Senior Staff Attorney

Senior Staff Attorney

Partnership for Civil Justice Fund

and its project, the Center for Protest Law and Litigation

Location: Washington, D.C. or Oakland, CA or remote for qualified candidates

Full-time position located in the Washington, D.C., or Oakland, CA, office or potentially geographically remote within the U.S. Both the Washington, D.C. and Oakland offices currently operate on a hybrid work schedule.

If you are a highly skilled, committed and principled lawyer who wants to use your hard work and enthusiasm to fight for civil rights, free speech and democracy and defend grassroots movements for justice, we welcome your application.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund seeks a litigator with a fighting spirit and demonstrated experience in federal court litigation, including constitutional rights and civil rights claims brought under Section 1983 and other statutes. We also welcome applications from experienced public defenders. In this position you will join in the litigation of existing cases and the development of new litigation, theories, and initiatives to defend and advance constitutional rights and social justice in the United States. This work will involve the range of PCJF’s civil rights matters, including the work of our project, the Center for Protest Law & Litigation, regarding legal matters at the intersection of First and Fourth Amendment rights in the context of free speech, assembly, and protest. You will work as part of our team on complex civil litigation, including police misconduct, as well as criminal defense of demonstrators and activists subject to unconstitutional targeting for First Amendment activities as well as lawfare SLAPP litigation and politically motivated Congressional inquiries. The work will also involve transparency and FOIA matters.

This position within a cutting edge and nimble litigation organization offers an opportunity to join a collaborative and creative team with substantial expertise in constitutional rights litigation and the defense of First Amendment activity.

About the Organization

As leaders in bringing high impact civil rights and constitutional rights litigation for 30 years, the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) has brought groundbreaking cases, changed laws and policies, and won millions in damages for persons whose rights have been violated. Our litigation work is integrated with outreach, education, and advocacy in partnership with affected groups, communities, activists, and organizations in racial, social, and environmental justice movements. Our work is focused ultimately on creating meaningful social, political, and legal changes and dismantling systems of repression.

The Center for Protest Law & Litigation at the PCJF protects and advances the rights of protestors to organize, assemble, and demand justice around the country. We defend free speech rights through affirmative civil litigation, including against the mechanisms of police and government violence, as well as criminal defense of protestors targeted for their First Amendment-protected expression.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• Actively engage in significant impact litigation including discovery, depositions, motions practice, drafting briefs, correspondence, conducting thorough legal research, and court appearances.
• Provide direct defense to activists and support other attorneys defending demonstrators subject to arrest for First Amendment activities and expression.
• Prepare FOIA and public records requests and litigate the requests as necessary.
• Develop, evaluate, and investigate potential claims, new projects and litigation strategies to forward our efforts to defend and advance civil rights and social justice nationally, and work as part of a collaborative team.
• Draft publications and other legal resources including reports, fact sheets, and know your rights materials for public education and outreach and for audiences of varied backgrounds.
• Work closely and cooperatively with allied activists, grassroots organizations and partner coalitions.
• Engage in public speaking at conferences and community events on PCJF/CPLL advocacy, litigation, Know Your Rights (KYR) training, and outreach to the media and public generally.
• Participate in development and fundraising efforts as requested.
• Provide leadership and supervision of fellows, interns and staff as assigned. ‘
• Assist in other related duties as assigned.

Required Professional Experience and Qualifications for a Senior Staff Attorney:

• 7 or more years of litigation experience in constitutional and civil rights litigation involving First and Fourth Amendment claims with a preference for §1983 litigation experience. Active member of the bar (any jurisdiction) and ability to waive in to the District of Columbia bar. Preference for New York or California bar. No disciplinary actions on record or pending.
• Must have experience independently managing all aspects of litigation including conducting fact investigations, managing and conducting all phases of discovery, taking and defending depositions, drafting and arguing substantive motions, presenting oral arguments in court in complex cases, leading or co-leading trial teams and coordinating with other attorneys on case strategy.
• Experience supervising and mentoring junior attorneys and legal fellows, including reviewing legal work, coaching on litigation practice, and promoting skill development.
• Well-versed in civil rights and constitutional litigation and/or defense issues.
• Demonstrated ability to draft high quality legal briefs, including dispositive motions, and must reliably complete research that is comprehensive, accurate and does not require secondary review.
• Creative thinker in strategic and tactical planning to advance constitutional rights issues. Ability to develop and implement litigation strategies and to work collaboratively within the organization.
• Passion for the mission of the PCJF. Dedication to civil rights and social and environmental justice issues. Optimism.
• Self-motivated with ability to create an agenda for the work. Ability to take responsibility to advance and complete projects and manage a caseload, ability to respond to direction, and ability to work efficiently and manage time.
• Excellent judgment, meticulous attention to detail, superior organizational, speaking, and writing abilities.
• A strong work ethic and enthusiasm for this work is essential as well as the capacity to work well under pressure, to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, and to meet deadline requirements and rapid response needs, including working occasional weekends and evenings when necessary.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel occasionally.

Preferred: Experience working with frontline communities and/or grassroots social justice movements

SALARY: The salary is expected to be in the range of $100,000 – $125,000 and will depend on the applicant’s experience and qualifications. Benefits include outstanding health and dental insurance that is 100% employer paid; three weeks paid vacation; additional personal and sick leave; all 11 paid federal holidays; and a 401(k) plan with employer contribution.

START DATE: ASAP

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Application review and interviews will be on a rolling basis with priority consideration being given to early submissions.

SUBMISSIONS: Please send a cover letter detailing your interest in the position and in the organization, your resume, and a writing sample of original litigation work, preferably dispositive motions briefing (5 pages maximum, excerpts are acceptable, please indicate whether the sample was solo-authored or co-authored). Please indicate if you have a geographic preference. Materials should be sent to recruitment@justiceonline.org putting “Job Application: Senior Staff Attorney, [your full name]” in the subject line of the email. Only complete applications will be reviewed.

NOTE: We are only accepting applications electronically submitted. Please do not make any inquiries about the position or the status of your application as we cannot respond individually to each application. We will contact those applicants who are of interest directly.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, age, formerly incarcerated person status, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected status.