Legal Director ACLU of North Dakota South Dakota Wyoming
Legal Director ACLU of North Dakota South Dakota Wyoming
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Job Description
ABOUT THE JOB
The ACLUs National Chapter of North Dakota South Dakota and Wyoming seeks applicants for the fulltime position of Legal Directorin Sioux Falls SD or Fargo ND.This is ahybrid rolethat has inoffice requirements of two 2 days per week or eight8 days per month.
We are taking our organization to the next level by strengthening our legal firepower building legislative strength expanding communications methods and creating winning issue campaigns. To meet these objectives the ACLU of South Dakota North Dakota and Wyoming has adopted a campaign approach for its work. Work is focused on pursuing specific integrated advocacy campaigns to achieve measurable goals that will expand civil liberties and civil rights while building the longterm power of the ACLU and the civil liberties movement.
WHAT YOULL DO
Reporting to the Executive Director of the Dakotas/Wyoming Chapter the Legal Director will lead and expand the ACLU legal program across South Dakota North Dakota and Wyoming including developing and litigating highimpact cases and managing the legal department. At the direction of the Executive Director the Legal Director will be responsible for crafting and executing legal strategy that advances the ACLU of SD/ND/WY mission as well as handling the daytoday management of legal staff and cooperating attorneys. As a critical member of the offices senior leadership team the Legal Director will provide strategic leadership on both litigation and nonlitigation legal advocacy in priority areas of criminal justice immigrants rights Indigenous justice LGBTQ and Two Spirit equality reproductive rights and voting rights as well as other areas including First Amendment rights.
YOUR DAY TO DAY
We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Legal Director who will lead all aspects of litigation and serve as a key senior leader within our Chapter. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to legal advocacy and strategic leadership contributing significantly to the Chapters culture management and overall direction. Key responsibilities and qualifications include:
- Strategic Leadership: Provide leadership in both litigation and nonlitigation legal advocacy playing a crucial role in shaping the Chapters legal strategies and broader organizational goals
- Team Management and Collaboration: Proven ability to manage and inspire highperforming legal staff and teams. Coordinate effectively with advocacy communications and development teams to ensure cohesive crossfunctional success
- Manage supervise and direct a staff attorney and occasionally law student and undergraduate interns; handle recruiting and hiring of additional legal staff (budget permitting); and foster an organizational culture within the legal program that encourages staff development through internal and external resources
- Coordinate and collaborate with other ACLU SD/ND/WY departments on crossdepartmental projects ensuring integrated and maximally effective outcomes. Serve as a resource on legal matters for staff partners and other ACLU of SD/ND/WY constituents
- Direct Litigation Expertise: Engage in direct litigation efforts and manage cases demonstrating selfsufficiency and expertise in legal proceedings
- Maintain and continue to develop our impact litigation and advocacy docket which advances the ACLU of SD/ND/WY strategic priorities and responds to civil rights and civil liberties threats
- Manage all aspects of the litigation program including coordinating the selection of cases overseeing the investigation and development of cases before commencing litigation; building litigation teams with inhouse lawyers private lawyers and nonprofit partners; directly engaging in litigation in federal and state court; and overseeing ongoing litigation
- Maintain an individual caseload of developing and active litigation and amicus briefs including overseeing and directing prelitigation investigations discovery motion practice brief writing hearings and trials and appellate work
- Work with staff attorneys cooperating attorneys and cocounsel (including but not limited to attorneys from the ACLUs National Legal Department) on all work within the ACLU SD/ND/WY legal program
- Community Engagement: Develop and nurture strong relationships with community leaders members and organizations both within legal circles and the broader community
- Broaden and deepen relationships with volunteer attorneys and other lawyers in the community to ensure the visibility of the ACLU SD/ND/WY in the legal community (and beyond) and to help build our legal docket including by engaging lawyers in prelitigation investigations amicus briefs litigation and other ACLU SD/ND/WY activities
- Develop relationships with stakeholders such as community members allied organizations coalitions and community leaders in SD/ND/WY who may be impacted by current and future litigation
- Public Representation: Act as a prominent spokesperson for the Chapter representing the organization in media appearances strategic public forums community events donor briefings and other public engagements
FUTURE ACLUERS 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 YOULL BRING
- Significant years of trial and appellate litigation experience in state and federal courts including class actions with a strong interest and experience in constitutional law and civil rights
- Proven ability to effectively manage legal staff run diverse and highperforming teams and savviness in both direct and indirect people leadership with the ability to work effectively in coordination with nonlegal teams engaged in advocacy communications and development
- Admitted to the South Dakota North Dakota or Wyoming Bar or eligible for admission on motion
- Excellent organizational skills and a creative and strategic approach to problemsolving and litigation
- Creative persuasive resultsoriented selfstarting persevering and willing to learn
- Ability to engage in litigation with minimal support staff
- High ethical standards and genuine interest in developing authentic relationships
- Team player who inspires collaboration lifts the work of others and maintains balance and perspective with patience
COMPENSATION
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 its 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 wellbeing.
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 timeoff policy
- Focus on your wellbeing 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 checkthebox activities but a chance for us to make longterm 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 antioppression antiableism and antiracism internally as we are externally. Because whether were 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. If you are selected for an interview you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Required Experience:
Director
Employment Type
Full Time
Key Skills
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