Pro Bono and Intake Senior Attorney

New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 59,000 - 74,000; Part time

Job summary

New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) seeks a Senior Staff Attorney with 6+ years of legal experience to manage pro bono relationships and intake in the legal department, developing partnerships with pro bono partners and staff to staff NYCLU projects and assist clients.

The role coordinates intake, including supervising the team that handles public inquiries, referrals, and resources, and engages in civil rights issues across immigration, police, privacy, and equal protection.

Qualifications

• Six or more years of legal experience, with preference for significant public-interest litigation experience.
• Admission to the New York Bar.
• Ability to think strategically and coordinate with teams on public-interest litigation or advocacy.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Fluency in Spanish is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with pro-bono partners and networks.
• Consult with attorneys and staff across the NYCLU on pro-bono matters.
• Draft and prepare pitches for pro bono projects; follow up on engagements to ensure successful completion.
• Manage intake team of volunteers and non-litigators evaluating and following up on requests from the public for assistance, resources, or referrals.
• Prepare demand letters and/or FOIL/FOIA requests where appropriate.
• Consult with attorneys and staff on intake matters and referrals.
• Participate in public education on civil liberties and civil rights issues through speaking engagements and writings.
• Collaborate with leaders and staff across NYCLU to ensure an integrated approach to address injustice.
• Supervise and mentor law students in NYCLU’s summer-intern program and support professional development of legal staff.

Skills

Excellent writing

Legal research

Analytical thinking

Public-interest litigation

Team collaboration

Spanish (bonus)

Job description

Description

Position(s): Senior Staff Attorney

Department: Legal

Terms of Employment: Permanent Part-Time/Exempt/Local 2320 Union Position (Approximately 20-25 hours per week) NYCLU staff are currently working in a hybrid model. A number of in-person days will be required.

Location: New York Civil Liberties Union, 125 Broad Street, NY, NY 10004

Salary: Subject to the NYCLU’s attorney salary scale, which is based on years of legal experience (current full-time starting salary for a lawyer with 6 years of experience is $118,000 and will be prorated according to hours worked).

Application Deadline: September 7, 2026 (Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and will be considered until hiring is complete).

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is one of the nation's leading advocates on behalf of constitutional rights and liberties. Founded in 1951, as the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, the NYCLU is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization with more than 90,000 members and supporters, and eight offices statewide. We work in the courts, in the legislatures and on the streets to advocate for racial and economic justice, free speech, freedom of religion, privacy and equality before the law for all New Yorkers. For more information, please visit our website: www.nyclu.org.

DEI VISION STATEMENT

The NYCLU is committed to building an equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist workplace that centers the voices of marginalized and directly impacted communities. This commitment strengthens our mission to protect civil liberties and advance justice across New York. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people, and others whose experiences reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

The NYCLU seeks a senior staff attorney (6 or more years of legal experience) to manage pro bono relationships and intake in the NYCLU’s legal department developing relationships with pro bono partners to assist NYCLU clients and take on matters in conjunction with the NYCLU; coordinating with NYCLU staff to identify firms to staff specific projects; and identifying pathways to expand the program. The senior staff attorney will also be responsible for coordinating the intake program, including by managing the team that responds to members of the public seeking assistance, referrals, and/or resources. Pro bono and intake matters will involve the full range of NYCLU work, including challenging institutional and systemic racism that undermines civil rights and civil liberties, immigrants’ rights, government transparency, free expression, equal protection, reproductive justice, criminal legal system, detention, the rights of LGBTQ communities and gender equity, police misconduct, student rights, and privacy.

This position is a part-time position of approximately 20-25 hours per week.

The NYCLU’s Legal department is comprised of seventeen lawyers, a director of legal operations, an investigator, two paralegals, a data research analyst, and a legal assistant. Legal Department staff work on a wide range of civil rights and civil liberties cases in federal and state courts and in administrative tribunals. They also support the legislative, advocacy, communications, and field work of the NYCLU.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop relationships with pro-bono partners and networks.
• Consult with attorneys and staff across the NYCLU on pro-bono matters.
• Draft and prepare pitches for pro bono projects; follow up on engagements to ensure successful completion.
• Manage intake team of volunteers and non-litigators evaluating and following up on requests from the public for assistance, resources, or referrals.
• Prepare demand letters and/or Freedom of Information Law and Freedom of Information Act requests where appropriate.
• Consult with attorneys and staff on intake matters and referrals.
• Participate in public education on civil liberties and civil rights issues in the form of speaking engagements and published writings.
• Collaborate with leaders and staff across the NYCLU— including the Education Policy Center, Racial Justice Center, Policy, Communications, and Field Departments —to ensure that the NYCLU has an integrated approach to address injustice.
• Supervise and mentor law students as part of the NYCLU summer-intern program and contribute to the professional development of other members of the legal department.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent writing, research, analytical, and communication skills.
• Six or more years of legal experience, with a preference for significant public-interest litigation experience.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and advocate effectively, including an ability to coordinate with teams working on public-interest litigation or advocacy.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a diverse public-interest setting and to foster and support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Demonstrated commitment to the goals and priorities of the NYCLU.
• Prior experience with civil rights or constitutional law is a significant plus.
• Admission to the New York Bar.
• Fluency in Spanish is a plus.