ABOUT THE ACLU of Kansas

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas is a non-profit and non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving and advancing the civil rights and legal freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights and the Kansas Constitution. The ACLU of Kansas works in the state legislature, the courts, and local communities to protect the rights of all people living in Kansas. The organization’s work includes efforts to strengthen and defend First Amendment rights, voting rights, reproductive rights, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants’ rights, stopping government surveillance, and reforming the criminal legal system. Currently, under our 80/20 model 80% of our efforts and resources are dedicated to our two campaigns: Reimagine Justice and Represent!. The remaining 20% of our efforts are devoted to other civil liberties matters as they arise. The ACLU of Kansas often works in broad-based coalitions made up of individuals and organizations from across the political, partisan, and ideological spectrum. The ACLU of Kansas is an affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union, has an annual budget of approximately $2 million, and has more than 30,000 supporters across the state. The headquarters of the ACLU of Kansas is in Overland Park, in the metro Kansas City area.

The ACLU of Kansas comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the ACLU Foundation of Kansas. Both entities have the same overall mission and share office space and employees. The two corporate entities are separate and do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. The ACLU Foundation of Kansas is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that primarily engages in litigation and public education. The ACLU of Kansas is a 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation that primarily engages in lobbying and advocacy.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Submit a letter of interest, resume, and two professional writing samples of no more than 10 pages in length demonstrating your legal analysis and legal writing skills, to Vanessa Phipps, Senior HR Consultant, [email protected]. No calls please. Please put “VR Staff Attorney/Senior Staff Attorney – YOURNAME” in the subject line of your email.

In your letter of interest, please indicate where you learned of the opportunity if possible.

Applicants who proceed beyond first round interviews will be asked to complete a short research and writing assignment.

The job announcement will remain on our website for 30 days or until the position is filled, whichever is longer. No phone calls or in-person applications, please. The ACLU of Kansas strongly encourages formerly incarcerated individuals to apply.

 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas seeks to hire an experienced, passionate, and innovative Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney to investigate and litigate civil rights cases in Kansas state and federal courts. The selected candidate will work primarily on voting rights cases, including cases to provide greater access to the polls and statutory disenfranchisement.

The position is a full-time, exempt, & salaried position. This position is a part of the bargaining unit. The position will report to the Legal Director and work with the Legal Department and other staff members across the organization to create high impact litigation strategies and handle all aspects of the affiliate’s ongoing and future litigation. The position will be filled as either a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney, commensurate with experience as outlined below.

The Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney will have the following
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Investigate and litigate a range of civil liberties and civil rights cases in state and federal courts, to include: conducting factual and legal research; interviewing clients and witnesses; preparing legal memoranda, Open Records Act requests, demand letters, and other materials in advance of litigation; drafting pleadings and briefs; managing discovery; participating in trials and appeals, including conducting voir dire, taking witnesses, and giving oral arguments; negotiating settlements; and identifying and drafting amicus briefs;
• Help assess requests for legal assistance as assigned, and identify appropriate cases for legal challenges;
• Develop and deliver trainings, CLEs, and other presentations to the Kansas legal community on ACLU issues;
• Develop and help maintain relationships with pro bono co-counsel, local officials, and others who can help the ACLU of Kansas accomplish its campaign objectives;
• Engage in legal advocacy work to advance civil rights and liberties through non-litigation means, such as writing public comments, participating in public education events, and assisting the Policy Department with analyzing or drafting public comment on proposed legislation, as necessary;
• Provide legal analysis to other senior ACLU staff as directed by the Legal Director;
• Serve as a spokesperson for the ACLU of Kansas on legal issues handled by our office, as assigned;
• Work with other program staff to implement campaign objectives and identify opportunities for reform through litigation.

Senior Staff Attorney

In addition to the responsibilities of the Staff attorney listed above, a Senior Staff Attorney will:

• Provide supervision and mentorship to junior legal staff, including staff attorneys, legal fellows and interns;
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the Legal Director

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

We are posting for a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney, commensurate with experience. Minimum qualifications for each position are outlined below. Individuals with significant litigation experience are preferred and are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Staff Attorney: at least two years of civil or criminal litigation experience, including experience taking/defending depositions, participating in evidentiary hearings and/or trials, and experience managing complex discovery. Experience in federal courts is strongly preferred.

