Staff Attorney

Job Description

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska is looking for an experienced and ambitious litigator as our full-time Staff Attorney to focus on cutting-edge, constitutional impact litigation. You’ll be responsible for litigating every step of your docket of complex cases, from initial client contact to final resolution at trial or appeal, and will report to the Legal Director as an integral member of our team’s mission to expand and defend civil liberties throughout Alaska and beyond.

Who we are

The ACLU of Alaska is the Alaska affiliate of the national ACLU, the nation’s oldest and largest protector of the Bill of Rights. We are Alaska’s premier civil rights and civil liberties advocate, and are a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that integrates litigation, public policy advocacy, public education, communications with the media and our members, and coalition building and grassroots organizing to defend and expand Alaskans’ constitutional rights and individual freedoms. As part of the ACLU of Alaska’s 50th anniversary, we’re embarking on our most ambitious advocacy yet, which includes eliminating discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, dramatically reforming the criminal justice system, paring back the national security state and strengthening the right to privacy, ensuring that all Americans can freely and easily vote, and defeating perennial attempts to restrict women’s right to safe and legal abortions.

Your responsibilities

• Represent the ACLU of Alaska and its clients in all aspects of complex impact litigation, including factual and legal research, discovery, motion practice, trials, appeals, and amicus briefs;
• In concert with the Legal Director, proactively seek out and creatively implement a strategic impact litigation program that advances key civil liberties by persuading state and federal courts, administrative tribunals, and regulatory agencies to recognize new or established legal principles;
• Proactively identify litigation opportunities, and, in consultation with the Executive Director and Legal Director, select direct-representation and amicus cases for the ACLU of Alaska;
• Develop and maintain relationships with partner organizations, public interest law firms, legal service agencies, and other members of the Alaska legal community;
• Recruit, train, and coordinate volunteer attorneys’ work on ACLU of Alaska cases.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the ACLU of Alaska, with the Communications, Legal, and Executive Directors;
• Work with fellow ACLU of Alaska staff to integrate litigation with policy advocacy, communications and public education, and philanthropy; and
• Work with the Executive and Legal Directors and Director of Philanthropy to participate in budget, donor, and planning meetings as needed.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate has:

• Law degree and a license to practice law in Alaska or the ability to be admitted by reciprocity or passing the next bar exam;
• At least three years’ experience as a lawyer; ideally, the experience includes litigating complex civil case in federal and state courts;
• Ability to work across the political spectrum with grasstops and diverse coalitions, including developing shared plans, and navigating internal political dynamics among partner groups;
• Exceptional initiative, vision, and ambition to build a vibrant, integrated litigation program through short- and long-term integrated strategies;
• Passion for, and a well-articulated knowledge of, civil liberties and social justice, and a familiarity with the work and mission of the ACLU;
• Exceptional analytical, research, writing, and oral advocacy skills, as well as the ability to articulate legal concepts and complex issues and to communicate them tactfully and effectively to a variety of audiences;
• Ability to edit the work of oneself and others with a collegial spirit to correct grammar and sharpen prose;
• Experience working with other staff and leading teams by listening, guiding, and supporting colleagues to achieve common goals;
• Keen attention to detail; ability to work simultaneously with initiative on multiple projects at various stages of completion; good problem-solving and collaboration skills; a positive, professional attitude with sound judgment, flexibility, determination, and good humor in a fast-paced, sometimes high-pressure office;
• An absolute commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards;
• Willingness to work beyond 9 to 5 and to travel throughout Alaska as needed; and
• Fluency with computers, Microsoft Office, and Westlaw.

Compensation

This is an exempt, full-time, at-will position. The salary range is $70,000 to $85,000 and includes excellent benefits, including health, dental, disability, and life insurance, a 401(k) plan with an employer-match, and generous vacation, sick, and holiday leave. The ACLU of Alaska also offers a stipend to help defray moving costs where appropriate.

How to apply

If this seems like you, please email PDFs of your

• résumé;
• a professional writing sample that has not been substantially edited by others
• three professional references; and
• a letter describing why you think you’d be great at this job

to [email protected] with the subject “ Staff Attorney .” Please state in your letter how you learned of this position.

To be assured of consideration for the position, interested applicants should apply before 4:30 p.m. on March 1, 2022. Applications received after that date will be considered if the position remains available.

The ACLU of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, and record of arrest or conviction.

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