ACLU · 2 months ago
Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel, State Supreme Court Initiative
New York, New York, United States
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$92K/yr - $115K/yrThe ACLU is seeking applicants for a full-time, term-limited position within the State Supreme Court Initiative at their National office. The role involves advancing the mission of the SSCI through litigation, public education, and collaboration with advocacy partners.
AdviceLegalNon Profit
Responsibilities
Participate in litigation on a wide range of issues in state appellate and trial courts, including by drafting briefs and other legal memoranda, researching and drafting pleadings, conducting oral arguments and evidentiary hearings, and engaging in motion practice and occasional discovery
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
Analyze legislation for potential litigation in state court on issues that the SSCI prioritizes
Work with and advise ACLU state affiliates and national ACLU Projects on matters involving state constitutional law and state court litigation
Support development of state civil liberties and civil rights doctrine across the country, including through trainings and the development of model pleadings
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
Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
J.D. degree
Appropriate bar membership permitting practice in the District of Columbia or New York, depending on where the 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
Preferred
Demonstrated litigation experience, including clerkships
Experience with both appellate and trial practice, with deep experience in appellate-brief writing on novel legal issues
Familiarity with state court litigation and/or state constitutional law
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
The ACLU is an non-profit, non-partisan organization of people who believe in the power of action.
Founded in 1920
501-1000 employees
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
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2023 (1)
2020 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$0.12M2017-01-31Seed· $0.12M
Leadership Team
Deborah Archer
President
Esete Assefa
Chief Political Advisor
Recent News
2026-01-18
2026-01-16
2026-01-16
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