ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Staff Attorney for its newly launched Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative. The Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative is a first-of-its-kind program of the ACLU to confront the criminalization of abortion care in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, including the criminalization of health care providers, patients, abortion funds and others who assist people obtaining clinical care. This position is two years with a possibility of renewal with secured funding and will be housed in the Legal Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY/Remote*.

The Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative will be situated between the ACLU’s Trone Center for Justice & Equality – which encompasses the ACLU’s legal work on criminal law reform, with a mission to eradicate mass incarceration, over-criminalization, and structural racism – and the Reproductive Freedom Project – which encompasses the ACLU’s legal work on reproductive freedom, with a focus on securing access to abortion without stigma or political interference, regardless of where we live, our income, race, age, gender identity, disability, or immigration status or whom we love.

Reporting to the Director of the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative, the Staff Attorney will assist the Director in creating and running a system to ensure that those who are prosecuted for providing or assisting with abortion care, as well as patients, have access to high-quality criminal defense representation. Review of applications for this position will begin early January 2023.

*Note: this position may be approved for remote work from a different U.S. location

RESPONSIBILITIES

Assist the Director in developing and maintaining a network of criminal defense lawyers to represent individuals who are investigated and charged with crimes related to abortion care
Develop and provide training for attorneys who have agreed to provide criminal defense representation
Identify and perform research needed to support the stable of criminal defense lawyers providing direct representation
Develop arguments and model papers for lawyers providing direct criminal defense representation, including pleadings addressing novel questions of constitutional law and statutory law
Provide legal, strategic, and technical assistance to criminal defense lawyers providing direct representation
Appear as appropriate in select cases
Identify opportunities for amicus work and amicus briefing strategies in cases presenting cutting-edge legal issues, such as extraterritorial jurisdiction, right to travel, and accessory liability
Evaluate opportunities for affirmative litigation
Engage and coordinate with ACLU affiliates as to cases in their jurisdictions
Coordinate with other organizations in the criminal defense and reproductive health, rights, and justice spaces
Provide technical assistance and legal advice to ACLU affiliates, cooperating attorneys, and others who seek assistance from the Initiative
Travel as required
Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes
Commitment to the mission of the ACLU
Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

J.D. degree and at least seven years of criminal law experience preferred
Commitment to protecting access to abortion and either significant understanding of the field or commitment to learning
Excellent people management and organizational skills
Excellent research, writing and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to write and to speak clearly and persuasively
Strong strategic skills, particularly in the context of an uncertain and rapidly developing landscape
Ability to engage in complex legal analysis and fact finding
Ability to develop and present effective training programs
Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative, manage a variety of tasks and see projects through to completion
Ability to work with a wide range of people and foster a team environment
Willingness to travel

COMPENSATION

The ACLU has a litigator scale that determines pay for attorneys in our Legal Department. The range of salaries are the following, based on year of law school graduation (please consult the hiring manager for specific salary details, based on individual circumstances):

0-2 years since law school graduation: $85,000-$106,182
3-5 years since law school graduation: $118,927-$140,309
6-10 years since law school graduation: $146,732- $165,531
11-15 years since law school graduation: $168,627-$178,198
16-20 years since law school graduation: $179,880-$184,512
21-25 years since law school graduation: $185,447-$189,246
26-30+ years since law school graduation: $190,158- $193,860

These salaries are reflective of positions based in New York, NY. The salary will be subject to a locality adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting. Note that most of the salaries listed on our job postings reflect New York, NY salaries, where our National offices are headquartered.

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.

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Staff Attorney, Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative

ABOUT THE JOB

RESPONSIBILITIES

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

COMPENSATION

ABOUT THE ACLU

Apply for this Job

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