Attorney - Program Counsel (Chicago Based)

Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights seeks an attorney to serve as Program Counsel in our newly expanded Midwest Voting Rights Program at a critical moment for American democracy. This role will be based in Chicago, Illinois. This is an opportunity to lead high-impact litigation and policy advocacy defending and protecting voting rights in Illinois and across the Midwest—work that will shape the legal landscape for years to come.

About the Role

The Program Counsel position is an exciting opportunity for an attorney who can bring vision, talent, and enthusiasm to the role at a time when protection and advancement of civil rights is needed more than ever. The ProgramCounsel will reportto the Illinois-based Senior Counsel in the Midwest Voting Rights Program.

Working in collaboration with the SeniorCounsel and other team membersin the Midwest Voting Rights Program (to be based in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan), you will help shape strategy and build on our track record of impact—including successful resolution of Illinois's flawed automatic voter registration implementation, federal court challenges to Indiana's restrictive voting laws, expansion of access to voting for incarcerated individuals, and leadership of legislative efforts to expand voting rights in Illinois.

Candidates should have a commitment to community lawyering and be able to share examples of relationship building and collaboration with community-based partners. The attorney must demonstrate a passion for racial equityand community empowerment and possess the skills needed to be a successful advocate.

The attorney will be expectedto work as needed with colleagues to advance our work in other core practice areas, including fair housing, equitable community development, education equity, and economic justice.

Duties Include:

Strategic Litigation

• Assist with impact litigation challenging systemic barriers to voting and representation in Illinois

• Research and develop legal theories for challenges to discriminatory laws, policies, and procedures
• Support pro bono relationships with major law firms serving as co-counsel—leveraging a networkof 600+ volunteer attorneys to take on cases a small team otherwise couldn't
• Collaborate with colleagues to identify intersections and develop integrated advocacy approaches that advance racial equity and economic opportunity for the clients and communities we serve

Policy Advocacy

• Draft and analyzelegislation
• Work in coalition with statewide and grassroots organizations to advance policy change that expands and improves voting access, especially among communities of color, system-impacted populations, and persons with disabilities
• Produce publications, know-your-rights materials, fact sheets, and policy briefs
• Conduct presentations and train the trainer events to community partners, advocates, and the broader public
• Be a thought partner and media presenceon the state of elections and voting rights in Illinois

Community Engagement & Election Protection

• Cultivate and maintain partnerships withorganizations and coalitions from communities impacted by systemic racism and other forms of oppression
• Provide brief advice and legal opinions to community partners
• Build strategies with community organizations and coalitions to advance systems change and expand voter access and protections
• Serve as a core partner with Election Protection initiatives in Illinois, coordinating with the full MVRP team to train staffand volunteers, advancevoter protection for voters in jail pre-conviction, advocate to election authorities, and support emergency litigation as needed
• In partnership with community groups,work to increaseaccess to voting by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals

About You

Qualifications

• Must be available to bein the Chicago office once a week and available for in-person work in Chicago and Illinois
• Must have a J.D. and be admitted to the Illinois Bar (or be eligible for admission based on reciprocity and bar licensurein another state with requirement to obtain Illinois licensure within one year)
• Preferred 2+ years of combined experience in civil rights litigation, policy advocacy, and/or experience or demonstrated interest in advancing voting rights or related civil rights and racial justice fields, which could include experience during or before law school
• Litigation experience or demonstrated interest,preferably including federalcourt practice, which could include experience in a law school clinic or other position during law school, or coursework demonstrating an interest in litigation
• Experience workingwith community organizations and coalitions
• Deep commitmentto racial justiceand community-driven advocacy
• Excellent legal research,writing, and oral advocacy skills
• High degree of flexibility, abilityto multi-task, and significant initiative
• Strong analytical skills,including attention to details and accuracy
• Excellent people skills, especially the ability to communicate effectively with a diversity of groups and individuals
• Cross-cultural competencies and self-awareness aroundissues of power,privilege, and difference

Don't meet every single requirement? At Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in this description, we encourage you to applyanyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Why Work with Us?

• Work with lawyerswho are determined, focused, and compassionate
• Lead high-stakes litigation defending voting rightsat a critical moment for democracy
• Shape policy that will protectvoters for years to come

Benefits include:

15 vacation days per year for years 1–2, increasing to 20 vacation days after two years of

continuous service, plus 2 personal days

10 sick days per year

Health, dental, basic life, short-term disability, long-term disability, and Employee Assistance

Program

Voluntary vision, life, critical illness, and accident insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

English