The ACLU of New Hampshire (“ACLU-NH”) seeks a full-time Staff Attorney in Concord, New Hampshire. This position requires traveling throughout New Hampshire for court and other professional duties.

Who We Are

The ACLU-NH was founded in 1968 by a small group of devoted civil libertarians and is one of 53 affiliates of the ACLU nationwide. Today, the national ACLU is comprised of more than 1,500,000 members and supporters. The ACLU-NH is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to preserving the individual rights and liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, as well as in the United States and New Hampshire Constitutions. Since its founding, the ACLU-NH has been at the forefront of many major efforts to protect civil liberties, civil rights, and equal justice in the Granite State. The ACLU-NH tackles a vast array of issues, including criminal justice, police practices, First Amendment rights, classroom censorship, voting rights, gender equity and reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants’ rights, and economic justice. The ACLU-NH staff of 17 works in a fast-paced, friendly, and professional office environment.

Job Description

The ACLU-NH seeks to hire a passionate and innovative Staff Attorney to investigate and litigate civil liberties and civil rights cases in New Hampshire state and federal courts.

The position is a full-time, exempt, and salaried position. This person will report to the Deputy Legal Director (Henry Klementowicz) with additional oversight/direction provided by the Legal Director (Gilles Bissonnette). This person will 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 Staff Attorney’s duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Investigate and litigate a range of civil liberties and civil rights cases in state and federal courts, including: conducting factual and legal research; interviewing clients and witnesses; preparing legal memoranda, Right-to-Know/Chapter 91-A or FOIA public records requests, demand letters, and other materials in advance of litigation; drafting pleadings and briefs; managing discovery; participating in trials and appeals, including taking witnesses’ testimony and giving oral arguments; negotiating settlements; and identifying and drafting amicus briefs;
• Help assess requests for legal assistance, and identify appropriate cases for legal challenges;
• Develop and deliver trainings, CLEs, and other presentations to the New Hampshire community on ACLU-NH issues;
• Develop and help maintain relationships with pro bono co-counsel, local officials, and others who can help the ACLU-NH accomplish its objectives;
• Engage in legal advocacy work to advance civil rights and liberties through collaborative non-litigation means, such as writing public comments, participating in public education events, engaging in oral testimony, and assisting with analyzing or drafting public comment on proposed legislation, as necessary;
• Provide legal analysis to other ACLU-NH staff;
• Serve as a spokesperson for the ACLU-NH on legal issues handled by our office;
• Commitment to, in an integrated way, working with and supporting other departments at the ACLU-NH, including participating in organizing or donor events;
• Work with other program staff to implement organizing and policy objectives and identify opportunities for reform;
• Commitment to working collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts; and
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstances.

Requirements

The following qualifications are required:

• Law (J.D.) degree from accredited institution;
• Licensed to practice law in New Hampshire or ability to waive into the New Hampshire Bar or sit for the next available bar exam;
• Excellent writing, research and verbal skills, including in presenting both to lawyers and to non-lawyers; leadership and organizational skills in order to encourage volunteer lawyers and work cooperatively in coalitions; able to take initiative, think strategically, and share responsibility and credit across the organization and with partners;
• 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-NH objectives, as part of an integrated advocacy team;
• Willingness to manage a fast-paced and occasionally demanding schedule to meet litigation or other programmatic deadlines. This includes working “off hours” on emergency or pressing litigation matters;
• Experience taking initiative, being proactive, and anticipating litigation needs;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, along with a willingness to be patient, collegial, and supportive to all affiliate colleagues;
• Comfort with challenging conversations and situations leveraging strong and engaging interpersonal skills;
• Willingness to receive and respond to 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;
• A strong commitment to the ACLU-NH’s mission and goals toward the advancement of social justice;
• Travel to/from, and participation in, court hearings, pretrial proceedings, and depositions; and
• Ability to work in office, though the ACLU-NH is flexible with respect to remote work and offers a hybrid office model; however, this is not a fully remote position.

Compensation

This position includes an annual salary of between $75,000 and $80,000. The salary within this range will be based on experience, and this range reflects an entry-level legal position at the ACLU-NH. The ACLU-NH provides excellent benefits, including health insurance, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, vision, dental insurance, generous paid-time off, and a defined contribution 401K retirement plan.

ACLU-NH Values and Commitments

The ACLU-NH is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We 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, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Application Procedure

Please apply as early as possible; offer is extended as qualified candidates apply.

Applicants should send the following materials (as PDF format) to [email protected] and indicate “Staff Attorney Application” in the subject line:

• A copy of your resume;
• A cover letter explaining how you are qualified for this position and why you’re interested in being part of the ACLU-NH;
• A writing sample that has not been edited by another individual; and
• A law school transcript.

Final interviewees will be required to provide three professional references. Applicants will be reviewed beginning immediately and will be accepted until the position is filled.

The ACLU-NH is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodation for the interview process.

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-NH reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.