Deferred Law Firm Associate
Legal Internship or Externship
Communications Internship
Development Internship
General Internship
Staff Attorney | Western Regional Office
Position Overview:
The Staff Attorney will help establish a new regional office in Grand Rapids for Kent County, Kalamazoo and Traverse City. A key objective of this position is to help the ACLU build the organization’s strength in western Michigan by developing a robust legal program and effective partnerships with other non-profit organizations, elected officials, local attorneys, local law schools, local ACLU volunteer legal committees, and students.
S/he will litigate cases and participate in non-litigation advocacy activities to advance civil liberties and civil rights in Michigan. Responsibilities include: developing a legal docket; serving as lead and co-counsel on civil liberties and civil rights cases at the trial and appellate level in state and federal court; working with cooperating attorneys; supervising student interns; and helping to strengthen the local organizational infrastructure. The Staff Attorney reports directly to the Legal Director and works with other staff, including the Communications Director, Legislative Director, and Development Director, to effectively represent the ACLU to the public, legislators, and ACLU supporters and members.
Specific Responsibilities:
(1) Legal
- Investigate, develop and litigate impact civil liberties and civil rights cases in state and federal court. This includes conducting factual and legal research, preparing memorandums, writing demand letters, drafting pleadings and briefs, conducting discovery, arguing motions, trying cases, writing appellate briefs, presenting oral argument on appeal, and writing amicus briefs.
- Supervise, lead, or participate in a team of associated attorneys; co-counsel cases with other public interest groups.
- Recruit and work with ACLU volunteer attorneys.
- Review, comment and edit letters and briefs of co-counsel and other ACLU staff.
- Provide legal analysis and develop legal strategy with other senior ACLU staff.
- Serve as a spokesperson for the ACLU with the press and as a public speaker, as appropriate, with the support of the Communications and Executive Director.
- Work with ACLU staff to implement integrated advocacy campaigns and high-impact strategies utilizing ACLU’s communication, legislative, field organizing, and legal programs.
- Set up and manage a small office in Grand Rapids working with the Director of Administration and Finance to ensure that the regional office operations are managed efficiently and effectively.
- Ensure that all information is centralized regularly and appropriately at state headquarters and that systems for organizing information are established and well-maintained.
- Contribute to the maintenance of the legal docket.
- Ensure that all pleadings are filed timely and according to court rules.
- Supervise law students and interns.
- Work with local branch Lawyers Committees to screen and develop promising civil liberties cases.
- Work with the Deputy Director to facilitate communication and coordination as appropriate between the regional and state offices.
- Be available and helpful to the Development Director and Executive Director in their efforts to raise funds to support ACLU activities in this area by attending donor, advisory board and foundation meetings, identifying prospective donors and members, and, on occasion, drafting grant proposals.
(5) Provide Support to the Legal Director
- Assist with all legal program activities as needed, ensure Legal Director is adequately informed of work, and prepare reports for Legal Director as needed.
Supervision:
The Staff Attorney will work with the Legal Director, who is responsible for implementation of the statewide legal program. The Staff Attorney is also expected to work collaboratively with both the Deputy Director and Director of Administration and Finance to ensure the smooth functioning of the office.
Qualifications:
- JD with a minimum of three years of litigation experience, preferably litigation raising civil liberties or civil rights issues.
- A strong understanding of, and demonstrated commitment to, civil liberties, civil rights and the mission of the ACLU. Experience in non-profit advocacy or other community-based groups is valuable.
- Exceptional writing and analytical skills is required. Judicial clerkship is a plus.
- The attorney must be a member of the Michigan State Bar (or take the next bar examination).
- Substantive knowledge and understanding of constitutional law and civil liberties issues.
- Demonstrated skills in litigating independently, jointly and under pressure.
- Excellent communication skills to both legal and non-legal audiences.
- Demonstrated skills in legal analysis, research, and strategic thinking.
- Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively on a variety of projects with lawyers, other staff members, and with community organizations and coalitions.
- A commitment to diversity; a personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance.
- Creative, result-oriented, self-starting, willing to learn, and able to manage an aggressive schedule.
- Proficiency with computers: Windows and Microsoft Office in particular.
Ideally, the successful candidate will be the following:
- Personally committed to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, goals and programs, with an understanding of the range of civil liberties issues and their implications.
