Public Rights Project

National Black Lawyers Top 100; United States; Hybrid; USD 83,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental & vision

Retirement savings

Cell phone stipend

Home office stipend

Professional development

Job summary

Public Rights Project seeks to hire Staff Attorneys to join its Litigation Team. The Staff Attorney will conduct and support case development, research, and manage litigation activities for local governments protecting civil rights.

Reporting to the Litigation Director, you will work with partners and internal teams on cases in state and federal courts, coordinating efforts across jurisdictions and stakeholders while advancing justice through strategic advocacy.

Qualifications

• Licensed to practice law in a U.S. jurisdiction.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant litigation experience.
• Strong writing and editing of briefs and legal analysis.
• Excellent judgment and strategic thinking; strong communication.
• Ability to manage multiple litigation tasks and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Identify opportunities for advocacy and strategy.
• Represent PRP’s partners in litigation from idea to conclusion.
• Conduct legal research across jurisdictions.
• Draft, edit, and provide feedback on written work.
• Advise government clients on legal and policy considerations.
• Coordinate with stakeholders and teams.
• Participate in regular strategic meetings.
• Engage with government and non-government partners.

Skills

Litigation experience

Legal writing

Strategic advocacy

Client management

Remote team experience

Tools

Electronic filing systems

Job description

Public Rights Project (PRP) is a public interest legal nonprofit, headquartered in Oakland, with a remote team based throughout the United States. Our mission is to help local government officials fight for civil rights.

Since its founding in 2017, PRP has litigated in more than 100 cases (either as a party or amicus), trained 131 prosecutors and government lawyers in 24 states, built a partner network of over 670 government offices, elected officials, and community-based organizations in 43 states, secured court victories on police accountability, abortion, immigrant, worker, and voting rights. Learn more about our work.

PRP supports local government partners in the face of an onslaught of federal and state abuses of power. We provide direct representation, legal analysis, research, training, and community partnerships to help local governments develop strategies that protect their residents’ civil rights.

The Litigation Team works on behalf of dozens of local governments in significant cases that affect the rights and welfare of millions of people across the country.

JOB SUMMARY

Public Rights Project seeks to hire one or more Staff Attorneys to join its Litigation Team. The Staff Attorney will be a key member of PRP’s team advancing the work of local governments protecting civil rights in the face of hostility from the federal government, as well as state governments and private actors.

The Staff Attorney will conduct and support case development and research, work with partners, and manage and contribute to various litigation and pre-litigation activities. The Litigation Team handles cases in which government clients are both plaintiffs and defendants, in both state and federal courts.

This position reports to the Litigation Director and will work closely with members of the Litigation Team and other Program Team staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Independently and as a member of a team, identify opportunities for advocacy and strategize pathways to action
• Represent PRP’s partners in litigation from idea generation through conclusion, including legal and factual development, case pitching, motions practice, discovery, oral argument, client management, coalition engagement, and more
• Conduct legal research and analyze laws across a range of jurisdictions
• Draft, review, edit, and provide feedback on written work product
• Effectively advise government clients, including on legal, political, and justice considerations of potential courses of action
• Participate in regular meetings for the Litigation Team and other crucial strategic meetings and discussions, including ensuring alignment, collaboration, and clear next steps
• Meet with government and non-government stakeholders
• Synthesize input and feedback from internal and external stakeholders
• Contribute to an innovative, inclusive, and supportive group of advocates

QUALIFICATIONS

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to work.

This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

• Licensed to practice law in a jurisdiction of the United States is required
• A minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in litigation is preferred. Relevant experience may include clerking, government enforcement, and/or complex civil litigation
• Outstanding writing and editing skills, including drafting and editing complex briefs and legal analysis
• Excellent judgment about both legal issues and strategy* Strong communication skills, both writing and speaking
• Demonstrated ability to handle aspects of litigation, including at least half of the following: client management, discovery, oral advocacy, brief writing, deadline management, electronic filing, navigating local rules, working with cooperating counsel, and expecting the unexpected
• Strong project management skills and the ability to use electronic tools to coordinate with other team members
• Demonstrated interest in working on issues of federal law, constitutional law, civil rights law, and other relevant legal topics
• Team player who can work with government partners, co-counsel, community-based organizations, and other advocates, as well as internal teams
• Demonstrated positive and respectful attitude, ability to work well with diverse people and communities, capacity to show presence, self-confidence, common sense, and good listening ability
• Prior experience with remote work in large teams in support of fast-moving and mission-driven litigation is preferred
• Belief in the power of state and local government to make positive change in the world

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS & SPECIFICATIONS

This is a full-time, fully remote, exempt role with a salary range of $82,735 - $111,935. The exact salary will be based on the candidate's experience. For internal equity purposes, PRP will not negotiate with candidates outside of the role’s designated range.

Public Rights Project offers a robust suite of benefits, including health, dental & vision insurance, retirement savings, and stipends for cell phones, home office & professional development. You can see details of the benefits offered here.

This role requires travel several times a year to PRP events, case hearings, conferences, or meetings. This role requires sitting, talking, and listening for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds.

PRP HIRING COMMITMENT

PRP is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. A diverse and inclusive workplace, both at PRP and within the government offices we serve, is a key ingredient for achieving our mission of building equitable enforcement capacity within state and local government.

We aim to assemble a team that reflects the world we live in and the communities we serve with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and immigration status. People with personal or family experience with the type of harms we seek to combat, including wage theft, predatory lending, fraud, discrimination, and environmental degradation, are particularly encouraged to apply.