Career Opportunity
STAFF ATTORNEY, [DLRP-12]
ACLU Drug Law Reform Project
Santa Cruz, California

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), one of the nation’s foremost public interest organizations in defense of the Bill of Rights, is seeking a dynamic and resourceful Staff Attorney for its Drug Law Reform Project in the Santa Cruz, California office. The Staff Attorney will report directly to the Litigation Director of the Project and applicants should be prepared to work on all aspects of the Project’s legal docket.

OVERVIEW:
The goal of the Drug Law Reform Project is to end punitive drug policies that cause widespread violation of constitutional and human rights, as well as unprecedented levels of incarceration. Founded in 1998, the Project brings lawsuits throughout the country with lasting impact on public understanding of, and government response to, drug use and drug policies.

The Project’s legal strategies are built on the idea that fighting for civil rights means more than just persuading judges. It means changing hearts and minds. We work on the front lines with communities most affected by drugs and drug laws to integrate litigation with innovative public education campaigns and to develop tools to help these communities demand justice.

The Project has an unparalleled track record, having successfully litigated issues ranging from racial profiling in drug law enforcement to protecting medical marijuana users and their doctors from prosecution. We will continue that tradition of success, combining litigation, education, and community empowerment to achieve a humane and sensible drug policy that respects basic human rights and the liberties enshrined in our nation’s Constitution.

The Project’s priorities are challenging racial disparities in drug law enforcement and punishment of non-violent marijuana users.

We are undertaking a new area of work focusing on criminal sentencing, and attorneys with criminal defense experience and sentencing expertise are especially encouraged to apply.

The Project’s current litigation docket also includes cases in state and federal courts and administrative agencies challenging racial profiling in drug law enforcement, federal obstruction of medical marijuana, and law enforcement’s misuse of confidential informants. Other issues of interest include alternatives to incarceration for drug offenders, student drug testing, censorship of speech advocating drug policy reform and police harassment of sterile syringe exchange programs and other health-based approaches to drug use and abuse. The Project represents the first national effort to harness litigation in combination with coordinated advocacy and community organizing as a tool of drug policy reform. For more information, please visit www.aclu.org/drugpolicy.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Sharing responsibility with the rest of our staff all aspects of Project litigation, including major challenges to state and federal drug laws and enforcement strategies;
• Engaging directly in community organizing and advocacy in conjunction with litigation strategies;
• Legal work including trial and appellate level litigation, possible criminal representation, discovery and motion practice, appellate briefs and arguments, occasional trials, legislative advocacy and policy analysis;
• Working with other drug policy reform advocates and organizations, public speaking, press interviews and attending conferences on relevant issues;\
• Supervising fellows and law students.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• A J.D. degree;
• Member of California State Bar or willingness and ability to gain admittance shortly after being hired;
• Five or more years of federal court litigation experience is preferred, particularly experience in constitutional law, civil rights or criminal law (including experience with sentencing issues);
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest generally and civil liberties issues in particular is required, experience with drug policy issues is preferable;
• Excellent analytic and research skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to write and speak clearly and effectively;
• Self-motivation and proven ability to manage a variety of complex tasks, preferably in integrating community organizing and advocacy with litigation;
• Demonstrated aptitude to think creatively and strategically about using litigation to achieve policy reform, particularly regarding issues that affect communities of color;
• Aptitude for supervision and mentorship, preferably with experience in these areas;
• Significant travel will be required.

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

HOW TO APPLY:
If you are a proactive and resourceful team player with a passion for public interest issues, please send a cover letter explaining your interest in our work; a resume; two references; and two writing samples unedited by others, at least one of which should be a legal research memo, brief, or article. Applicants who graduated from law school within the last five years should include law school transcript. Applications should be sent by email to hrjobs@aclu.org – reference [DLRP-12/WACLU] in the subject line – or by mail to:

Human Resources
ATTN: [DLRP-12/WACLU]
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18^th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Applications will be accepted until position is filled, which will not be before June 7,2008. 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.