- A flexible, well-organized, reliable, creative and energetic person who can handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities; a self-starter and finisher.
- Enthusiastic about the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the growth of the ACLU and willing to assume a leadership role in making it happen.
- A team player who inspires collaboration and is comfortable being a leader, making decisions and supervising others.
- Willing to work beyond 9-5 as needed, including occasional weekend meetings and travel.
- Emotionally mature and self-confident, with a sense of humor in order to maintain balance and perspective.
Salary is commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits including health insurance and a 401(k) plan.
Application Procedure
Please submit in digital form, by email, a detailed letter of interest, resume, writing sample and contact information for three references. Send to Michael Steinberg, Legal Director, at msteinberg@aclumich.org and copy Brenda Bove at bbove@aclumich.org.
The position will remain open until filled.
The American Civil Liberties Union Fund of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, LGBT persons and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Deferred Law Firm Associate
The ACLU of Michigan is accepting applications from deferred law firm associates to work as an ACLU staff attorney or ACLU fellow on cutting edge civil liberties and civil rights cases. The ACLU litigates high impact, high profile cases addressing a wide range of constitutional issues, including: freedom of speech and religion, civil liberties after 9/11, police misconduct, voting rights, right to counsel and due process, reproductive freedom, education reform, and the rights of people of color, women, LGBT persons and prisoners. The office environment is supportive and the work is challenging, exciting and rewarding.
Responsibilities: ACLU staff attorneys and fellows will be given significant responsibility working on ongoing cases and developing new cases. Such responsibilities include: drafting memoranda addressing the merits of potential cases, meeting with and interviewing plaintiffs and witnesses, drafting complaints and briefs, assisting with discovery and/or analyzing the constitutionality of pending legislation. Deferred associates who are admitted to practice in any state may have the opportunity to argue motions in federal court.
Qualifications:
- Must have a demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and civil rights.
- Must have exceptional research and writing skills.
- Must be a deferred associate at a firm that financially sponsors pro bono opportunities.
All staff attorneys are supervised by the legal director. The deferred law associate may also have the opportunity to work with our executive director, legislative director, Racial Justice Project staff attorney, LGBT Project staff attorney, two general staff attorneys, and/or attorneys from the National ACLU.
Applications:
Please email or send cover letter, resume and writing sample to:
Michael J. Steinberg, Legal Director
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan
2966 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48201
(313) 578-6814
msteinberg@aclumich.org
To learn more about the ACLU of Michigan, go to www.aclumich.org. The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, LGBT persons and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Legal Internship or Externship
A legal internship or externship with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan provides students with a unique opportunity to work on cutting edge civil liberties and civil rights cases. The ACLU litigates impact cases addressing a wide range of constitutional issues such as free speech, religious freedom, right to privacy, right to due process and equal protection, voting rights, and the rights of people of color, women, gay men and lesbians, and prisoners.
Responsibilities:
Law students may be asked to work on many aspects of potential and ongoing cases such as: drafting memoranda addressing the merits of a case, meeting with and interviewing plaintiffs and witnesses, and drafting complaints and briefs. Students may also be asked to analyze the constitutionality of pending legislation or help with discovery.
Qualifications:
- Must have finished first year of law school.
- Must have strong research and writing skills.
- Must have a commitment to civil liberties and civil rights.
- Students who have studied constitutional law are preferred.
Legal interns and externs will be supervised by the legal director. They will sometimes be asked to assist a staff attorney or cooperating attorney on a pending case or to work with the executive director, legislative director, Racial Justice Project staff attorney and/or LGBT Project staff attorney.
Credit/Fellowships:
Most law schools will give students credit for an ACLU internship or externship during the school year or the summer. Some law schools, such as the University of Michigan Law School and Harvard Law School, offer student-funded fellowships or other grants to ACLU summer interns. Unfortunately, the ACLU cannot afford to pay its interns.
Applications:
Please send or email cover letter, resume and writing sample to:
Michael J. Steinberg, Legal Director
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan
2966 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
313-578-6814 or msteinberg@aclumich.org
To learn more about the ACLU of Michigan, go to www.aclumich.org. The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, LGBT persons and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Communications Internship
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is seeking graduate or undergraduate students interested in non profit communications, public relations or journalism for a communications internship.
