Senior Supervising Attorney

ACLU of Wisconsin; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Internet and cell phone allowance

Paid vacation and sick leave

12 weeks paid family medical / Parital

Dental and vision coverage (optional)

401(K) retirement with employer match

Job summary

The ACLU of Wisconsin (ACLU-WI) seeks a Senior Supervising Attorney to lead and litigate high-impact civil rights cases in state and federal courts, focusing on First Amendment rights, criminal legal reform, LGBTQ+ rights, bodily autonomy, immigrant rights, and voting rights. Hybrid work in Wisconsin with in-office Milwaukee days.

The role requires a J.D. and Wisconsin bar admission (or eligible to waive), plus a minimum of 8 years of litigation experience, strong writing, and collaborative

Qualifications

• J.D. is required and Wisconsin bar admission or eligible to waive into Wisconsin bar.
• Minimum 8 years of litigation experience in state and federal courts.
• Excellent persuasive writing for court filings and legal communications.
• Ability to speak persuasively with diverse audiences in legal and non-legal settings.
• Strong collaboration and leadership of junior attorneys and staff.
• Willingness to supervise attorneys and develop colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead and litigate cases in state and federal courts, including appellate work
• Develop and advance civil rights strategies and non-litigation approaches as needed
• Supervise and mentor junior attorneys, staff, and interns
• Collaborate across departments and with partners to advance organizational goals
• Represent the organization publicly with media and external partners
• Contribute to internal procedures and strategic planning in the Legal Department
• Provide policy analysis and legal expertise to non-legal program staff

Skills

EDI commitment

Litigation experience

Persuasive writing

Collaboration

Legal analysis

Education

J.D. with Wisconsin bar admission or eligibility to waive

Job description

The ACLU-WI is a statewide non-profit, non-partisan, private organization with 23,000 members. The ACLU-WI is widely recognized as a cutting-edge and leading advocate for civil rights and civil liberties in the state, and works closely with other state organizations that share compatible goals. Our mission: The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin fights to protect, defend, and expand civil rights and liberties – particularly for communities historically denied their rights – through nonpartisan advocacy, community education, litigation, and organizing in order to create a more just future. The ACLU of Wisconsin’s combined operating budget is approximately $4.5 million with headquarters in the City of Milwaukee. The organization has a diverse staff of up to 30 individuals.

Position Overview

The Senior Supervising Attorney is a staff position within the ACLU-WI’s Legal Department. The Senior Supervising Attorney is a highly collaborative team player who works in tandem with colleagues across the organization to advance the goals of the ACLU-WI. The Senior Supervising Attorney leads and litigates cases in state and federal court. A core priority of the work is to use systemic impact litigation and advocacy strategies to advance the rights of persons on issues related to First Amendment rights, criminal legal reform, LGBTQ+ rights and bodily autonomy, immigrant rights, and voting rights. The Senior Supervising Attorney will develop significant subject matter expertise in one or more of these areas of work such that they are considered an expert in the field and are able to independently lead our legal work in those areas. The Senior Supervising Attorney will also work closely with staff across the organization on the Policy, Communications, Legal, Organizing, and Development and Engagement teams, as well as coalition partners and the ACLU National Office.

Job Context

This position is a full-time exempt position. The Senior Supervising Attorney reports to the Legal Director. The position may be based anywhere in Wisconsin in a hybrid work environment (in-person and work from home), but will require regular in-person attendance at the Milwaukee office for mandatory in-office days. Work is likely to include some nights and weekends and occasional travel at the expense of the organization.

Responsibilities Include

Essential Functions

• Investigate, develop, and lead high-impact cases at the trial and appellate level in federal and state courts and in state or federal administrative proceedings
• Investigate, develop, and advance, in coordination with other Departments, non-litigation strategies for advancing civil rights and civil liberties
• Conduct investigations, lead impact litigation, and/or non-legislative advocacy, either independently or in collaboration with other members of the Legal Department
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with our cooperating counsel, allied organizations, community-based organizations, stakeholders, members of communities affected by our work, and ACLU-WI members
• Serve as an ACLU-WI spokesperson with the media and external partners on identified issues
• Effectively supervise, manage, and mentor early-career and mid-career attorneys, Legal Department support staff, and law clerks, including assigning and overseeing day-to-day work and evaluating their work performance and professional development
• Work closely as a partner with the Legal Director to improve internal procedures and to develop overarching departmental strategies and goals in the context of an organization-wide strategic plan
• Work closely with and provide policy analysis and legal expertise to non-legal program staff at the ACLU of Wisconsin and ACLU National
• Fulfill the duties of the Legal Director in the Legal Director’s absence, as directed
• Oversee the process for recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and managing new junior legal staff, fellows, and interns, and take responsibility for managing the professional development of these junior staff members
• Other administrative duties as assigned

Experience & Qualifications

• Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging as core values
• A strong commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU, racial justice, dismantling white supremacy and incorporating a structural power analysis into work
• Knowledge and understanding of how power and oppression is manifested in matters of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ability, citizenship and socio-economic circumstances
• Have a J.D. and be admitted to practice in Wisconsin or be eligible to waive into the Wisconsin bar
• Have a minimum of 8 years of litigation experience in both state and federal courts
• Have demonstrated ability in conceiving impact litigation cases and litigating them to conclusion. Significant experience in conducting evidentiary proceedings and handling expert discovery and witness presentation is an asset
• Have excellent persuasive writing skills for court filings and for communications in legal and non-legal settings
• Have demonstrated ability to speak persuasively and effectively with individuals from a diverse range of identities, interests, and backgrounds in non-legal and legal settings
• Have strong legal aptitude, including thoughtful engagement with novel and complex legal questions, and demonstrated ability to respond quickly and effectively to emergent issues
• Have a well-developed interest in a range of civil rights and civil liberties issues and the ability to master areas of law outside of their current expertise
• Be highly collaborative with the desire to consult and share information with colleagues, and skills to respectfully resolve differences
• Be able to tolerate a high degree of ambiguity and have the flexibility necessary to readjust strategy in an always changing legal and political environment
• Have demonstrated ability to supervise attorneys to produce high-quality results and help less-experienced attorneys develop their skills
• Have demonstrated practice of integrating key equity concepts into work and interpersonal interactions by addressing structural implications and disproportionate impacts of policies, activities, and decisions on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, class, and other group identities
• Have demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace, using an approach that values all individuals and respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstance, and other factors

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working with community groups and coalitions either as clients or as partners on projects relevant to the Mission of ACLU-WI
• Prior experience in recruiting and managing relationships with Pro Bono counsel from the private bar
• Prior experience working in a non-profit legal environment
• Fluency in a second language other than English

Compensation

Compensation is based on relevant experience and skills, but expected to be no less than $100,000 annually for a candidate that meets the Required Qualifications, including years of experience. The organization provides employees $60 per month for internet and cell phone allowance. Benefits include paid vacation and sick leave, 12 weeks paid family medical / parental leave and optional medical (includes one plan at no cost to the employee) dental and vision coverage, life insurance, short and long term disability insurance; and an optional 401(K) retirement fund with a stepped employer match.