ACLU-NC Staff Attorney
$80,000–$90,000 year
HybridDurham, North Carolina, United States
Job Summary
Develop and execute a workplan focused on ensuring detained individuals access legal information, preventing unlawful prolonged detention, and verifying compliance with federal and state law. Investigate, draft pleadings, motions, and briefs, conduct discovery, and present oral arguments in federal and state court to litigate high-impact civil rights cases for detained immigrants. Lead non-litigation advocacy campaigns, organize community education trainings, and provide legal analysis for legislation and regulations. Represent the ACLU in coalition spaces and serve as a spokesperson at public forums and media events. Engage in frequent solo travel throughout the state and work outside standard office hours to respond to time-sensitive matters regarding ICE detention and local law enforcement immigration detentions.
Required Qualifications
- J.D. degree
- Membership in good standing with the North Carolina Bar or admission to the North Carolina Bar within one year of hire
- Valid drivers' license
- Safe driving record
- Consistent access to a reliable car
- Familiarity with and confidence in driving long distances solo in rural areas
- Substantial experience with immigration law, or in civil rights advocacy focused on immigrants' rights
- Demonstrated commitment to the civil liberties mission and social justice principles of the ACLU
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute –with minimal supervision— a goal-oriented workplan, including delegation to and collaboration with legal outreach workers and other support staff
- Ability to consistently draft written work products that meet deadlines, reflect thorough legal research, is self-edited, and contains concise, up-to-date analysis of the law
- Demonstrated ability to make successful arguments to courts based on established law, to develop creative legal theories and strategies, and to write clearly and persuasively
- Demonstrated ability to meet tight deadlines while managing a docket that includes multiple cases in various stages of active litigation
- Demonstrated ability to proactively seek and receive remote supervision, communicate as part of a team, ask for support, and delegate as needed to ensure all work is completed on time
- High levels of commonsense judgment, emotional intelligence, humility, personal accountability, and well-developed listening skills
- Demonstrated personal commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion
- Personal approach that values individual lived experience and respects differences of race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstances
- Commitment to working collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts
- Excellent computer skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
- Applicant must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.
Desired Qualifications
- Bilingual in English and Spanish (or another language widely spoken by immigrant North Carolinians)
- Substantial federal court district litigation experience, especially in immigration habeas or other civil rights matters
- Demonstrated ability to participate in all stages of complex litigation, from initial investigation through trial and appeal, and readiness to take a leading role in cases
- Experience with one or more of the ACLU of North Carolina's other strategic priority areas: criminal law reform, reproductive freedom, voting rights, or LGBTQ+ equality
- At least 3 years of experience as a practicing litigator
- Significant complex civil litigation experience - especially experience litigating civil rights cases in federal court
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.