Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel, State Supreme Court Initiative

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time, term-limited, position of Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel in the State Supreme Court Initiative (SSCI) of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, D.C., or New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. This is a two-year, term-limited position. 

Launched in 2023, the SSCI is dedicated to ensuring that: (1) people around the country have the broadest possible protections for their civil liberties under state constitutions, (2) state courts play an independent and robust role in developing and protecting state and federal rights, and (3) the public understands the importance of state courts and has meaningful access to them. 

In roughly two and a half years, the SSCI has built a broad and substantial docket, covering a wide range of states and issues. To date, we have represented a party or participated as amicus in more than 55 cases spanning 30 state high courts, including on issues of access to justice, equal protection, free speech, voting rights, criminal justice, and reproductive rights.

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the SSCI Co-Director, the Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel will work to advance the SSCI’s mission through appellate and to a lesser extent trial advocacy, public education, coordination with advocacy partners, research and writing, and other priority areas as needed.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Participate in litigation on a wide range of issues in state appellate and trial courts, including by drafting briefs and other legal memoranda, researching and drafting pleadings, conducting oral arguments and evidentiary hearings, and engaging in motion practice and occasional discovery.
• Identify trends in state constitutional litigation and develop litigation strategies to advance the mission of the ACLU, and the SSCI specifically
• Identify and track cases percolating in state courts
• Analyze legislation for potential litigation in state court on issues that the SSCI prioritizes
• Work with and advise ACLU state affiliates and national ACLU Projects on matters involving state constitutional law and state court litigation
• Support development of state civil liberties and civil rights doctrine across the country, including through trainings and the development of model pleadings
• Assist with training and mentorship of legal fellows, interns, and paralegal
• Engage in public speaking and the articulation of ACLU views to a variety of audiences
• Collaborate with staff across the organization, including in the subject-matter Projects within the ACLU’s Legal Department, Communications, Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives, the National Political Advocacy Department, and state affiliates
• Travel as required for litigation, conferences, and case or client development
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned 

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• J.D. degree
• Appropriate bar membership permitting practice in the District of Columbia or New York, depending on where the attorney is based
• Exceptional writing, analytic, research, and speaking skills are required
• A demonstrated ability to work independently as well as within a team
• Ability to foster and contribute to a collaborative team environment
• Self-motivated, diligent, and able to meet strict deadlines while under pressure
• Ability to work with a wide range of people and foster a team environment

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated litigation experience, including clerkships
• Experience with both appellate and trial practice, with deep experience in appellate-brief writing on novel legal issues
• Familiarity with state court litigation and/or state constitutional law 

COMPENSATION

The ACLU has a litigator scale that determines pay for attorneys in our Legal Department. The range of salaries are the following, based on year of law school graduation (please consult the hiring manager for specific salary details, based on individual circumstances)

• 0-2 years since law school graduation: $92,374-$115,393
• 3-5 years since law school graduation: $129,244-$152,480
• 6-10 years since law school graduation: $159,461- $179,891
• 11-15 years since law school graduation: $183,255-$193,657
• 16-20 years since law school graduation: $195,485-$200,519
• 21-25 years since law school graduation: $201,534-$205,663
• 26-30+ years since law school graduation: $206,654- $210,677

The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. These salaries are reflective of positions based in New York, NY where are National Offices are headquartered.  Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.  

For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf

WHY THE ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.    

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.