The ACLU is the nation’s premiere defender of civil rights and civil liberties. The ACLU’s core program areas include: First Amendment, Equality Rights, Privacy, Due Process, and Racial Justice. The ideal intern has a general familiarity with the American Civil Liberties Union, and demonstrates an interest in civil rights, civil liberties and human rights. To learn more about some of our ongoing projects, visit www.aclumich.org.
The communications internship is designed to give students the opportunity to experience firsthand the workings of a full service non-profit communications department. The ACLU of Michigan considers its interns to be full members of the team.
The Communications Intern’s primary responsibility will be to work with the ACLU of Michigan’s Communications Director on a variety of projects. Possible projects include:
- Drafting various communications materials including press releases, opinion editorials, letters to the editor, e-action alerts and the ACLU of Michigan newsletter
- Writing entries for the ACLU’s Blog and organizing staff contributions
- Assisting in developing marketing and publicity materials for the ACLU
- Updating the ACLU’s website as needed
- Tracking media coverage of ACLU issues and initiatives
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Experience in journalism, marketing, web-publishing, and/or desktop publishing
- Creative, organized and responsible
- Demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and civil rights
- Flexible and comfortable multi-tasking as well as working independently and as part of a team
- Emotionally mature and self-confident, with a sense of humor in order to maintain balance and perspective.
Most academic programs will give credit for an ACLU internship during the school year or the summer. Unfortunately, the ACLU cannot pay its interns.
Applications:
To apply submit a résumé, a letter of interest including availability, and a writing sample to:
ACLU of Michigan
2966 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
Attn. Rana Elmir
relmir@aclumich.org
www.aclumich.org
To learn more about the ACLU of Michigan, go to www.aclumich.org. The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, LGBT persons and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Development Internship
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is seeking interns and volunteers to assist in promoting our Annual Dinner and other special projects. The ACLU is one of the nation’s premiere defenders of civil rights and civil liberties. The ACLU’s core program areas include: First Amendment, Equality Rights, Privacy, Due Process, and Racial Justice.
We are seeking students from the departments of communication (advertising, journalism, and public relations), as well as students in business programs. An internship with the ACLU provides students with a unique opportunity to work with our development director (fundraiser) and other staff in promoting our Annual Dinner, our major fundraiser for the year.
The ideal intern has a general familiarity with the American Civil Liberties Union, and is interested in events planning and/or fundraising. To learn more about some of our ongoing projects, visit www.aclumich.org.
Qualifications:
- Strong organizational, writing, and communication skills
- Commitment to civil liberties and civil rights
- Familiarity with computer databases
- Knowledge and/or experience with event planning helpful
- Dependable
- Energetic
Most academic programs give credit for an ACLU internship during the school year or the summer. Unfortunately, the ACLU cannot afford to pay its interns.
Applications:
To apply submit a resume, a letter of interest including availability, and a creative writing sample to:
ACLU of Michigan
2966 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
Attn. Brenda Bove
bbove@aclumich.org
www.aclumich.org
To learn more about the ACLU of Michigan, go to www.aclumich.org. The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, LGBT persons and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
General Internship
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is seeking interns and volunteers. The ACLU is one of the nation’s premiere defenders of civil rights and civil liberties. The ACLU’s core program areas include: First Amendment, Equality Rights, Privacy, Due Process, and Racial Justice.
We are seeking students from a wide range of disciplines, including public policy, communications, political science, computer science, social work, and law. An internship with the ACLU provides students with a unique opportunity to work in our legal program, legislative program, communications program and development program. Specific projects this year include general legal intake, specific issues that arise in the state legislature, drafting brochures/flyers, and organizing our annual dinner.
The ideal intern has a general familiarity with the American Civil Liberties Union, and general knowledge about the history of civil rights and constitutional law. To learn more about some of our ongoing projects, visit www.aclumich.org.
Qualifications:
- Strong organizational, writing, and communication skills
- Commitment to civil liberties and civil rights
- Familiarity with computer databases
- Dependable
Most academic programs with give credit for an ACLU internship during the school year or the summer. Unfortunately, the ACLU cannot afford to pay its interns.
Applications:
To apply submit a resume, a letter of interest including availability, and a writing sample to:
ACLU of Michigan
2966 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
Attn. Brenda Bove
bbove@aclumich.org
www.aclumich.org
To learn more about the ACLU of Michigan, go to www.aclumich.org. The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, LGBT persons and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
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