Career Opportunity
STAFF ATTORNEY [LGLF-52]
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
National Security Project, NYC

OVERVIEW:
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) invites applications for a Staff Attorney position with the ACLU’s National Security Project. The attorney will work with a team of lawyers in the ACLU’s national office in New York City on civil liberties and human rights issues relating to national security.

The ACLU is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. Since September 2001, the ACLU’s National Security Project has litigated numerous challenges to government attempts to restrict civil liberties and human rights in the name of national security. For example, we are currently challenging the government’s “rendition” program, under which the CIA has kidnapped foreign nationals and transferred them to the custody of foreign intelligence services that use torture. We have brought several constitutional challenges to the FBI’s authority to issue “national security letters,” and in two cases we are contesting the government’s practice of denying visas to foreign scholars whose political views the government disfavors. In 2006, we brought a constitutional challenge to the National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program. Since 2004, we have also been engaged in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation for information about the torture and maltreatment of detainees held in U.S. custody abroad; that litigation has resulted in the release of more than 100,000 pages of government documents. We are litigating a number of other cases relating to dissent, discrimination, surveillance, secrecy, detention, and torture.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Litigate national security/civil liberties cases in the trial and appellate courts.
• Conduct legal and factual research.
• Assist in case development and conduct client and witness interviews.
• Serve as a resource for ACLU legislative and policy work, and advance ACLU policy goals through public education, organizing, and participating in coalitions.
• Develop and write advocacy materials for audiences of lawyers and non-lawyers.
• Work in collaboration with other members of the ACLU’s National Security Project, with other Projects within the ACLU’s Legal Department, and with other Departments within the ACLU.
• Supervise legal assistants and paralegals.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• J.D. degree and at least two years of experience, including experience litigating cases in federal courts.
• A demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and to public interest law.
• A demonstrated ability to engage in complex legal analytical work.
• A demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Excellent multi-tasking skills and ability to prioritize.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills are essential.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Supervisory experience preferred.

COMPENSATION:
The ACLU offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within parameters of the ACLU compensation scale.

HOW TO APPLY:
Applications should consist of a cover letter, a resume, the names of two references, and two writing samples, at least one of which should be a legal research memo, brief, or article. Email applications to hrjobs@aclu.org and reference [LGLF-52/WACLU] in subject line, or mail applications to:

Human Resources
RE: [LGLF-52/WACLU]
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18^th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, which will not be before June 14, 2008. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting.

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.