Legal Director ACLU of Alabama
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Description: ACLU of Alabama is in need of Legal Director ACLU of Alabama right now, this position will be ordered in Alabama. Further informations about this position opportunity kindly read the description below. The ACLU Foundation of Alabama seeks a Legal Director to lead and expand its litigation and legal advocacy programs for the 21st century. The Legal Director, a visionary strategic thinke! r with passion, drive, and creativity, will work in a dynamic, progressive team environment to promote the creative use of law reform to defend and promote civil rights and civil liberties.
Background
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Alabama (ACLU of Alabama) is private, non-profit, non-partisan organization that promotes human rights, civil rights, and civil liberties through integrated legal, legislative, field, and public education initiatives throughout Alabama. It is over 1000 members strong and is poised for growth and expansion.
This is a great opportunity for an ambitious civil liberties/civil rights attorney to build a legal program that will meet the challenges of the 21st century. The Legal Director will play a critical role in helping to plan and execute new strategies for growth and service to new constituencies.
Current Situation
Defending civil rights and civil liberties in the 21st century requires! a new and creative approach to advocacy. To this end, the ACL! U of Alabama seeks a Legal Director who is eager to shape and lead both impact litigation and non-litigation advocacy in critical areas of privacy/surveillance, criminal justice and due process, freedom of speech and association, and equality under the law.
The organization's advocacy docket currently includes four priority areas: Democracy (free speech, government transparency, privacy,); Justice (criminal justice, due process, over-incarceration); Equality (race, gender, LGBTQ, disability rights, immigration), and Liberty (religious liberty, reproductive freedom).
The Legal Director, a critical member of the organization's senior management team, reports directly to the Executive Director and provides strategic leadership and coordination regarding both litigation and non-litigation legal advocacy undertaken by the ACLU Foundation of Alabama.
Role of the Legal Director
The Legal Director is responsible for helping to set overall legal s! trategy to advance the mission of the organization, as well as for the day-to-day management of the cooperating attorneys and ACLU of Alabama legal docket. The Legal Director also works with a Board-appointed Legal Committee of advisors to advance the advocacy goals of the organization.
The Legal Director has primary responsibility for coordinating the selection of cases based on ACLU policy, organizational priorities, and capacity. S/he also oversees the development of cases prior to the commencement of litigation and the conduct of litigation thereafter.
The Legal Director must be a creative, strategic and tactical thinker with a courageous and imaginative approach to advocacy. While the Legal Director may maintain an individual caseload, s/he primarily works with cooperating private attorneys in their litigation and advocacy efforts, aiding in case preparation where necessary.
In addition, the Legal Director is a highly visible spokesperson for! the ACLU, speaking regularly to print and broadcast journalists and at! public forums, and otherwise advocating for civil rights and civil liberties both in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion. At times, the Legal Director assists in fundraising efforts by participating in meetings with major donors; speaking at donor forums and events, and otherwise working with development staff to ensure consistent funding for our work.
Major Objectives
The ACLU Foundation of Alabama expects the new Legal Director to lead and interact with staff collegially in a manner that is consistent with the mission, vision, and values of the ACLU of Alabama. Specifically, the Legal Director will be expected to accomplish the following major objectives within the first 12-18 months of her/his tenure:
Participate actively in regular strategic and tactical advocacy sessions in close partnership with the Executive Director, staff, and board;
Develop an aggressive impact litigation and advocacy docket that advances the A! CLU's strategic priorities and responds to civil rights and civil liberties threats;
Provide systematic planning and reporting, including items such as budgets and regular status reports;
Continue to build an organizational culture within the legal program that encourages and mentors the staff, both internally and externally;
Broaden and deepen the relationships among the ACLU of Alabama' core constituents and volunteer attorneys and help to increase the growth and visibility of the organization.
Professional Qualifications
While no one person will embody all of the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and attributes:
Demonstrated commitment to civil rights and civil liberties consistent with the mission and goals of the ACLU;
A minimum of 5 years of litigation experience at the state and federal levels, with a strong background in constitutional, c! ivil rights litigation;
Demonstrated record of moving legal ca! ses forward at all levels of the judiciary, with experience working with clients from diverse constituencies;
Excellent communication, media, presentation, written, and analytical skills;
Significant experience representing and working with activists in grassroots organizations and non-governmental organizations;
Experience working closely with a volunteer board of directors and nonprofit organizations;
Familiarity and/or experience with raising funds from individuals, foundations, and other organizations;
Alabama Bar admission is preferred but not required initially; the successful applicant will be required to obtain admission as soon as possible after hire.
Personal Characteristics
The following characteristics are sought in the new Legal Director:
A deep personal commitment to and passion for advancing civil rights and civil liberties;
Excellent organizational skills and a creative approach! to problem-solving and litigation;
Goal-oriented, project-oriented, and achievement-oriented, with an ability to recognize and maximize opportunities on behalf of the organization;
A team-building and collegial management style, including effective communications skills, a warm personal style that commands respect, and a good sense of humor, courage and integrity.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Salary is commensurate with similarly-situated nonprofit advocacy organizations, based on experience and qualifications. Benefits include generous vacation, medical and disability insurance, and retirement benefits.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
All applications are treated confidentially. Interested candidates should send the following: (1) a letter of interest; (2) resume; (3) legal writing sample; and (4) list of three professional references, including contact information to jobs@aclualabama.org .
Applications will be accepted un! til the position is filled. Review of applications will begin on April ! 15, 2013.
The ACLU of Alabama is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, people of color, persons with disabilities, people over 55 and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.
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If you were eligible to this position, please email us your resume, with salary requirements and a resume to ACLU of Alabama.
Interested on this position, just click on the Apply button, you will be redirected to the official website
This position will be started on: Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:22:17 GMT
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