[blindlaw] FW: Job Opening-ACLU Paralegal- Please Post and Forward

[Nightingale, Noel]

From: Jobs [mailto:jobs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Maurer, Patricia
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 7:42 AM
To: jobs at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Jobs] FW: Job Opening-ACLU Paralegal- Please Post and Forward



From: hrintern [mailto:hrintern at aclu.org]
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2014 4:26 PM
To: Maurer, Patricia
Subject: Job Opening-ACLU Paralegal- Please Post and Forward

April 24, 2014

CAREER OPPORTUNITY
Paralegal [NPP-03]
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
National Prison Project, Washington, D.C.



For more than 93 years, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU) has been at the forefront of virtually every major battle for civil liberties and equal justice in this country. Principled and nonpartisan, the ACLU has offices in all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, and brings together the country’s largest team of public interest lawyers, lobbyists, communication strategists, members and activists in the advancement of equality, fairness, and freedom, especially for the most vulnerable in our society.

OVERVIEW

Founded in 1972 by the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Prison Project seeks to ensure constitutional conditions of confinement in prisons, jails, juvenile facilities, and immigration detention centers. We have successfully litigated on behalf of prisoners in more than 25 states, and since 1991 we have represented prisoners in five cases before the United States Supreme Court.

The Project is the only prison litigation program in the country with a national focus, and is currently engaged in class action litigation dealing with prison conditions in approximately twenty states. Our policy priorities include reducing prison overcrowding, improving prisoner health care, eliminating violence and maltreatment, and increasing oversight and accountability in prisons, jails, and other places of detention. The Project coordinates a nationwide network of litigators, conducts training and public education conferences, and provides expert advice and technical assistance to local community groups and lawyers throughout the country.

The Project also works to challenge the policies of over-incarceration that have led the United States to imprison more people than any other country in the world. This is an opportune moment to reform those policies.  There is a growing consensus among criminal justice experts and policymakers that America’s criminal justice system has relied too heavily on incarceration as the first and often only response to non-violent behavior that could better be addressed through other means.  The population in American prisons and jails has grown exponentially in recent decades and now approaches two and a half million.  Facilities are overcrowded; medical systems are overwhelmed; work, education, and treatment programs are inadequate; and prison violence has increased.  This failed experiment does not make us safer, it is not affordable, and it exacerbates the racial disparities that have long plagued the criminal justice system.

The Project has an extensive public education program and acts as a national resource and technical assistance center on criminal justice issues.  The Paralegal is an integral member of the Project staff and plays an essential role in the Project’s efforts to reform the criminal justice system.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES


·         Assist in the development and implementation of public education campaigns to eliminate the use of long-term solitary confinement and to amend the Prison Litigation Reform Act; responsibilities include corresponding with Congressional offices, maintaining contacts with ACLU affiliates and advocacy organizations, managing listservs, maintaining online resource libraries, and collaborating with other criminal justice organizations and public interest firms in the drafting and production of advocacy and public education materials.

·         Coordinate the undergraduate internship program; hire and manage 2-3 undergraduate interns per semester.
Assist in the development and maintenance of National Prison Project related sections of the ACLU website.  Edit content and maintain an electronic resource library on the NPP section of the ACLU intranet.

·         Coordinate with the administrative department of the ACLU and handle various matters regarding general office administration, including project budget and the tracking of expenses.

·         Draft internal and external communications and handle paper and electronic court filings.

·         Arrange depositions, travel, and attorney/client interviews; log and respond to case-related correspondence; prepare legal documents.

·         Conduct internet research, track major news stories regarding cases and policy priorities, produce public education and advocacy materials for various conditions issues and in response to current events, and maintain updated information on prison conditions and contact information for other organizations to be distributed to prisoners.

·         Create, utilize, and troubleshoot databases for various cases and administrative use.

·         Occasional public speaking/presentation opportunities; draft and conduct presentations on various prison conditions issues.

·         Handle other responsibilities and projects as needed.





QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE


Bachelor’s degree required.
A minimum of one year of paralegal or related experience preferred.
Strong research skills, including internet research.
Ability to work independently as well as within a team.

·         Exceptional organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines under pressure.

·         Strong interpersonal skills.

·         Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to compose, proof and edit correspondence and documents.

·         Highly proficient functioning in a network environment and working with Microsoft Office (including Word, Outlook, Excel, and Access).

·         Commitment to civil liberties and prisoners’ rights is highly desirable.



COMPENSATION

The ACLU offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within parameters of the ACLU compensation scale.

HOW TO APPLY
Please send a cover letter (include salary requirements), a current resume, the names and phone numbers of three references, and at least one writing sample by email to hrjobsNPP at aclu.org<mailto:hrjobsNPP at aclu.org> reference [NPP-03/INCL 35] in subject line – or by mail to:


Human Resources
RE: [NPP-03/INCL 35]
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004


Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this career opportunity.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment.  The ACLU reserves the right to change the description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer.  We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status.

The ACLU undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions.

We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact: HRJobsINCLReq at aclu.org<mailto:HRJobsINCLReq at aclu.org>. Correspondence sent to this address that is not related to requests for accommodations will not be reviewed.  Applicants should follow the instructions above regarding how to apply.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”





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