Job Opportunity

ACLU of Ohio is committed to combating racism in all of its forms. Advocacy includes litigation, community organizing, legislative initiatives and education. The organization seeks to add a third attorney  to its legal department based in its Cleveland, Ohio headquarters  to expand the organization’s  impact on problems of disparate treatment based on race in areas such as criminal justice, law enforcement, housing, voting, the death penalty, prison reform and over- incarceration, though all ACLU attorneys participate in a variety of cases. By agreement with the funder, this position is entitled the ‘Barbara Jordan Fellowship.’ Funding exists for four years and may be renewable.

 Requirements: A commitment to protecting the full scope of civil liberties for all people.  Candidates for this position must be admitted to the practice of law in Ohio at the time of their application, or be eligible to waive into admission to the Ohio bar without first taking the state bar examination.  In addition to this, the qualified applicant must be either admitted to, or eligible for prompt admission to the United States District Court for both the Northern and Southern District of Ohio, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  The outside practice of law is not allowed.  Applicants should have access to a car, and must be willing to travel throughout the state, as litigation and other responsibilities arise statewide. 

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have several years of professional experience.  Previous experience in federal practice and in civil rights litigation is highly desirable but not required.  The candidate will be familiar with the legal and public policy theories at issue in a wide range of civil rights contexts, including free expression, the establishment clause, gender and orientation  equality, racial justice, privacy and fourth amendment rights, reproductive freedom, the rights of low-income persons and of other disenfranchised and minority groups.  The ideal candidate will be well organized, articulate, and a strong and focused writer, who is able to manage a significant caseload and to explore novel areas of the law.  Strong public speaking and presentation skills are necessary, as the staff counsel will have frequent contact with the community and the press.           

Responsibilities: The staff counsel reports directly to the Legal Director, and assists in managing the litigation program of the ACLU statewide.  The staff counsel is expected to litigate directly a docket of civil liberties cases, in a variety of substantive areas, including those mentioned above. Litigation responsibilities will include managing and conducting discovery, defending and taking depositions, writing trial and appellate briefs, managing dates, deadlines and the efforts of volunteer attorneys with respect to a large litigation docket, developing litigation in concert with the General Counsel, Legal Director and volunteer attorneys, managing client communications, attending hearings and conferences, reviewing, collecting and preparing evidence for presentation to the court and conducting substantial and sometimes novel legal research.  In addition, the staff counsel will participate in the ACLU’s public education mission, speaking to lawyers, other professionals, and members of the public in a variety of settings, will assist the Legal Director in explaining ACLU litigation to the public through the press and through written materials, and will be responsible for recruiting and working with volunteer attorneys throughout the state to expand the docket of cases handled by the ACLU.

Compensation: Salary for this position will be commiserate with relevant experience; ACLU provides exceptional health insurance and related benefits, generous paid time off and flexibility in schedules.

Applications:   Send a cover letter and resume to: contact@acluohio.org