Staff Attorney 7+ years of experience

American Civil Liberties Union•Philadelphia, PA

1d•$114,975 - $135,560•Hybrid

About The Position

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania (“ACLU-PA”) seeks an experienced, full-time attorney in our Philadelphia office to develop and lead litigation and legal advocacy to advance the civil rights of people in Pennsylvania. This position provides experienced attorneys with an exciting opportunity to develop and pursue impact litigation and integrated advocacy involving cutting-edge civil liberties and civil rights issues. The Staff Attorney will be directly supervised by the Senior Supervising Attorney and will work with attorneys in the legal department to develop and litigate cases at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts. In addition, the Staff Attorney will engage in non-litigation advocacy, including policy work, public speaking, and community engagement. Applicants should have meaningful experience in federal civil litigation with a demonstrated commitment to public interest work. The ACLU-PA’s Legal Department currently comprises eight full-time attorneys as well as a paralegal and several term-limited and fellow attorneys. Legal Department staff work on a wide range of civil rights and civil liberties cases, at both trial and appellate levels, in federal and state courts. They also support the legislative, advocacy, and communications work of the ACLU-PA. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vision Statement The ACLU-PA affirmatively values the humanity and contributions of those we work with, inside and outside of the organization, and will take action to build and sustain an equitable, anti-racist culture that centers the voices and experiences of marginalized and directly impacted people and communities, and an organizational environment where all people feel valued, trusted, and respected. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and having a workforce that reflects the populations that we serve; we actively recruit people of color, women, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people, and LGBQ&T, and gender non-conforming people. The Approach Our work is guided by the principles of freedom, equality, and justice enumerated in the Constitution. However, we understand that systemic racism and other forms of oppression have prevented the equitable application of these principles to all, and we strive to ensure that our approach accounts for this reality. We also acknowledge that demands of the work as well as the challenging subject matter it often involves take a toll. While we know that the path of this work is long and hard, we also value the importance of personal wellbeing. To that end, we endeavor to cultivate a culture that is supportive and sustainable and promotes taking care of oneself.

Requirements

A Juris Doctorate from an American Bar Association-accredited law school.
At least seven years of litigation experience (a clerkship with a trial or appellate level court counts as litigation experience).
Exceptional writing, research and analytical skills.
Demonstrated commitment to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, goals and programs.
Membership in the Pennsylvania Bar. If you are currently a member of another state bar, you must either be eligible to be admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar or sit for the next available Pennsylvania Bar examination and pass it within twelve months.
Versed in Microsoft Suites Applications and legal research tools ( e.g. , Westlaw).

Nice To Haves

Experience with complex litigation, such as civil rights class actions or other forms of impact litigation.
Experience managing cases and demonstrated ability to engage in complex legal analysis and fact-finding.
Experience in immigration detention and habeas litigation.
Legal experience in one or more of the following areas: race, gender, disability, or LGBTQIA+ discrimination; privacy, surveillance and technology; voting rights; immigrants’ rights; police misconduct; criminal law reform; or First Amendment expression and/or religious liberty.
Substantive knowledge of constitutional law.
Experience with public speaking.
Direct personal or professional experience with communities impacted by systemic bias or economic exclusion.
Spanish language proficiency.
The successful candidate will also exhibit the following characteristics: Creative, flexible, well-organized and reliable; able to handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities and manage a demanding schedule; a team player who is able to work independently, jointly, and under pressure; willing to learn; a self-starter and finisher.
Knowledgeable about racial equity and inclusion principles, including being able to recognize ways that race and other identities intersect in the work, especially with communities we serve; being comfortable talking about identities such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, ability, or gender in plain, specific terms; and understanding the historical context for racial inequity and its present-day implications.
Committed to working collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.
Able to travel throughout Pennsylvania for litigation, conferences and client development.

Responsibilities

Investigate, develop and litigate impact cases in state and federal courts, including researching and drafting pleadings and briefs, engaging in discovery and motions practice, and conducting evidentiary hearings, oral arguments, trials and appeals.
Recruit and supervise private attorneys and law firms to work as “cooperating attorneys” on ACLU of Pennsylvania cases. Most of our cases are litigated in teams, comprising other ACLU lawyers (from Pennsylvania and the national office), public interest organizations, and/or private practitioners.
Review, critique, and edit letters and briefs of co-counsel and other ACLU-PA staff.
Communicate with clients, potential clients and our outside partners.
Engage in fact-gathering and other pre-litigation work.
Advocate for civil liberties and civil rights and represent the ACLU-PA at events and in coalitions, as appropriate.
Work with ACLU-PA staff to implement integrated advocacy campaigns and high-impact strategies utilizing ACLU-PA’s communication, legislative, advocacy and legal programs.
Provide research and support for our legislative program.
Assist in hiring and supervising law student interns.
Supervise attorney fellows.
Support the legal work of the ACLU-PA’s Legal Department, as needed.

Benefits

Excellent benefits include generous vacation and sick leave; individual/family employer-provided health and dental insurance; life insurance and long-term disability; defined contribution plan with employer match; and 11 paid holidays.
Relocation assistance may be available for out-of-state candidates.

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