What are the responsibilities and job description for the Richard Feldman Legal Fellowship position at New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation?
Description
Position(s): Fellow
Terms of Employment: Temporary Full-Time (2-year Fellowship, with the possibility of extension)/Exempt/Union 2320 position (NYCLU staff is currently working in a hybrid model; 8 days per month in-person days will be required)
Location: New York Civil Liberties Union, 125 Broad Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10004
Salary: Subject to the NYCLU’s attorney salary scale, which is based on years of legal experience (salary range for lawyers 1-3 years out of law school is $89,000 - $97,000)
Application Deadline: September 30, 2025 (applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled)
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is one of the nation's leading advocates on behalf of constitutional rights and liberties. Founded in 1951, as the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, the NYCLU is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization with more than 90,000 members and supporters, and eight offices statewide. We work in the courts, in the legislatures and on the streets to advocate for racial and economic justice, free speech, freedom of religion, privacy and equality before the law for all New Yorkers. For more information, please visit our website: www.nyclu.org.
DEI VISION STATEMENT
The NYCLU is committed to building an equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist workplace that centers the voices of marginalized and directly impacted communities. This commitment strengthens our mission to protect civil liberties and advance justice across New York. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people, and others whose experiences reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
The NYCLU seeks exceptional candidates for its inaugural Richard Feldman Legal Fellowship, a two-year term limited position focused on litigation and related advocacy supporting the NYCLU’s key strategic priorities. The fellow will primarily focus on the rights of LGBTQ communities and gender equity. The fellow will also work on the full range of NYCLU issues, including immigration and immigrants’ rights, challenging institutional and systemic racism that undermines civil rights and civil liberties, reproductive justice, criminal legal system, government transparency, free expression, equal protection, police misconduct, student rights, and surveillance and privacy. This fellowship is for immediate hire.
The NYCLU’s Legal Department is comprised of eighteen lawyers, a legal department manager, an investigator, two paralegals, a data research analyst, and a legal assistant. Legal Department staff work on a wide range of civil rights and civil liberties cases in federal and state courts and in administrative tribunals. They also support the legislative, advocacy, communications, and field work of the NYCLU.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Conduct litigation in federal and state courts and in administrative forums. Fellows are responsible for NYCLU litigation and advocacy, preparing pleadings, motions, and briefs; conducting discovery; presenting oral arguments; and handling appeals.
- Engage in pre-litigation analysis and advocacy, including evaluating and following up on intakes; conducting factual investigations and legal analyses; utilizing the Freedom of Information Law and the Freedom of Information Act; and preparing demand letters.
- Participate in public education on civil liberties and civil rights issues in the form of speaking engagements and published writings.
- Collaborate with leaders and staff across the NYCLU— including the Education Policy Center, Racial Justice Center, Policy, Communications, and Field Departments —to ensure that the NYCLU has an integrated approach to address injustice.
- Supervise and mentor law students as part of the NYCLU summer-intern program and contribute to the professional development of other members of the legal department.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Excellent writing, research, analytical, and communication skills.
- One to three years of civil litigation experience.
- Demonstrated ability to work on a team.
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically and advocate effectively, including an ability to initiate and follow through on public-interest litigation or advocacy.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a diverse public-interest setting and to foster and support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
- Demonstrated commitment to the goals and priorities of NYCLU.
- Admission to the New York Bar; and
- Fluency in Spanish is a plus.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit your resume and cover letter that includes your unique qualifications for this position, where or how you learned of this job posting, and a recent writing sample that is wholly your own unedited work (submit a brief, motion, or memorandum of law, not to exceed 10 pages) via this link https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/3524968/New-York-Civil-Liberties-Union-Foundation/Richard-Feldman-Legal-Fellowship
If feasible, please submit these materials as a single PDF.
The NYCLU is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, religion, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
The NYCLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please e-mail ldecicco@nyclu.org If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Salary : $89,000 - $97,000