Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney

Department: Legal Department

Reports to: Legal Director

Position Overview:

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Georgia (ACLUF-GA) seeks to hire two full-time Staff Attorneys/Senior Staff Attorneys (title dependent on the experience of the selected candidate).

This position is located in our office in Atlanta and has a hybrid work schedule. ACLUF-GA is the state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union. Our mission is to enhance and defend the civil liberties and rights of all Georgians through legal action, legislative and community advocacy, and civic education and engagement. We are an inclusive, nonpartisan, and statewide organization powered by our members, donors, and active volunteers. We carry out this mission by working to preserve and expand the individual rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia Constitution, and related federal and state civil rights laws.

The Staff Attorney/Senior Staff Attorney works under the Legal Director’s supervision and in close collaboration with the Legal Department, law student interns, co-counsel on ACLU of Georgia cases, and attorneys from the National ACLU office. This role also works closely with staff from other departments, including communications and policy and advocacy.

The Staff Attorney/Senior Staff Attorney should have a demonstrated commitment to civil rights and civil liberties and must be able to research and quickly grasp complex legal issues and produce high-quality legal filings, sometimes under tight deadlines or in response to late-breaking events, while requiring minimal supervision. The ideal candidate can move fluidly between the courtroom and the community and is comfortable collaborating with diverse allies and coalitions to advance the organization’s goals. One of the open positions will focus on voting rights in particular; if that is an area of particular interest and/or experience, please specify accordingly in your cover letter.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Investigate and develop civil rights and civil liberties litigation and non-litigation advocacy, potentially with limited supervision
• Conduct factual and legal research; draft pleadings, motions, and briefs
• Lead or contribute to large litigation teams
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, witnesses, co-counsel, and experts
• Write demand letters, conduct discovery, argue motions in court, and negotiate settlements
• Respond quickly to late-breaking events and master new areas of law in a short period of time
• Take creative legal risks and pursue novel litigation strategies and arguments
• Communicate with government attorneys and officials to resolve civil rights or civil liberties issues without resorting to litigation when possible
• Provide legal research and analysis related to legislation and assist in drafting public education materials
• Collaborate with staff across departments, including legal, communications, and political advocacy, as well as with the National ACLU office
• Represent ACLU of Georgia in public settings, including media interviews, panel discussions, and community events
• Clearly articulate ACLU of Georgia’s legal positions and actions to a wide range of audiences
• Supervise legal interns in coordination with other Staff Attorneys
• Perform other duties as assigned

This position is for a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney, commensurate with experience. The designation of Senior Staff Attorney is available for attorneys with at least six (6) years of post-law school litigation experience.

The following qualifications apply to both Staff Attorney and Senior Staff Attorney:

Required Education and Experience:

• Law degree (JD) from an accredited institution
• Licensed to practice law in Georgia or eligible for admission on motion to the Georgia Bar (candidates planning to sit for the next Georgia Bar exam will also be considered)
• Minimum of two years of litigation and/or clerkship experience
• Experience with Westlaw and electronic case filing systems (state and federal)
• Experience with legal case management and timekeeping software, and other tools used in complex litigation (e.g., discovery/document review platforms)
• Substantive knowledge and understanding of constitutional law and civil liberties issues
• Familiarity with voting rights, constitutional law, racial justice, and other civil rights and civil liberties issues
• Demonstrated ability to litigate independently and collaboratively, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and exercise good judgment under pressure
• Demonstrated ability to write and speak clearly and persuasively
• Experience taking initiative, being proactive, and anticipating litigation needs
• Experience working on a multi-person or multi-firm litigation team

Desired Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to research and quickly learn new, complex legal issues and build cases on short notice in response to breaking events
• Willingness to manage a fast-paced and occasionally demanding schedule to meet litigation or programmatic deadlines
• Comfort with challenging conversations and strong interpersonal skills to navigate them
• Willingness to receive and respond to feedback and communicate directly about case-related issues
• Commitment to working collaboratively and respectfully to resolve conflicts or obstacles
• Ability to work with a wide range of people and foster a team environment
• Willingness to occasionally travel and to work evenings and weekends as needed
• A personal approach that values individuals, respects diversity, and acknowledges intersectionality in identity and lived experience
• Understanding of how power and structural oppression affect people differently based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and status as a person impacted by the carceral system
• Strong commitment to the ACLU’s mission and goals, including social justice, racial equity, and dismantling white supremacy

Hybrid/Remote Office Schedule:

The ACLU of Georgia operates in a hybrid work environment. Staff Attorneys are required to work in person at the Atlanta office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week. Remote work is permitted on other days, provided job responsibilities are met. This role also requires travel to state and federal courts and occasional in-person meetings or events.