SENIOR COUNSEL Midwest Voting Rights Program

About the Role

The Senior Counsel position is an exciting opportunity for an experienced 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 Senior Counsel will report to the Director of the Midwest Voting Rights Program.

Working in collaboration with the Director of the Midwest Voting Rights Program and the Legal Director, 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 strong 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 equity and community empowerment and possess the skills needed to be a successful advocate, as well as an effective manager of projects.

The attorney will be expected to 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

• Lead and conduct impact litigation challenging systemic barriers to voting and representation in Illinois and Indiana
• 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 network of 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 analyze legislation
• Partner with colleagues, community organizations and coalitions on legislative, policy and administrative advocacy
• Produce publications, know-your-rights materials, fact sheets, and policy briefs
• Conduct presentations to stakeholders including legislators, advocates, and media

Community Engagement & Election Protection

• Cultivate and maintain partnerships with organizations and coalitions from communities impacted by systemic racism
• Provide brief advice and legal opinions to community partners in Illinois and Indiana.
• Plan and participate in community education and outreach in support of advocacy goals
• Lead Election Protection initiatives including volunteer attorney recruitment, training, and deployment, as well as advocacy to election authorities
• Coordinate jail voting initiatives and partnerships with incarcerated and returning community members

About You

Qualifications

• Must be available to be in the Chicago office once-a-week and available for in-person work in Chicago and surrounding areas.
• J.D. and admission to the Illinois Bar (or admission in another state with requirement to obtain Illinois licensure within one year)
• At least 8 years of combined experience in civil rights litigation, policy advocacy, and/or experience advancing voting rights
• Demonstrated impact litigation experience, including federal court practice
• Experience working with community organizations and coalitions
• Deep commitment to racial justice and community-driven advocacy
• Experience supervising attorneys, fellows, or program staff
• Excellent legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills
• High degree of flexibility, ability to multi-task, and significant initiative
• Strong analytical skills, 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 around issues 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 apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Why Work with Us?

• Work with lawyers who are determined, focused, and compassionate
• Lead high-stakes litigation defending voting rights at a critical moment for democracy
• Shape policy that will protect voters for years to come

Salary and Benefits

Salary range is $90,000 – $108,000 per year depending on experience.

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

We offer a flexible hybrid work arrangement, with one day per week in the office on a designated anchor day and the option to work up to 4 days remotely.

About Us

Founded in 1969 as part of the Kennedy-era Lawyers' Committee movement, the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights is Chicago's preeminent nonprofit civil rights legal organization. Our mission and strategic direction explicitly focus on racial equity, and we collaborate with grassroots organizations and other advocacy groups to implement community-based solutions that advance civil rights.

We provide legal representation through in-house staff and long-standing partnerships with over 30-member law firms. We mobilize 600+ volunteer attorneys, generating millions of dollars in donated legal services annually.

Our integrated legal team works across four core practice areas: Voting Rights, Equitable Community Development & Housing, Education Equity, and Economic Justice.

To Apply

Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and 3 references to: Elesha Jackson, Director of Administration, ejackson@clccrul.org, with subject line specifying "Application for Senior Counsel Position (Voting Rights)." Please, no telephone inquiries. Priority deadline for applying is February 27, 2026 and applications will be accepted through March 20, 2026.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights values a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusivity and belonging. We are an equal opportunity employer, and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to an individual's race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. Those from groups historically underrepresented in the legal community are strongly encouraged to apply.

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

We offer a flexible hybrid work arrangement, with one day per week in the office on a designated anchor day and the option to work up to 4 days remotely.

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