Paralegal, LGBTQ & HIV Project

Job Description

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks a full-time position of Paralegal in the Jon L. Stryker and Slobodan Randjelović LGBTQ & HIV Project of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY.

The LGBTQ & HIV Project is part of the ACLU’s Center for Liberty, which is dedicated to the principle that we are all entitled to determine the course of our lives based on who we are and what we believe, free from unreasonable government constraint and baseless stereotypes. The Center for Liberty encompasses the ACLU’s work on LGBTQ rights, the rights of people living with HIV, women’s rights, the rights of people living with disabilities, reproductive freedom, and freedom of religion and belief.

The ACLU brought its first gay rights case in 1936, its first transgender rights case in 1967, and has been a leading advocate on LGBT rights for decades. Through the LGBTQ & HIV Project, founded in 1986, the ACLU seeks to create a just society for all LGBTQ people and people living with HIV regardless of race or income. Through litigation, lobbying, public education, and organizing, we work to build a country where our communities can live openly without discrimination and enjoy equal rights, personal autonomy, and freedom of expression and association.

We litigate in state and federal courts throughout the country, lobby in state legislatures and Congress, advocate for fair administrative policies, organize ballot campaigns, and educate the public. The ACLU has been at the forefront of LGBTQ-related litigation, serving as counsel in six of the past seven United States Supreme Court cases involving LGBTQ-related issues. Our advocacy is designed to have a significant effect on the lives of LGBTQ people and people living with HIV. Our legal strategies are built around the idea that fighting for civil rights means not just persuading judges but ultimately changing the way people think about our issues. We frame our litigation and other advocacy around targeted media, online advocacy, and outreach campaigns designed to change public attitudes and to give people on the frontlines the tools they need to fight for their civil rights.

Today, the ACLU and its 50+ state affiliate offices do more litigation, policy advocacy, legislative lobbying, ballot campaigns, and public education work on LGBTQ issues than any other civil rights organization. Doing this work as part of the broad civil liberties agenda of the ACLU reflects the reality that the LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities are part of other social change movements and that we must work together if we are to achieve a just society for all. The ACLU strives to ensure that the racial and economic diversity of the LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities is reflected in its work and continues to explore ways to make its efforts more sensitive to the needs of people of color and people who are economically disadvantaged.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide comprehensive support for impact litigation
• Respond to individuals who contact the LGBTQ & HIV Project for assistance; utilize and maintain intake database
• Provide support to attorneys with client and witness interviews
• Cite check, edit, proofread, format, produce and serve litigation documents
• Collect and analyze social science and other research for use in litigation and policy presentations.
• Draft declarations and prepare deposition summaries
• Maintain and organize litigation documents and files
• Maintain case and issue dockets for the Project
• Assist in the development and maintenance of LGBTQ & HIV Project websites and other public information outlets
• Track federal and state litigation and legislation on issues relevant to the LGBTQ & HIV Project
• Act as liaison between Staff Attorneys and Legal Administrative Assistants to disseminate work assigned by attorneys and provide routine and/or procedural guidance regarding work assignments
• Perform administrative tasks and provide support for the legal administrative assistant as needed
• Provide administrative support for the managers’ review of applications for Legal Administrative Assistant, Paralegal, and intern positions
• Work jointly with interns and communicate routine and/or procedural guidance on projects assigned by managers
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes
• Demonstrate a commitment to the mission of the ACLU
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
• Demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated commitment to the rights of LGBTQ people and people living with HIV
• Excellent research skills, including internet research
• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written)
• Strong computer skills with advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.)
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team
• Some experience with the maintenance of websites, layout and electronic posting of content is preferred
• A Bachelor's degree is preferred, but not required
• Demonstrated commitment to the ACLU's mission to defend civil rights and civil liberties

COMPENSATION

Salary for this position is $65,386. Excellent benefits package provided.

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

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 from government abuse and overreach.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. 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 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.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages 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. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.

The ACLU makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions.

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.