Senior Supervising Attorney – General Civil Liberties

The Roger Baldwin Foundation of ACLU, Inc. (“ACLU of Illinois”) seeks a Senior Supervising Attorney to build and lead litigation and, in collaboration with other Departments, non-litigation advocacy to promote a broad range of civil rights and civil liberties in Illinois.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Legal Department of the ACLU of Illinois works with colleagues across the organization to advance civil rights and civil liberties throughout Illinois using strategic litigation, legislative and other advocacy with governmental officials, and public education. Our work focuses on fighting institutional and structural racism that undermines civil rights and civil liberties, including in the criminal and civil legal systems and immigration; protecting democracy by advancing First Amendment rights, government transparency, and voting rights; promoting access to reproductive health care, the rights of LGBTQ+ communities, and gender equity; and addressing and preventing the harm experienced by people in government care, including in the foster system, prisons, jails, and juvenile detention facilities. 

The General Civil Liberties team advances key priorities in the areas of freedom of speech and assembly, voting rights, immigrants’ rights, religious liberty, racial justice and equity, government transparency, the right to privacy, and fine and fee practices that disproportionately harm Black and brown communities. We build relationships with partners and stakeholders and seek to advance litigation that is client-centered and advocacy that is community engaged. The General Civil Liberties team is dedicated to helping ensure the Legal Department meets emerging threats to civil rights and civil liberties. Recently, attorneys on the team brought emergency litigation on behalf of medically vulnerable immigrants detained by ICE in dangerous conditions and on behalf of a disabled person seeking access to life-saving methadone treatment in jail. The team also prepared for emergency litigation concerning potential voter intimidation in the 2020 general election and investigated the violation of protester rights during summer 2020. General Civil Liberties attorneys work collaboratively with colleagues in the Legal Department on amicus briefs and litigation to promote change in the criminal legal system and policing and to advance women’s and reproductive rights and the rights of LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Senior Supervising Attorney is a highly collaborative team player who will develop and litigate cases in state and federal court; create, implement, and participate—in collaboration with staff throughout the ACLU of Illinois and community partners—in non-litigation efforts to combat violations of and threats to civil rights and civil liberties; supervise and mentor junior attorneys; engage in public education; and advance the mission and work of the ACLU of Illinois’ legal work as a whole.

The General Civil Liberties Senior Supervising Attorney may advocate on a range of issues on which the ACLU-IL engages locally and statewide including: advancing freedom of speech and assembly, including the rights of protesters from historically marginalized groups and people who record the police; exposing surveillance and privacy violations; promoting government transparency, including through public records litigation; promoting the rights, health, and dignity of LGBTQ youth in the foster system; and advancing racial justice and equity by fighting fines and fees that disproportionately punish people who cannot afford to pay. As a member of the Legal Department, the Senior Supervising Attorney will serve as a team player and may contribute to litigation in other areas—including criminal legal system and police reform and LGBTQ issues—as needed to advance the ACLU-IL’s legal docket.  Although General Civil Liberties attorneys primarily act as legal generalists, they may develop specialized expertise in particular areas to complement the knowledge and skills of others in the Legal Department. 

The Senior Supervising Attorney will report to the Legal Director and may supervise one or more mid-career or early-career attorneys, including fellows in the Legal Department, and interns.

CORE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Investigate, develop, and litigate high-impact cases at the trial and appellate level in federal and state courts.
• Investigate, develop, and advance, in coordination with other Departments, non-litigation strategies for advancing civil rights and civil liberties.
• Conduct investigations, impact litigation, and/or non-legislative advocacy, either independently or in collaboration with the Legal Director or other members of the Legal Department.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with organizations in the field, community-based organizations, all