Job Abstract

The ACLU seeks a full-time position of Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney in the State Supreme Court Initiative 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.

Launched in 2023, the SSCI is a team of ACLU attorneys dedicated to strengthening and expanding civil rights and civil liberties protections through litigation in state supreme courts. In just over a year of existence, the SSCI has already served as co-counsel for a party or an amicus curiae in 24 cases spanning 18 states. This work spans many issues. For example, we have litigated cases involving transgender rights in Kansas, free speech in Maine, prosecutorial accountability in Massachusetts, abortion in Nebraska, drug decriminalization in Nevada, and the political question doctrine in Utah.

Reporting to the National Legal Director, and working in close coordination with the SSCI’s two Senior Staff Attorneys, the Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney will work to advance the SSCI’s mission through appellate advocacy, public education, coordination with advocacy partners, research and writing, and other priority areas as needed.

• Participate in litigation on a wide range of issues in state courts, especially appellate litigation in state supreme courts
• File briefs in state supreme courts on cutting-edge constitutional issues, either as amicus or as co-counsel for a party, and participate in oral argument as appropriate
• 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
• Work with and advise ACLU state affiliates on matters involving state constitutional law and state court litigation
• Facilitate strategic collaboration among affiliates engaged in state constitutional litigation
• Support development of civil liberties and civil rights doctrine across states
• 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

• 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

• J.D. degree
• Appropriate bar membership permitting practice in the District of Columbia or New York, depending on where the Staff Attorney or Senior Staff 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

• A minimum of five years’ litigation experience, including clerkships
• Familiarity with state court litigation and/or state constitutional law

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: $89,250-$111,491
• 3-5 years since law school graduation: $124,873-$147,324
• 6-10 years since law school graduation: $154,069- $173,808
• 11-15 years since law school graduation: $177,058-$187,108
• 16-20 years since law school graduation: $188,874-$193,738
• 21-25 years since law school graduation: $194,719-$198,708
• 26-30+ years since law school graduation: $199,666- $203,553

These salaries are reflective of positions based in New York, NY. The salary will be subject to a locality adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting. Note that most of the salaries listed on our job postings reflect New York, NY salaries, where our National offices are headquartered.

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

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 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 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 benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.