Paralegal, State Supreme Court Initiative (SSCI)

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Paralegal to support the State Supreme Court Initiative (SSCI) in the Legal Department of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, DC. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.  

The SSCI is dedicated to strengthening and expanding the ACLU’s voice in state supreme courts. Working with the ACLU’s affiliates around the country, along with other projects in the ACLU’s national office, the SSCI identifies cutting-edge cases of constitutional import in state supreme courts and files briefs in those cases, either as amicus curiae or co-counsel. It also facilitates strategic collaboration among the ACLU’s state affiliates and other partners engaged in state constitutional litigation and works with affiliates to develop strategies for building civil liberties and civil rights doctrine in their states. 

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to a SSCI Co-Director, the Paralegal will be responsible for providing litigation support, preparing briefs for filing, and conducting administrative and research projects as needed to support the SSCI’s work.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Produce and file briefs, motions, pro hac vice materials, and other pleadings in state courts around the country, including by providing cite-checking, copy-editing, tables-building and other support. 
• Assist in tracking key litigation and legal developments to identify potential cases as well as other advocacy opportunities. 
• Support attorneys and legal fellows in managing relationships with stakeholders, partners and cooperating attorneys, and clients. 
• Work with ACLU colleagues to develop web pages, communications assets, and other materials as assigned. 
• Manage administrative tasks including litigation and attorney calendar management, expensing and invoicing, binder compilation, time tracking, and coordination of travel, as needed. 
• Conduct legal and factual research using Westlaw, academic databases, and the Internet. 
• Maintain, and work to improve, case files and internal litigation tracking systems, including case summaries and calendar of litigation deadlines and court dates. 
• Provide administrative support review of applications for intern, fellow, and other staff positions. 
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned. 

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Must take initiative, be highly organized and detail-oriented, and possess strong interpersonal and time management skills. 
• Must have excellent research, writing, and communication skills. 
• Must be able to work independently as well as within a team while maintaining a high level of efficiency and professionalism. 
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and see projects through to completion. 
• Must have strong computer skills, and advanced knowledge is preferred in Microsoft Office Suite e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc. 
• Bachelor’s degree and/or one to two years of paralegal experience preferred.  
• Basic knowledge of The Bluebook for legal citations and Westlaw preferred.  
• Experience creating tables of contents, tables of authorities, presentations, and copy for web pages and other public-facing documents preferred. 
• Experience proofreading and editing others’ written work, including to ensure consistency with rules of grammar and substantive accuracy, preferred. 
• Experience bringing a creative approach to solving technological or other difficult problems preferred. 

COMPENSATION

WHY THE ACLU

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.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  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, anti-ableism, 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.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage 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.    

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.