Staff Attorney

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Institute to End Mass Incarceration (IEMI) is a research and advocacy institute within Harvard Law School dedicated to building the intellectual leadership, public understanding, and practical tools necessary to end mass incarceration. IEMI operates at the intersection of research, advocacy, and public engagement. IEMI seeks to hire a staff attorney to lead research, advocacy, and coalition building work with respect to the Institute’s Carceral Infrastructure Project. The staff attorney will play a key role driving forward substantive work related to efforts to understand and prevent the expansion of mass incarceration’s physical footprint. Reporting to the Executive Faculty Director, this position focuses on collaborating with coalitional partners, leading the production of written research and advocacy materials, helping to design advocacy strategies for specific campaigns, and leading execution of the Institute’s advocacy work in this subject matter area. This is an individual contributor role that requires strong project management, legal research and writing, and collaboration skills. The staff attorney will also from time to time oversee the work of research assistants, interns, and student attorneys.

Requirements

• JD degree
• at least 3 years of relevant post-graduate experience
• admission to a state bar
• Commitment to the mission, goals, and values of Inquest and the Institute to End Mass Incarceration.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Strong project management ability.
• Comfort managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with affiliated organizations and actors.
• Identify and cultivate opportunities for new campaigns.
• Develop, in coordination with the Executive Faculty Director, overarching strategies for the Institute’s involvement in ongoing campaigns and in other ecosystem partnerships.
• Take primary ownership for executing research and advocacy related strategies, including creating written deliverables (briefs, white papers, etc).
• Take primary ownership for driving forward litigation and related advocacy, including managing client relationships, co-counsel relationships, and litigation preparation and execution.
• In coordination with Executive Faculty Director, identify, screen, and help select junior members of the Institute’s Advocacy Team (including research associates, interns, and fellows etc).
• Craft assignments for and oversee the work product of said junior team members, as directed by the Executive Faculty Director.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

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