PARALEGAL

Application Deadline: July 22, 2020

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (ACLU-WA) is seeking a full-time paralegal to provide litigation and administrative support for ACLU-WA’s litigation and legal advocacy efforts.

OVERVIEW

The ACLU of Washington is a nonpartisan public interest organization devoted to protecting and extending civil rights and civil liberties. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration and police brutality, achieving full equality for LGBTQ+ people, protecting privacy in the digital age, preserving the right to vote, or ensuring reproductive freedom, the ACLU is principled and strategic, willing to take on tough civil liberties issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach.

The ACLU of WA Legal Department is comprised of six staff attorneys, a legal fellow, an intake manager, a paralegal, and a legal assistant. The legal team takes on forty to fifty amicus briefs and cases a year in the state and federal courts that cover a variety of issues regarding civil rights and civil liberties.

The ACLU of Washington is committed to ending racism in Washington State and throughout the country. This includes how we work with each other, and with our partners and allies in the communities we serve. We are committed to bringing anti-racism to all aspects of ACLU-WA's internal and external functions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring and human resources, strategic planning, ally, donor, and volunteer relations, Board and committee processes, and deciding what cases to litigate. We are looking for candidates who share this commitment to advancing racial justice, both internally in our organization and externally in the communities that we serve.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture and are committed to race equity in all aspects of our work. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, socio-economic circumstance, or record of arrest or conviction. We do not conduct criminal background checks on our candidates.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Draft legal documents, including routine pleadings and motions, affidavits, and interrogatories; file motions and pleadings according to judicial procedures in state and federal trial and appellate courts. 
• Research court rules and other online sources of information. Analyze statutes, regulations, legal articles, judicial decisions, and other legal sources.
• Investigate facts of active or potential cases through online research and submitting Public Records Acts requests.
• Prepare and serve discovery documents and otherwise assist in the discovery process.
• Potentially interview clients and witnesses and prepare summaries of their statements.
• Prepare, organize, store, and retrieve case files, which may include evidence, exhibits, depositions, pleadings, exhibits, and other items.
• Assist attorneys with trial preparation, which may include attending trials and hearings.
• Maintain case files, attorneys’ correspondence files, and internal litigation tracking systems, including drafting case summaries and maintaining calendar of litigation deadlines and court dates.
• Assist with maintenance of strong relationships with co-counsel and clients; maintain administrative relations with ACLU affiliates and other offices within National ACLU.
• Perform other job-related special projects and other duties as assigned. 
• Participation in ACLU-WA’s race equity work. This may include utilizing ACLU-WA race equity tools, adopting ACLU-WA race equity practices, serving on the Race Equity Team or subcommittees, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Ideal candidates will have an awareness of, and willingness to engage in, the difficult and transformative work of challenging systems of oppression, institutional and structural racism, and implicit bias.
• Demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and social justice, and race equity.
• Comprehension of legal language and principles, research methods, court pleadings and processes, and other related matters. 
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to perform legal research and create written analysis.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and, at times, stressful environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, and to exercise discretion and good judgment.    

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and/or professional paralegal certification with 3 plus years’ relevant experience OR 4 plus years’ progressive experience in a legal setting performing paralegal and/or legal research duties.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The ACLU-WA’s staff of 40+ employees and numerous volunteers generally work in a standard office setting in downtown Seattle between the hours of 9am and 5pm. The physical demands described below represent those required to perform most of the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Ability to type on a keyboard for long periods of time.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
• Ability to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to periodically work long and extended hours.
• Ability to view data on a computer screen for long periods of time.

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. This position is “exempt” under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The ACLU of WA is dedicated to centering equity in all aspects of the organization and, as such, has adopted a salary scale for measuring how to best compensate its employees. The salary for this position is between $57,000 and $67,000. A range indicates the intention to accommodate those with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale.

Benefits include three weeks of vacation, twelve sick days, eleven holidays, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, a generous retirement plan, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To apply, email a cover letter, and resume to Jobs@aclu-wa.org. Include in the subject line of the email your last name and Paralegal. In your cover letter, please indicate where you learned of the posting. Please be prepared to provide three references upon request.

Applications will be accepted until July 22, 2020, at which time the job announcement will be removed from our website at www.aclu-wa.org/careers. 

The ACLU of Washington comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, Inc. and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington Foundation. The two corporations share the same overall mission, office space, and employees. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU of Washington”.