The ACLU Foundation of Southern California (ACLU SoCal) seeks a junior or mid-level Staff Attorney to join our efforts to defend and advance immigrants’ rights and just and equitable policing in Kern County, and will help establish our newly opened Bakersfield office. The Staff Attorney will help develop impact litigation and policy advocacy in Bakersfield and Kern County, in collaboration with our Immigrant Rights and Police Practices teams, and the other staff attorney and policy advocates and organizers working out of our Bakersfield office.
Founded in 1923, the ACLU SoCal has been at the forefront of many major efforts to protect civil liberties, civil rights, and equal justice in California. Principled and nonpartisan, ACLU SoCal has offices in Los Angeles, Orange County (Santa Ana), the Inland Empire (San Bernardino), and now Kern County (Bakersfield). ACLU SoCal tackles a vast array of issues, including criminal justice, police practices, First Amendment rights, gender equity and reproductive justice, LGBTQ rights, immigrants' rights, education equity, and economic justice.
OVERVIEW
The Staff Attorney will help launch our Bakersfield office by advocating on the full range of immigrants' rights and policing issues on which the ACLU SoCal engages locally and statewide, in coordination with the Immigrant Rights and Police Practices team at the ACLU SoCal's other offices. For policing, that work may include advocacy on excessive force, racial profiling, civilian oversight and police discipline, surveillance, unlawful stops and searches, and other issues identified by the Staff Attorneys and the ACLU SoCal Police Practices team. For immigrants' rights, that work includes addressing unlawful immigration enforcement practices, implementation of SB54 (California Values Act), and immigration detention center conditions. The Staff Attorney will rely on a strong commitment to the ACLU’s mission of advancing civil and human rights in these areas, an ability to collaborate with other attorneys, organizers, and initiative and independence in order to develop litigation and policy campaigns in Kern County.
The Staff Attorney will be supervised by the Director of the Police Practices Project, but will be part of both the Immigrants' Rights Project and the Police Practices Project teams within the ACLU SoCal Advocacy Department. The Staff Attorney will be expected to work primarily on immigrants' rights and policing issues, but also to work on other human and civil rights issues of concern to Kern County residents, as need arises. This position is funded for three years, with a possibility for future extension contingent upon additional funding.
CLASSIFICATION
Full-time, exempt
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
The ACLU SoCal's "integrated advocacy" model unites legal advocacy, policy advocacy, organizing, and base building for maximum impact. In keeping with that approach, the Staff Attorney will work closely with both attorneys as well as other advocates in the Immigrants’ Rights and Police Practices teams on cases, advocacy projects, and campaigns. The attorney’s responsibilities will be to:
- Investigate, develop and litigate high-impact cases at the trial and appellate level in federal and state courts.
- Serve as co-counsel and work in conjunction with other staff within the ACLU SoCal, the other two California ACLU affiliates, and partner organizations.
- Serve as a policy expert and advocate on state and local policing and immigration issues in support of legislation and other campaigns, with responsibilities including public speaking, media interviews, outreach and "know your rights" presentations, as well as writing op-eds, newsletter articles, and reports.
- Provide technical support and strategic leadership to community groups, advocates and organizers in the region.
- Organize and lead community and stakeholder education events.
- Run trainings for activists and organizers.
- Help build and maintain coalitions.
- Conduct outreach and advocacy to public officials.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ACLU SoCal anticipates hiring an attorney with up to six years' experience for this position, and will consider all applicants within that range with a demonstrated commitment to civil and human rights and racial justice and strong litigation skills, including current clerks and graduating law students.
Required
- Excellent research, writing, analytic and speaking skills.
- Willingness to work beyond a standard 7.5 hour workday including evening and weekend meetings and to work weeks commonly in excess of 40 hours.
- Willingness to travel regularly within Kern County and to Los Angeles as well as occasionally to other parts of the state.
Desired
- Familiarity with or experience working in Kern County.
- Experience in working with vulnerable communities, preferably with immigrants, incarcerated people, or indigent populations.
- Spanish language fluency.
BENEFITS
Salary based on experience. Benefits include medical, vision, and dental insurance for staff members and their eligible dependents; life and long term disability insurance; 401(k) plan with employer match; ample vacation and sick leave and thirteen paid holidays.
TO APPLY
Please submit a resume, cover letter and a published writing sample to jobs@aclusocal.org (NO Phone Calls PLEASE) with the subject title "Staff Attorney – Kern County" or mail to:
HR Department — Staff Attorney — Kern County (Entry/Mid)
ACLU of Southern California
1313 W. 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
DEADLINE
Open until filled.
The ACLU SoCal is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal or state law. We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.
