Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel [Term-Limited]

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Center for Liberty of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington, D.C. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to applications received by May 22, 2026.

This is a 2-year term-limited term position. 

The ACLU’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg Center for Liberty encompasses the ACLU’s legal work on reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights and HIV, women’s rights, freedom of religion and belief, and disability rights. It also encompasses the legal work of the ACLU to address the intersection of religious freedom and equal treatment, among other issues.

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the Deputy Legal Director/ Director of the Center for Liberty, the Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel will work closely with the Director on advancing the Center’s programming. The work will include a focus on combatting efforts to use religion to discriminate; developing the ACLU’s veterans’ rights docket; addressing the many emerging challenges to free exercise and Establishment Clause doctrine; advancing the family regulation docket; and supporting the work on priorities in the center.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Participate in litigation in federal and state courts on a range of issues of import to the Center for Liberty, including engaging in legal research, drafting briefs, and leading cases where experience permits
• Develop relationships with other advocates, lawyers, academics, and potential clients to further Center goals
• Work with and advise ACLU state affiliates
• Serve as a resource for ACLU legislative, policy and campaign work and advancing ACLU policy goals through public education, organizing and participating in coalitions
• Engage in public speaking and articulating ACLU views to a variety of audiences
• Collaborate with staff in the Center, as well as across the organization, including in other projects within the ACLU’s Legal Department, Communications Department, Affiliate and Nationwide Support Initiative, National Political Advocacy Department, Strategy Office, and state affiliates to advance
• Travel as required for litigation, conferences, and client development
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned

FUTURE ACLU'ERS 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 YOU'LL BRING

• J.D. degree
• Litigation experience, including clerkships, is preferred
• Excellent research, writing and oral advocacy skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as within a team
• Interest and commitment to mentoring interns
• Willingness to travel 
• Admission to the bar of the state in which one will work is required or willingness to promptly seek such membership

COMPENSATION

The ACLU has a litigator scale that determines pay for attorneys in our Legal Department. The range of salaries are the following, based on year of law school graduation (please consult the hiring manager for specific salary details, based on individual circumstances)

• 0-2 years since law school graduation: $96,069 - $120,009
• 3-5 years since law school graduation: $134,414 - $158,579
• 6-10 years since law school graduation: $165,839 - $187,087
• 11-15 years since law school graduation: $190,585 - $201,403
• 16-20 years since law school graduation: $203,304 - $208,540
• 21-25 years since law school graduation: $209,595 - $213,890
• 26-30+ years since law school graduation: $214,920 - $219,104

The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. These salaries are reflective of positions based in New York, NY where are National Offices are headquartered.  Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.  

For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf

WHY THE ACLU

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 it’s 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 well-being. 

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 time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being 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 check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term 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 anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re 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 benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.