The National Prison Project of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU) invites applications for a Staff Counsel position, to begin in the Fall 2006.
OVERVIEW
Founded in 1972 by the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Prison Project (NPP) seeks to ensure constitutional conditions of confinement and strengthen prisoners’ rights through class action litigation and public education. Our policy priorities include reducing prison overcrowding, improving prisoner medical care, eliminating violence and maltreatment in prisons and jails, and minimizing the reliance on incarceration as a criminal justice sanction. The Project also publishes a semi-annual Journal, coordinates a nationwide network of litigators, conducts training and public education conferences, and provides expert advice and technical assistance to local community groups and lawyers throughout the country.
The work of the Project has never been more vital. The population in American prisons and jails has tripled in the past 15 years with the predictable consequence that facilities are overcrowded; medical systems are overwhelmed; work, education, and treatment programs are inadequate; and idleness and inadequate supervision lead to greater levels of violence. As our national prison and jail population has climbed to over two million persons, it has grown increasingly racially skewed. On any given day, one-third of all African-American males are under some form of criminal justice supervision, and for black males in their twenties, one in every eight is in prison or jail. These trends have been exacerbated by the impact of the "war on drugs," with three-fourths of all those convicted of drug offenses being persons of color. The consequences of these racial disparities in the criminal justice system reach beyond the prison gates: as a result of state felony disenfranchisement laws, an estimated 13% of all black males are not eligible to vote.
The Project, with a staff of eight lawyers, has fought and continues to fight unlawful prison conditions and practices through successful litigation on behalf of prisoners in more than 25 states. Since 1991, the Project has represented prisoners in five cases before the United States Supreme Court. It is the only organization litigating prison conditions of confinement nationwide on behalf of men, women, and juveniles.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Staff counsel are responsible for a substantial caseload of major class actions in federal court and work closely with other staff lawyers and local counsel. The work includes:
·Drafting of pleadings and briefs;
·Discovery and motion practice;
·Trial and appellate litigation;
·Providing technical assistance and expert legal advice to local ACLU affiliates, cooperating attorneys, and others who seek assistance from the Project;
·Engaging in public speaking; articulating ACLU views to media and variety of audiences on range of prisoners’ rights, criminal justice issues and civil liberties concerns.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
·Litigation experience, preferably in federal courts;
·Excellent analytical skills;
·Ability to write clearly and communicate effectively;
·Commitment to civil liberties and public interest law;
·Ability to travel extensively;
·Familiarity with criminal justice issues desirable.
COMPENSATION
The ACLU offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within parameters of the ACLU compensation scale.
The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.
The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”
HOW TO APPLY
Please send letter of interest, current resume, names and phone numbers of three references and at least one legal writing sample by email to hrjobs@aclu.org - reference [NPP-04] in the subject line – or by mail to:
E.M. Bigelow
Re: Staff Counsel, [NPP-04]
ACLU National Prison Project
915 15th Street, NW
Seventh Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, which will not be before July 23, 2006. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting.