About the Organization
At the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina (ACLU-SC), we envision a just South Carolina where “We the People” means all of us. To bring this vision to life, we advocate, litigate, educate, and mobilize to defend and advance the civil rights and civil liberties of all South Carolinians. Whether we’re defending free speech, enhancing voting rights, reforming the criminal legal system, advocating for housing justice, or protecting transgender kids—our employees engage in meaningful work.
The ACLU-SC is an affiliate of the ACLU, a federated organization. When people refer to the ACLU, that generally includes the national office as well as a nationwide network of autonomous and independent ACLU Affiliates, of which the ACLU South Carolina is one.
The ACLU-SC is headquartered in Columbia and has a distributed team with legal staff working in communities across South Carolina. In person staff meetings are held monthly in Columbia. The Staff Attorney must reside in South Carolina and be willing to travel throughout the state as necessary to fulfill the position’s duties.
The ACLU-SC is a highly rewarding place to work for those interested in protecting our fundamental civil rights and civil liberties. To learn more about the work of the ACLU-SC and the ACLU, please visit www.aclusc.org and www.aclu.org.
About the Position
Staff Attorneys at the ACLU of South Carolina get to develop and lead essential, emergent, and high-profile civil rights litigation. Staff Attorneys are trusted to create legal theories, devise arguments, draft and edit briefs, and argue cases before trial and appellate judges. Beyond litigation, the Staff Attorney will also support our advocacy team, participate in communications work (interviews, podcasts, etc.), and occasionally teach “know your rights” trainings in the community. The Staff Attorney will report directly to the Legal Director.
Responsibilities
Litigation & Legal Advocacy
- Develop legal strategies and litigate cases in state and/or federal courts, including conducting factual and legal research, leading litigation teams with local and national co-counsel, interviewing clients and potential witnesses, writing demand letters, drafting pleadings and briefs, conducting discovery, arguing motions, trying cases in court, handling appeals and amicus briefs, and negotiating settlements.
- Investigate, research, and analyze legal and policy issues across all civil rights issues. Draft legal memoranda, policy positions, and other summaries of investigations and research.
Extralegal Advocacy
- Provide legal research and analysis on legislative proposals and occasionally testify on civil rights issues in front of state and local bodies.
- Collaborate closely with the advocacy team to support civil rights related state and local advocacy.
- Collaborate with the communications team and engage in public speaking, media interviews, and "know your rights" presentations, as well as writing op-eds and other communications and outreach materials.
- Develop and manage equitable and reciprocal relationships with partner organizations, other advocates, and community coalitions and members who are engaged on our issues.
- Provide technical support to community stakeholders and partners.
- Participate in intra-organizational work, including strategic planning, internal meetings, and collaboration with other ACLU affiliates and the National ACLU.
Cultural Responsibility
- Demonstrate awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about differences, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms.
- Bring a complex understanding of racial justice and the urgency of confronting multigenerational institutional racism and inequity into our approach to the work.
- Commit to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture.
Qualifications and Skills
Necessary qualifications:
- Degree from ABA-accredited law school.
- Membership in the South Carolina bar or eligibility for admission to the South Carolina bar upon motion.
- Exceptional research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
- Commitment to protecting and advancing civil rights and civil liberties issues.
- Ability to work independently and see tasks through to completion without heavy oversight.
- Commitment to treating others with respect and empathy, and to thoughtfully practicing the cultural responsibilities listed above.
- Ability to travel locally, regionally, and nationally as needed, and willingness to work occasional evenings, weekends, and irregular hours.
A competitive applicant will also demonstrate:
- More than 3 years of complex litigation experience, preferably in both state and federal courts.
- Conversational Spanish.
- Subject matter expertise in one or more of the following areas: immigration, First Amendment litigation, or voting rights.
Compensation
The starting salary for this position is expected to be between $65,000 and $90,000 and will be heavily influenced by the applicant’s relevant subject matter experience and expertise.
In addition to an annual salary, full-time staff also receive health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance as well as access to a 401K plan with employer matching. Annual time off benefits include 22 days of paid vacation time and 12 days of paid sick time.
Application
To apply, please send a resume, writing sample, and statement of interest (no longer than 500 words) to [email protected]. The resume and cover letter should be in one PDF titled with your name, and the email subject line should read: “Staff Attorney: Your Name.” Resumes or applications sent via other avenues will not be considered. Qualified candidates should apply immediately, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
The ACLU of South Carolina is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, disability, and veteran status.