Description:

Position Overview:
A Non-Profit Organization seeks a visionary, dynamic, creative, self-motivated team player to serve as its Legal Director. This senior-level position will lead the organization's statewide program of impact-oriented litigation and legal advocacy. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the position may be based either at the A Non-Profit Organization's primary office in Overland Park or at a new site in Wichita.

This position involves some travel to communities around the state, including to state and federal courthouses. This is a management position, with current supervisory responsibility for three full-time employees in addition to legal fellows, legal interns, and legal volunteers.

A Non-Profit Organization has adopted a “campaign” approach for its work. Work is focused on pursuing specific integrated advocacy campaigns to achieve measurable goals that will expand civil liberties, while building the long-term power of the ACLU and the civil liberties movement. The organization's campaigns for the next four years are criminal legal reform and voting rights. Both campaigns have legal advocacy or litigation objectives they seek to attain at the state level and at the local level.

Primary Responsibilities:

In coordination with Executive Director, develop vision and set overall strategy for the A Non-Profit Organization legal program.
Ensure the A Non-Profit Organization maintains an active and diverse litigation docket consistent with organizational and campaign priorities.
Serve as lead counsel for cases pursued by the A Non-Profit Organization, where appropriate.
Investigate and litigate select civil liberties/civil rights cases in state and federal courts.
Manage and litigate active cases, including: drafting and developing arguments for briefs and motions; managing all aspects of discovery; managing in-court proceedings; negotiating settlements; and maintaining client relationships throughout the case.
Supervise legal staff (including volunteers and legal interns/fellows).
Prepare legal memoranda and demand letters.
Review, comment on, or write amicus briefs.
Provide legal analysis to other ACLU staff, when appropriate.
Coordinate collaboration with and legal support for other ACLU of Kansas programs in the promotion of integrated advocacy.
Collaborate with national ACLU partners and participate in national ACLU conferences.
Establish, maintain, and manage a robust set of co-counsel relationships with law firms and cooperating attorneys, within and outside of Kansas.
Maintain communication and contact with the broader legal community in Kansas.
Serve as a spokesperson for the ACLU of Kansas in the press, as a public speaker, and before other audiences, as appropriate.
Coordinate media strategies for legal cases with communications staff.
Collaborate with communications staff in drafting press releases, op-eds, and articles for newsletter, website, social media, and other outlets.
Report on legal program activities to funders and the ACLU of Kansas board of directors, as applicable.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Qualifications:

Undergraduate degree and JD required.
Bar licensure in at least one state is required at the time of application. Admission to the Kansas Bar will be required for the successful candidate; candidates not yet admitted to the Kansas Bar will be required to waive in within six months of hire or sit for/pass the next available Kansas bar exam.
At least seven years of civil litigation experience, with at least 5 of those years as USC 1983 litigation or other plaintiff-side civil rights experience. Experience in both federal and state courts strongly preferred.
Prior experience managing an organizational/advocacy litigation docket and prior experience in managing legal staff strongly preferred.
Experience working on racial justice issues and using a racial justice lens.
Substantial knowledge of constitutional and statutory civil liberties and civil rights law.
Excellent analytical, communication (written and oral), and research skills, with the ability to articulate legal concepts and complex issues tactfully and effectively to a variety of audiences.
Strong legal writing and editing skills.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with diverse groups.
Initiative, vision, and ability to develop and implement short and long-term legal and litigation strategies.
Exceptional ability to work independently and keep organized in a fast-paced environment, manage several projects simultaneously, and adjust strategy to frequently changing demands.
Understanding of how to work collaboratively with colleagues across departments and functions; experience in integrated advocacy strongly preferred.
Ability to manage, lead, and inspire professional growth in legal staff.
Commitment to the highest ethical standards and professionalism.
An unwavering passion for the mission and goals of the ACLU, including demonstrated interest in civil liberties, equity and racial justice is essential.