Two Year Legal Fellowship-ACLU of the Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C.
April 12, 2012
Two Year LEGAL FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY
FOR LAWYERS AND THIRD-YEAR LAW STUDENTS
American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation's Capital
Washington, D.C.
OVERVIEW:
The American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation's Capital (ACLU-NCA) invites applications for a two year Tony Dunn Fellowship in Civil Liberties. This Fellowship is funded through the generosity of the Anthony Stewart Dunn Foundation, which supports civil liberties in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with affiliates in every state working to defend and expand the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. The ACLU of the Nation's Capital defends the Bill of Rights in the District of Columbia through litigation, negotiation, lobbying, grass-roots organizing and public education. The litigation docket includes about 60 active cases in local and federal courts and agencies, chiefly concerned with First Amendment issues, police practices, open government, rights of gays and lesbians and other minorities, privacy rights, and due process rights in various contexts. Recent legislative concerns in the D.C. Council have included crafting an anti-bullying statute, reform of public nuisance criminal laws (such as “disorderly conduct”) and improving police treatment of demonstrators; topics in earlier years have included open meetings and public records access, sex-offender registration, civilian police review, criminal sentencing reform, school prayer, juvenile curfews, DNA testing, and surveillance in various forms. The national ACLU remains engaged in the federal courts in Washington on issues of civil liberties and homeland security and the Fellow may be involved in some of these matters. Visit www.aclu-nca.org for descriptions of recent cases and advocacy.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Dunn Fellow will work as part of the ACLU-NCA Legal Department. The Fellow will investigate and evaluate requests and correspond with those seeking ACLU legal help; provide legal research and analysis; develop theories to support new litigation projects; draft pleadings, affidavits, motions, and briefs; participate in discovery and trial practice; provide support and assistance to other ACLU affiliates and to volunteer attorneys; and supervise student interns. The Fellow also may be asked to engage in public speaking and attend meetings and/or conferences. The position requires a willingness to work beyond the eight hours of a normal work day, including evening and weekend meetings or other activities. During his or her time at the ACLU, the Fellow also will be expected to produce a scholarly paper of publishable quality on a civil liberties issue.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Applicants must have excellent research, writing and communication skills and a commitment to public interest law. Applicants should be self-motivated, hard working, and have the demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of people. Lawyers and third-year law students are invited to apply. Litigation experience, especially involving constitutional issues or criminal defense, or a federal judicial clerkship, are significantly helpful. Spanish fluency is also a plus.
Applicants need not be members of the D.C. Bar but should be prepared to be admitted as soon as possible.
COMPENSATION:
Unfortunately, the salary will not exceed $40,000. Standard benefits are provided.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications should consist of a cover letter explaining your interest in civil liberties and relevant experience, a current resume, the names (with e-mail addresses and telephone numbers) of three references, and at least one legal writing sample. Law students should also send a copy of their transcript. Note that we can't correspond about missing details; incomplete applications will not be reviewed so be sure you have included all the necessary elements.
Applications may be e-mailed to dunnfellow@aclu-nca.org (please reference Dunn Fellowship in the subject line) or mailed to:
Tom Whiston
RE: Dunn Fellowship
American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation's Capital
4301 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 434
Washington, DC 20008
Application deadline: June 1, 2012.
The starting date is flexible.
Please indicate in your cover letter how you learned of this opportunity.
The ACLU of the Nation's Capital is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with the District of Columbia Human Rights Act and ACLU policy, we do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, family responsibilities, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, or place of residence or business. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.