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ACLU · 22 hours ago

Legal Director, ACLU of North Dakota, South Dakota, & Wyoming

Sioux Falls, SD

Full-time

Hybrid

Director/Executive

$142K/yr - $142K/yr

The ACLU is seeking a Legal Director for its National Chapter of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. This role involves leading the legal program, managing litigation efforts, and providing strategic leadership on various civil liberties issues.

AdviceLegalNon Profit

Comp. & Benefits

H1B Sponsor Likely

Responsibilities

Provide leadership in both litigation and non-litigation legal advocacy, playing a crucial role in shaping the Chapter’s legal strategies and broader organizational goals

Proven ability to manage and inspire high-performing legal staff and teams. Coordinate effectively with advocacy, communications, and development teams to ensure cohesive, cross-functional success

Manage, supervise, and direct a staff attorney and occasionally law student and undergraduate interns; handle recruiting and hiring of additional legal staff (budget permitting); and foster an organizational culture within the legal program that encourages staff development through internal and external resources

Coordinate and collaborate with other ACLU SD/ND/WY departments on cross-departmental projects, ensuring integrated – and maximally effective – outcomes. Serve as a resource on legal matters for staff, partners, and other ACLU of SD/ND/WY constituents

Engage in direct litigation efforts and manage cases demonstrating self-sufficiency and expertise in legal proceedings

Maintain and continue to develop our impact litigation and advocacy docket, which advances the ACLU of SD/ND/WY strategic priorities and responds to civil rights and civil liberties threats

Manage all aspects of the litigation program, including coordinating the selection of cases, overseeing the investigation and development of cases before commencing litigation; building litigation teams with in-house lawyers, private lawyers, and nonprofit partners; directly engaging in litigation in federal and state court; and overseeing ongoing litigation

Maintain an individual caseload of developing and active litigation and amicus briefs, including overseeing and directing pre-litigation investigations, discovery, motion practice, brief writing, hearings and trials, and appellate work

Work with staff attorneys, cooperating attorneys, and co-counsel (including but not limited to attorneys from the ACLU’s National Legal Department) on all work within the ACLU SD/ND/WY legal program

Develop and nurture strong relationships with community leaders, members, and organizations, both within legal circles and the broader community

Broaden and deepen relationships with volunteer attorneys and other lawyers in the community to ensure the visibility of the ACLU SD/ND/WY in the legal community (and beyond) and to help build our legal docket, including by engaging lawyers in pre-litigation investigations, amicus briefs, litigation, and other ACLU SD/ND/WY activities

Develop relationships with stakeholders such as community members, allied organizations, coalitions, and community leaders in SD/ND/WY who may be impacted by current and future litigation

Act as a prominent spokesperson for the Chapter, representing the organization in media appearances, strategic public forums, community events, donor briefings, and other public engagements

Qualification

Trial litigation experienceAppellate litigation experienceConstitutional law expertiseCivil rights advocacyLegal strategy developmentCommunity engagementTeam managementPublic representationHigh ethical standardsOrganizational skillsCreative problem-solvingCollaboration

Required

Significant years of trial and appellate litigation experience in state and federal courts, including class actions, with a strong interest and experience in constitutional law and civil rights

Proven ability to effectively manage legal staff, run diverse and high-performing teams, and savviness in both direct and indirect people leadership with the ability to work effectively in coordination with non-legal teams engaged in advocacy, communications, and development

Admitted to the South Dakota, North Dakota, or Wyoming Bar or eligible for admission on motion

Excellent organizational skills and a creative and strategic approach to problem-solving and litigation

Creative, persuasive, results-oriented, self-starting, persevering, and willing to learn

Ability to engage in litigation with minimal support staff

High ethical standards and genuine interest in developing authentic relationships

Team player who inspires collaboration, lifts the work of others, and maintains balance and perspective with patience

Benefits

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

Company

ACLU

Glassdoor3.9

The ACLU is an non-profit, non-partisan organization of people who believe in the power of action.

Founded in 1920

New York, New York, USA

501-1000 employees

https://www.aclu.org/

H1B Sponsorship

ACLU has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship

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Trends of Total Sponsorships

2023 (1)

2020 (1)