• Senior Staff Attorney: At least seven years of civil or criminal litigation experience, including experience managing complex litigation and significant experience in all facets of litigation, including taking/defending depositions, participating in evidentiary hearings and/or trials, brief-writing, and managing litigation teams. Experience in federal courts is strongly preferred.

For either Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney, the following qualifications are required:

• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and principles of the ACLU of Kansas;
• D. and law license, with ability to waive into the Kansas Bar or sit for the next available bar exam;
• Proficient knowledge and understanding of constitutional law and civil liberties issues;
• Ability to litigate independently and collaboratively, juggle multiple projects at once, and exercise good judgment under stressful situations;
• Ability and willingness to research and quickly learn new, complex legal issues and build lawsuits on short notice in response to breaking events;
• Ability to think creatively about non-litigation solutions to promote ACLU of Kansas objectives, as part of an integrated advocacy team;
• Proficiency with LexisNexis and e-filing (state or federal). Preference for familiarity with other programs utilized in complex litigation, including Relativity and Clio;
• Willingness to manage a fast-paced and occasionally demanding schedule to meet litigation or other programmatic deadlines;
• Experience taking initiative, being proactive, and anticipating litigation needs;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, along with a willingness to be patient, collegial, and supportive of the legal team and other affiliate colleagues;
• Willingness to receive and respond to actionable feedback, communicate directly regarding issues that arise in cases, and work as a cohesive and collaborative member of a multi-person and multi-firm litigation team;
• Willingness to travel across the state with infrequent overnight stays;
• A personal approach that values the individual, respects diversity, acknowledges the intersectionality of the identities of your colleagues and clients, and approaches the work with an anti-racist lens and commitment.

Senior Staff Attorney

In addition to the qualifications listed above, the Senior Staff Attorney will also have:

• In-depth knowledge of constitutional issues including but not limited to, procedural and substantive due process claims, Section 1983 claims, first amendment, and eighth amendment issues.
• Ability to litigate independently and collaboratively, juggle multiple projects at once, and exercise good judgment under stressful situations;
• Ability to organize and lead a team of partnering attorneys including from private law firms and public interest organizations;
• Ability to manage and/or mentor other attorneys.

For either position, the following qualifications are preferred, but not required:

• Experience litigating class actions;
• Experience litigating emergency motions, including preliminary injunctions and temporary restraining orders, in state or federal court;
• Bilingual/Spanish fluency;
• Experience explaining complicated legal issues to the public and/or press in plain easily understood terms.

 

COMPENSATION

The starting salary for the Staff Attorney is $70,000.

The starting salary for the Senior Staff Attorney is $75,000.

 

BENEFITS

A career with the ACLU of Kansas provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. You and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your career with ACLU Kansas very rewarding including but not limited to:

• Competitive health benefits The ACLU of Kansas pays the full premium for the health care coverage for the employee and approximately 70% for dependents.
  Comprehensive Retirement Package including automatic enrollment in the organization’s Contribution Plan.
  Longevity Payments paid yearly and gradually increasing based upon the anniversary date of hire.
  Generous Paid Time Off includes 17 paid holidays, vacation, personal, and sick paid time-off.
• Employee Assistance Plan offers support and referrals to help you, and members of your household manage everyday life issues.
• Flexibility ACLU of Kansas follows a hybrid schedule model allowing staff to work remotely up to three days per week. Our in-office time is primarily used for team meetings and formal and informal collaboration. We support our employees to do their best work with technology to support remote collaboration, and intentional strategies to foster a positive work culture.
• Reimbursement for Professional Dues ACLU of Kansas reimburses the costs of fees for some professional licensing requirements where the license is required for performance of job duties.

 

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU of Kansas reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.

The ACLU of Kansas is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU of Kansas encourages 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 of Kansas undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions.

Collective Bargaining Eligibility: This position is eligible for membership in the United Media Guild collective bargaining unit. Due to the confidential nature of the position’s responsibilities, the successful candidate will be required to enter into a binding confidentiality agreement.