First Amendment Campus Rights Advocate

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE); Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and life insurance

Flexible Spending Account (Section 125

Retirement matching contributions

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) seeks an attorney (Program Counsel) or non-attorney advocate (Program Officer) to support the Campus Rights Advocacy team from Philadelphia, PA or Washington, D.C. The role combines case intake, documentation review, advocacy planning, and public communications.

The position involves travel, occasional weekends/evenings, and a start date as soon as possible. Hybrid work is available; fully remote work is not considered.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in general First Amendment law and familiarity with campus speech law.
• Familiarity with due process.
• Familiarity with FOIA/state public records laws or written discovery.
• Familiarity with university conduct codes and university structure.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and public speaking skills.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Exceptional conscientiousness and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Review, respond to, and manage case submissions from students, student organizations, and faculty; suggest actions.
• Collect and review materials to build narratives of rights violations.
• Devise advocacy plans and coordinate with internal departments.
• Draft and review letters to universities and agencies on behalf of students and organizations.
• Prepare public advocacy content, including blogs and statements to reporters.
• Serve as primary press contact and conduct interviews as needed.
• Handle FOIA requests and respond to information requests for evaluating cases.
• Identify potential litigation candidates in coordination with CRA and litigation teams.

Skills

First Amendment law

Public speaking

Legal research

Legal writing

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Independent work

Grit

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) seeks an attorney (Program Counsel) or non-attorney advocate (Program Officer) to support the Campus Rights Advocacy team from Philadelphia, PA or Washington, D.C. The role combines case intake, documentation review, advocacy planning, and public communications.

The position involves travel, occasional weekends/evenings, and a start date as soon as possible. Hybrid work is available; fully remote work is not considered.