Staff Attorney

The Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois (ACLU-IL) seeks a Staff Attorney to engage in litigation and in collaboration with other Departments non-litigation advocacy to promote transformational change across our substantive program areas as described below.

The Legal Department of the ACLU of Illinois works with colleagues across the organization to advance civil rights and civil liberties through impact litigation advocacy and education. Our work protects democracy by advancing First Amendment rights immigrants rights voting rights and government transparency; fights racism in the criminal and civil legal systems and in policing; promotes access to reproductive health care the rights of LGBTQ communities and gender equity; and addresses and prevents the harm experienced by children in the foster system young people in juvenile detention and people in institutions prisons and jails.

Job Description

The Staff Attorney is a highly collaborative team player who works in tandem with colleagues across our organization to advance our goals. The Staff Attorney litigates cases in state and federal addition they work closely with colleagues in our Advocacy Communications and Philanthropy & Engagement Departments to promote change through legislative initiatives advocacy with government officials and public education.

A core priority of our work is to use systemic impact litigation and advocacy strategies to advance civil rights and civil liberties. The person hired for this position will work primarily on our policing and civil liberties cases initially but may be assigned cases on a broad range of issues to meet the needs of the ACLU-IL and its clients. The Staff Attorney hired for this position will report to the Director of the Criminal Legal Systems & Policing Department.

The Staff Attorney is an exempt union position that is part of a bargaining unit represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers/United Auto Workers Local 2320. ACLU-IL staff are based in Chicago IL and many work a hybrid in-office/remote work schedule. Staff members are expected to work in our Chicago office on in-office days.

Responsibilities

• The job responsibilities of a Staff Attorney include but are not limited to the following:
• Conduct effective and efficient legal research and prepare sound written analysis on novel and/or complex legal issues in emergency and non-emergency situations.
• Produce polished and near-final quality written work (e.g. discovery pleadings briefs and correspondence in litigation and non-litigation settings) with minimal supervision.
• Handle appearances at administrative proceedings and in court at the trial and appellate level in federal and state courts.
• Assist in development of high-impact cases including researching systemic practices obtaining and analyzing public records working with coalition partners and learning from directly impacted people.
• Investigate develop and advance in coordination with other Departments non-litigation strategies for advancing civil rights and civil liberties such as policy reform and legislative campaigns public education and fundraising initiatives.
• Develop and maintain trusting respectful and collaborative relationships with clients impacted individuals issue experts and community-based and allied organizations stakeholders coalitions communities affected by our work and ACLU-IL members.
• Serve as an ACLU-IL spokesperson with the media and external partners on identified issues.
• Assist with other organizational responsibilities such as by serving as a member of the team that recruits and supervises legal interns.
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned to advance the work of the Legal Department and the ACLU-IL.

• Have a J.D. and be admitted to practice in Illinois be eligible to waive into the Illinois bar or be willing to take the Illinois bar exam no later than February 2026.
• Have at least 3-5 years of litigation experience in state court federal court and/or in state or federal administrative proceedings. Experience should include a broad range of responsibilities such as drafting pleadings motions and related memoranda of law; preparing and responding to discovery; and expert discovery and development of expert opinions. Experience in appellate briefing and conducting evidentiary proceedings is highly valued but not essential.
• Have demonstrated ability to speak clearly persuasively and effectively with individuals and organizations from a broad and diverse range of identities interests and backgrounds in non-legal and legal settings.
• Have demonstrated ability to take initiative multi-task identify priorities amidst competing demands and complete projects with strong problem-solving skills.
• Have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to recognizing and valuing all individuals in the workplace and respecting differences in race ethnicity age gender identity and expression sexual orientation religion ability socio-economic circumstances and other factors.
• Be willing and available to travel throughout Illinois and to work beyond the normal workday and/or on weekends when needed.
• Commitment to advancing ACLU-ILs mission goals and programs.

Salary and Benefits

Salary for a full-time hire will be in accordance with the ACLU-IL salary scale and commensurate with experience. As an example the minimum annual salary for a full-time 2022 law school graduate with 3 years of legal experience is $71000. As of April 1 2026 the minimum annual salary for a person with those qualifications will increase to $75281. For more experienced attorneys the salary is higher depending on additional years of legal experience with the minimum annual salary for a full-time 2021 law school graduate set at $74332 increasing to $78792 on April 1 2026.

Benefits include:

• Vacation: 15 days of paid vacation in the first year and 20 days of paid vacation thereafter.
• Health benefits: 100% employer-paid premiums for medical vision and dental insurance for staff and eligible dependents.
• Retirement benefits: 6% employer-paid retirement contribution after 1 year without any employee contribution plus 50% employer retirement match of the first $125 per pay period the employee contributes.
• Other benefits: 100% employer-paid life insurance; employee assistance program; short and long-term disability insurance. Paid parental leave after 1 year. Flexible spending accounts.

ACLU Employment Statement

The ACLU of Illinois is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and 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 criminal record or veteran status.

The ACLU-IL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance applying online please email the Human Resources department at If you are selected for an interview you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodation for the interview process.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit the following materials:

• A current resume.
• A cover letter summarizing why you are interested in working with the ACLU-IL on efforts to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties.
• A legal writing sample that has not been substantially edited by others such as a legal memorandum or a draft section of a legal brief.

Applications are due by March 1 2026 and will be considered on a rolling basis.