Foundation of Southern California (“ACLU SoCal”) seeks a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney for the Education Equity project who will make transformational change, advance racial justice, and protect and expand people’s rights in the areas of education equity throughout Southern California. The Attorney will support movement building by co-creating, implementing, and participating in innovative advocacy and campaigns with grassroots organizations; develop and litigate (or, if Senior, build and lead) administrative, state and federal cases; engage in legislative and policy advocacy on issues relating to education equity; engage in public education; and provide technical assistance on education-related issues to coalitions, community partners, government officials, and government bodies. The Attorney will advocate on the full range of education equity related issues on which the ACLU SoCal engages. Litigation, advocacy, and public education campaigns might include: dismantling the school to prison to deportation pipeline; equitable access to educational resources for Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and other traditionally under-resourced student groups; protecting accurate and inclusive curriculum and race-conscious policy-making, building the infrastructure for more participatory governance led by youth and families; preparing young people to be critical problem solvers who can dismantle oppressive systems and build equitable alternatives; and enhancing transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from elected officials’ offices. The Attorney will be a member of the ACLU SoCal’s Education Equity Team. The Attorney will also work with other attorneys, policy advocates and organizers from other ACLU SoCal Projects as needed. When intersectional issues arise, the Attorney will work collaboratively with the organizing and powerbuilding team on campaigns. The Attorney will be supervised by the Director of Education Equity within the ACLU SoCal Advocacy Department. Travel throughout the Southern California region and occasional trips to Sacramento may be required. We recognize that ACLU SoCal’s integrated advocacy approach in which advocacy staff utilize diverse tactics to advance our goals, including litigating, drafting legislation, and lobbying elected officials, working in coalition with grassroots organizations, and engaging in public education campaigns including report writing and issue-based trainings, is not typical. While candidates must meet the minimum qualifications, we do not expect candidates to have experience performing the entire range of tasks that would comprise the job responsibilities for this position. We encourage interested candidates to consider the transferrable skills that they have developed, particularly those related to written and oral communication, collective action, and advocacy on behalf of others—and assess whether they are willing to gain experience with new job functions—when applying to this position. RACIAL EQUITY COMPETENCIES Understanding and Applying Racial Equity Demonstrate commitment to building or deepening understanding of racial equity: Core terms and concepts such as structural racism, white privilege, and anti-Blackness. The role that racial inequity has played and continues to play in our society. How race impacts supervisory relationships, team dynamics, and organizational culture. Personal/implicit/unconscious bias. Working for Racial Equity Consistently assess structural implications and racially disproportionate impacts of policies, activities, and decisions within the context of their job responsibilities; race/ethnicity, intersection of race/ethnicity, gender, identity, and/or sexual orientation. Consistently adhere to organization’s racial equity policies and procedures, including those that relate to hiring, retention, and promotion. Consistently identify and disrupt ways in which bias plays out in work and/or team.

Requirements

• Completed law degree within the last 3-10 years.
• Demonstrated commitment to civil and human rights, racial justice, and strong advocacy and litigation skills.
• Excellent research, writing, analytic, and speaking skills.
• Ability to develop and litigate impact cases.
• Ability to work in diverse coalitions and develop and implement advocacy campaigns.
• Demonstrated ability to participate in, create, and sustain inclusive and engaging spaces for all.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects, build strong relationships and work well in collaboration with others.
• A deep commitment to the cause of civil liberties and civil rights, including policing issues.
• Extremely strong project and time management skills, including a high level of organization, attention to detail and follow-through, while balancing and prioritizing multiple activities and responsibilities.
• Willingness to work occasional weekend and evening hours, as needed.
• Admitted to practice law in the state of California or willingness to promptly take the California bar exam.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in the area of education equity, youth justice, civil rights, and/or social justice issues in Southern California.
• People with personal experience with the criminal legal system, including people who are formerly incarcerated are encouraged to apply for this position.
• A demonstrated commitment and track record of doing intersectional advocacy.
• Experience working effectively with coalitions and building coalitions.
• Experience planning and facilitating workshops, trainings, meetings, and other community events.
• Spanish language fluency.
• Willingness to live in the Inland Region and experience with that community.

Responsibilities

• Support movement building by co-creating, implementing, and participating in innovative advocacy and campaigns with grassroots organizations.
• Develop and litigate (or, if Senior, build and lead) administrative, state and federal cases.
• Engage in legislative and policy advocacy on issues relating to education equity.
• Engage in public education.
• Provide technical assistance on education-related issues to coalitions, community partners, government officials, and government bodies.
• Advocate on the full range of education equity related issues on which the ACLU SoCal engages.
• Work with other attorneys, policy advocates and organizers from other ACLU SoCal Projects as needed.
• Work collaboratively with the organizing and powerbuilding team on campaigns when intersectional issues arise.
• Supervise interns, fellows and junior attorneys (1-5 years from law school).

Benefits

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance for staff members and their eligible dependents
• Life and long-term, short-term disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Ample vacation and sick leave
• Twenty-two paid holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level