Managing Attorney

ACLU of CT Managing Attorney; Hartford (CT); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Four weeks paid vacation

Paid sick and personal time

Employer-paid medical, dental, and VIs

Wellness benefit

401(k) Plan with employer contribution

Employee assistance program

13 paid holidays

Job summary

The ACLU of Connecticut Foundation seeks a Managing Attorney to lead our litigation team and oversee ongoing civil liberties cases. This full-time role offers hybrid work with in-person Tuesdays at the Hartford office, and residency in Connecticut.

Reporting to the Legal Director, you will supervise staff attorneys and fellows, ensure deadlines are met, mentor junior lawyers, and coordinate with other departments to advance integrated advocacy for civil rights.

Qualifications

• Admitted to CT bar or eligible within 6 months of start date.
• Minimum 5 years civil litigation experience.
• Experience supervising attorneys to deliver high-quality results.
• Experience supervising people to plan, change, and grow professionally.
• Ability to mentor junior lawyers in writing, discovery, and oral advocacy.
• Willingness to master new areas of law as needed.
• Deep commitment to ACLU CT values and diverse teamwork.
• Access to reliable transportation for statewide client visits.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and mentor staff attorneys, legal fellows, and paralegals.
• Oversee litigation deadlines and coordinate drafting and revisions.
• Set annual goals, monitor progress, and conduct performance reviews.
• Lead regular team meetings and provide feedback to staff.
• Collaborate with Legal Director to ensure smooth department operations.
• Assist other departments in understanding legal concepts and litigation developments.
• Support recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of legal staff.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Connecticut admission eligibility

5+ years civil litigation

Staff supervision

Team leadership

Mentoring junior lawyers

Litigation strategy

Commitment to civil liberties

Reliable transportation

Job description

Summary:

The ACLU of Connecticut Foundation (ACLU of CT) seeks a Managing Attorney to support our ongoing litigation and manage our team of passionate attorneys. This position is full-time and will pay a starting salary between $110,000 - $120,000. This position allows for hybrid work, but it requires in-person work every Tuesday at our Hartford office, occasional travel across the state, and residency in Connecticut.

Role Summary:

Reporting to the Legal Director and supervising our Staff Attorney and Legal Fellow, the Managing Attorney will join a team committed to fighting the toughest civil liberties and civil rights cases to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. The Legal Department is part of a multi-pronged approach to integrated advocacy alongside our Communications, Community Engagement & Education, and Public Policy & Advocacy Departments.

Core Responsibilities:

• Supervise, manage, and mentor the affiliate’s staff attorneys, legal fellows, and paralegal, including by assigning and overseeing day-to-day work
• Supervise the execution of the affiliate’s pending litigation by ensuring that deadlines are met, working closely with legal staff on drafting and revising work, and helping staff prepare for each major stage of a case
• Supervise and support staff attorneys, legal fellows, and paralegals in formulating annual goals, monitoring their progress, giving feedback on their progress, and conducting performance reviews
• Conduct regular team and individual meetings to discuss progress, goals, and feedback, including yearly performance reviews
• Work with the legal director to ensure that the operations and administration of the Legal Department run smoothly
• Assist other departments in the organization to understand legal work, legal concepts, and litigation developments
• Collaborate with other departments in support of affiliate’s integrated advocacy
• Support the Operations team in the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of new legal staff
• Occasional other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Admitted to practice in Connecticut, or eligible to be licensed here within six months of start date
• Minimum of five years of civil litigation experience from pre-suit investigation to appeal
• Experiencing supervising attorneys to produce high-quality results, including by providing advice and guidance on litigation strategy and legal practice questions
• Experiencing supervising people to plan and achieve goals, navigate change and conflict, and grow professionally
• Ability to help less-experienced attorneys develop their skills, including by ensuring that attorneys have opportunities for writing, discovery, witness examinations, and oral arguments
• Ability to master areas of law outside of current expertise or past practice
• Excitement to join an organization made up of employees with diverse skillsets, backgrounds, and expertise including organizing, communications, and advocacy
• Possess a deep commitment to ACLU of CT values
• Access to reliable transportation for client visits across the state of Connecticut
• Preferred experience: knowledge of and experience with law relating to civil rights and liberties

Compensation and Benefits:

The Managing Attorney will receive a salary of between $110,000 - $120,000 annually.

The ACLU of Connecticut also offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package starting with four weeks paid vacation, plus paid sick and personal time; 100%-employer premium paid medical, dental, and vision insurance; a supplemental wellness benefit; 401(k) Plan including employer contribution; a robust employee assistance program, and 13 paid holidays.

• four weeks paid vacation
• plus paid sick and personal time
• 100%-employer premium paid medical, dental, and vision insurance
• a supplemental wellness benefit
• 401(k) Plan including employer contribution
• a robust employee assistance program
• 13 paid holidays

(The ACLU of CT reserves the right to alter or eliminate its current employee benefit plans and programs). This position is full-time, salaried, and exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and applicable Connecticut law.

Hiring Process:

• Application Review
• Written Hiring Exercise
• Phone Screen
• Second Interview
• Final Interview
• Reference Checks

About the ACLU of Connecticut:

The ACLU of Connecticut defends, promotes, and expands the civil rights and civil liberties of all people in Connecticut through litigation, community organizing and legislative advocacy, and civic education and engagement. We are an inclusive, non-partisan, and statewide organization within the nationwide American Civil Liberties Union network, powered by our supporters, partners, staff, interns, cooperating attorneys, and our board of directors.
We comprise three nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations: the ACLU of Connecticut, a 501(c)(4) organization which does legislative and organizing advocacy work; the ACLU Foundation of Connecticut, a 501(c)(3) which does litigation and public education work; and the ACLU of Connecticut Rise PAC, a non-partisan 527 organization which builds the necessary relationships, public awareness, public narratives, and pressure felt by politicians in order to build the political power of people directly impacted by civil rights and liberties issues.

To learn more about the work of the ACLU of CT pleasevisit www.acluct.org and www.aclu.org.