Temporary Senior Staff Attorney

Temporary Senior Staff Attorney or Supervising Attorney (6-Month Appointment)  

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) seeks an experienced attorney to provide temporary (six months), paid, short-term legal supervision for its criminal law reform advocacy work. This is a great position for an experienced attorney seeking a short-term leadership opportunity.  

The ideal candidate will have more than seven years of litigation experience in New Jersey, including: experience with criminal legal reform; supervisory experience; excellent legal research and writing skills; excellent litigation and communications skills; and a commitment to advancing racial justice. Responsibilities include: investigating, developing, and litigating direct cases, collaborating on amicus briefs and policy campaigns, continuing the work of the Clemency Project, and supervising a legal fellow.  

This six-month term limited position will be supervised by the Legal Director and will be based in Newark with a hybrid work schedule where we work in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Depending on candidate and the needs of the office, there is potential for flexible work hours or reduced schedule. The selected individual should be available to start by January 5, but may start earlier. The compensation for this position is prorated based on an annual full-time salary of $100,000 for a 2018 law school graduate and will be commensurate with experience based on the ACLU-NJ salary bands. A candidate may be eligible for a supervising attorney title if they bring additional supervisory experience and more than eight years of litigation experience.  

In recent years, the ACLU-NJ has driven powerful legal and policy advocacy, including litigation, to challenge the imbalances of power and the discrimination that have come to define our country’s criminal legal system. Among other work, we have continued our enduring vision to end mass incarceration through our Clemency Project, challenged overbroad and unconstitutional search warrants based on cell phone data, and advocated against unfair parole conditions.  

To apply, please upload a pdf of your resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Please upload your cover letter and writing sample as one pdf.  

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled at which time the job announcement will be removed from our website.   

The ACLU-NJ is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture of belonging. It is our policy to employ qualified people without regard to race; color; gender, gender identity or expression; religion; sex; national origin or ancestry; age; disability; sexual orientation; veteran’s status; marital status; civil union status; arrest or court record; citizenship; credit history; genetic information; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking; or any other characteristic protected under federal or state law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people, women, people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply. 

The ACLU-NJ makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions. The ACLU-NJ is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email careers@aclu-nj.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.