Job Opportunity

Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney

National Security & Civil Rights (NSCR) Program

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus (ALC)

Location: Hybrid work schedule, based in San Francisco or Oakland, CA

Due Date: Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until filled.

The application deadline is May 3rd, 2024.

Type: Regular, Exempt, Full-time position. This position is included in the collective bargaining unit represented by CWA Local 9410.

The Opportunity

The need for creative advocacy to challenge unjust national security policies that profile, surveil, and harm Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities, including and especially Arab and Middle Eastern communities, in the U.S. is greater than ever. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus (ALC) seeks an experienced Staff Attorney, or Senior Staff Attorney, depending on relevant experience, to work with its National Security & Civil Rights (NSCR) program team to develop innovative legal and advocacy strategies to confront emerging challenges, as well as implement ongoing campaigns.

As part of ALC’s multi-pronged approach, this attorney position works closely with other attorneys and community advocates to identify patterns of abuse or other systemic civil rights violations through direct legal services and working with grassroots community organizations, and addresses these violations through impact litigation, policy, and advocacy campaigns. Attorneys work closely with community advocates to develop and implement community outreach, education, and engagement programming.

Significant experience with civil rights, immigrant rights, and the criminal legal system as it impacts Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities is highly desired.

The Organization

ALC is the nation’s first legal organization focusing on advancing and defending the civil rights of Asian and Pacific Islanders. Since 1972, ALC has litigated high-profile civil rights cases, advocated for the passage of landmark policy changes, and provided an array of services, including community education, advocacy, and direct client representation to further the rights of low-income immigrants and communities of color. Current program areas include Workers’ Rights, Immigrant Rights, Housing Rights, Criminal Justice Reform, National Security & Civil Rights, and Voting Rights. A growing staff of 55 provides strong collegial support and opportunities to learn about and collaborate with other program areas. ALC is a founding member of the national Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation with partners in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. ALC is based in San Francisco, a hub of the Asian American movement, progressive politics, and social justice activism.

Responsibilities

Day-to-day activities vary in this dynamic position and include the following:

• Provide high-quality direct legal services to clients on complex national security cases that have immigration and criminal law components
• Working with the Litigation Director and Program Manager, develop and litigate impact cases that safeguard civil rights and liberties for API--including AMEMSA--communities
• Engage in state, local, and federal policy and administrative advocacy on policing, surveillance, counterterrorism, and national security issues
• Build, work in, and maintain strategic community partnerships with grassroots organizations and coalitions and provide legal and policy support to advance advocacy goals
• Collaborate with Communications staff to develop stories with ALC clients and their communities and execute narrative-shifting strategies
• Conduct community education and Know Your Rights events, as needed
• Participate in a range of local, statewide, national, and international coalitions, committees, and task forces
• Collaborate with NSCR and other programmatic staff on intersectional issues and advocacy efforts
• Oversee attorneys, community advocates, paralegals, law clerks, and other volunteers on legal cases
• Participate in regular check-in meetings, staff meetings, program team meetings, and other organization meetings, as requested
• Perform other duties as needed

All ALC staff are expected to participate in regular check-in meetings with their supervisor/supervisees, staff meetings, team meetings, and other organization meetings, as required.

Note: This job description is subject to change and is not intended to constitute a contract.

Qualifications

• B./BS and JD degrees with membership in good standing with the California State Bar
• A minimum of four (4) years of relevant legal experience, including impact litigation. The minimum consideration for a Senior Staff Attorney is seven years out of law school.
• Demonstrated leadership and ability to work independently and in collaboration with other attorneys, advocates, and community-based organizations
• Highly motivated and self-starting
• Excellent legal research, analytical, written, and oral communication skills
• Team player and collaborator who enjoys working with colleagues of diverse backgrounds and experiences;
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing the rights of low-income, API, AMEMSA, people of color, and/or immigrant communities
• Experience in organizing, and/or working with grassroots community organizations and/or in coalition spaces to advance the rights of low-income, API, AMEMSA, people of color, and/or immigrant communities highly desirable
• Some familiarity with immigration and/or criminal law preferred
• Preferred bilingual skills in Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Urdu, or other relevant languages

Benefits

ALC’s comprehensive benefits package includes the following: generous vacation and paid holidays; medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage (ALC pays 100% of premiums for employees and 75% for qualified dependents); a flexible spending account (FSA); and 401(k) retirement plan with employer non-elective contribution and match.

Compensation

The annual compensation depends on years of relevant experience; the range, starting from three years of experience, is $92,822-142,455. ALC offers an additional $1,000 annual compensation for proficiency in a language other than English and an additional $1,000 annual compensation for graduate degree(s).