ACLU of San Diego Equity Staff Attorney

The American Civil Liberties Union/ACLU Foundation of San Diego & Imperial Counties seeks a self-motivated, creative, and experienced Equity Staff Attorney to focus on developing impact litigation that seeks to further the ACLU’s mission of advancing equity. The Equity Staff Attorney reports to the Legal Director.

The ACLU fights for individual rights and fundamental freedoms for all, through education, litigation, policy advocacy, and organizing. The ACLU promotes and defends civil rights and civil liberties, including First Amendment rights, equal protection, privacy, and due process. The San Diego ACLU works collaboratively with the National ACLU headquarters in New York, as well as with the ACLU affiliates headquartered in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Together, the three California affiliates have more than 120,000 members and 150 staff in California.

Located in beautiful San Diego, our ACLU affiliate covers the length of California’s border with Mexico. It has 32 staff members, 23 board members, 5,000 members, and an annual budget of $4 million. San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States and the second largest in California. San Diego County has the third largest number of registered voters in California. Imperial County is the poorest county in California.

The ideal candidate will have a deep commitment and passion to ensuring civil liberties for everyone and an understanding of what it takes to fight for advancing equity in partnership with community allies.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Equity Staff Attorney is an important position at the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties. Reporting to the Legal Director, the Equity Staff Attorney will be responsible for participating in the development and management of impact litigation on equity issues in partnership with the community, as well as supervision of legal fellows and interns as needed.

Specific Responsibilities:

  • Research, investigate, and develop impact litigation in conjunction with cooperating counsel on equity issues in areas such as education, employment, and housing.
  • As needed, supervision of legal fellows and interns on certain projects, as designated by Legal Director.
  • Serve on designated campaign teams and participate in integrated advocacy in coordination with staff and community allies.
  • Develop affiliate-wide initiative for advancing equity in San Diego and Imperial Counties in partnership with community allies.
  • Provide legal analysis and support to designated legislative, policy, organizing, communications, or development work.
  • Engage with community through building and nurturing relationships and participating in regular conversations with community leaders, partners, and members.
  • Engage with media in coordination with communications department.
  • Participate in formulation of legal team vision, plans, and priorities in light of affiliate priorities and capacity.
  • Participate in internship and fellowship recruitment and interview process.
  • Develop fellowship proposals as needed for equity-related projects.

Qualifications:

  • Unwavering commitment to civil liberties principles;
  • Juris Doctorate degree;
  • At least 5 and preferably 7-10 years of litigation experience, including development and management of complex litigation;
  • Admitted to practice in California and member in good standing of California State Bar.
  • Excellent skills in legal research, writing, and analysis; oral argument; negotiation; supervision and management; and interpersonal communication.
  • Highly self-motivated, organized, adaptable.

Salary & Benefits: Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits.

Application Procedure

Interested individuals must send a cover letter, resume, list of five (5) references, and a writing sample (no more than five (5) pages) by e-mail to jobs@aclusandiego.org.

Application deadline is Friday, December 16, 2016.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, and veterans.