Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel, Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel in the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington, DC.  This position may be eligible for remote work in the United States. If hybrid, there is an in-office requirement of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. This is a term-limited position with an end date of December 31, 2027. The position has an ideal start date of January 2026.

The Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative (ACDI) is a first-of-its-kind program of the ACLU to confront the criminalization of abortion care in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. The ACDI team manages a network of experienced criminal defenders nationwide who are trusted partners, ready to represent people at risk of abortion-related criminal investigations and prosecutions. ACDI attorneys provide legal, strategic, and logistical assistance to support local counsel and drive a nationwide, coordinated defense response against the criminalization of reproductive healthcare. In addition, ACDI attorneys collaborate closely with other projects in the ACLU’s national office as well as ACLU affiliates to lead advocacy and litigation to mitigate the harms of abortion criminalization and expand access to abortion care. The ACDI is situated between the ACLU’s Trone Center for Justice and Equality and the Reproductive Freedom Project.

We will review applications on a rolling basis, but priority consideration will be given to those who submit applications by November 21, 2025.

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the Director of the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative, the Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel will be focused on two related goals: (1) partnering with local defense counsel to represent people facing abortion related prosecution or investigation threats; (2) identifying opportunities and assisting in implementation of affirmative advocacy and litigation strategies to reduce the harms of laws that criminalize abortion access. In addition to partnering with local criminal defense attorneys, the Staff Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, or Senior Counsel will work closely with attorneys in the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project and other advocates in the Reproductive Rights and Justice movement. This role will include driving coordination between legal teams for clients facing multiple criminal and civil threats related to abortion. It may also include working with stakeholders and decision-makers, for example, with state attorneys general and governors, to fight against abortion criminalization harms.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Litigate complex and sometimes fast-paced cases in federal and state courts and at trial and appellate levels, as co-counsel or legal consultant
• Provide strategic and legal support to criminal defense attorneys representing those involved in abortion care, including advising on novel questions of constitutional and statutory law 
• Identify strategic opportunities for affirmative litigation and policy advocacy to reduce the harm of laws that criminalize abortion access  
• Assist in design, planning, and execution of ACDI trainings and public education efforts 
• Engage in public communications about abortion criminalization
• Draft and edit public education and non-litigation advocacy materials
• Support strategic collaboration and coordination across other ACLU projects, ACLU’s state affiliates, and other partners engaged in criminal defense support of those involved in abortion care. 
• Assist in identifying opportunities for and advancing advocacy to limit the harm of laws that criminalize abortion and advance protections for those accessing care through strategic litigation
• Analyze legislation to assist advocacy staff including to identify legal concerns
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• J.D. degree with extensive legal e