Career Opportunity
LEGAL ASSISTANT DLRP-14]
ACLU Drug Law Reform Project
Santa Cruz, California

OVERVIEW:
America's foremost advocate of individual rights, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonpartisan organization founded in 1920. With national offices in New York and Washington and 53 affiliates throughout the country, it is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier public interest law firms.

The Drug Law Reform Project is a division of the national ACLU. Our goal is to end punitive drug policies that cause the widespread violation of constitutional and human rights, as well as unprecedented levels of incarceration.

Founded in 1998, the Project brings lawsuits throughout the country with lasting impact on public understanding of, and government response to, drug use and drug policies. The Project’s legal strategies are built on the idea that fighting for civil rights means more than just persuading judges. It means changing hearts and minds. We work on the front lines with communities most affected by drugs and drug laws to integrate litigation with innovative public education campaigns and to develop tools to help these communities demand justice.

The Project has an unparalleled track record, having successfully litigated issues ranging from racial profiling in drug law enforcement to protecting medical marijuana users and their doctors from prosecution. We will continue that tradition of success, combining litigation, education, and community empowerment to achieve a humane and sensible drug policy that respects basic human rights and the liberties enshrined in our nation’s Constitution.

We are currently litigating cases in state and federal courts and administrative agencies challenging racial profiling in drug enforcement, drug sweeps in schools and federal obstruction of medical marijuana. Other issues of interest include women and the drug war, student drug testing, censorship of speech advocating drug policy reform, harassment of needle exchange programs, and the denial of federal financial aid for students with previous drug convictions. The Project represents the first national effort to harness litigation in combination with coordinated community organizing as a tool of drug policy reform. For more information, please visit our web site at www.aclu.org/drugpolicy.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Legal Assistant will provide litigation and administrative support to a team of staff attorneys. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Maintain the case and pleadings dockets, court filing deadlines and discovery.
• Prepare legal briefs, table of contents and table of authorities.
• Draft and prepare correspondence and court filings.
• Conduct research using various research vehicles, including legal databases and internet sources.
• Communicate with clients to schedule meetings and gather information.
• Organize and maintain legal file systems (electronic and paper).
• Assist with coordination of travel arrangements for staff.
• Process expense reimbursements.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Commitment to public interest issues, civil liberties in particular.
• A minimum of three years’ litigation support experience and/or Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Exceptional organizational, administrative and interpersonal skills.
• Strong research skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office product suite.
• Knowledge of basic HTML coding is desirable
• Advanced knowledge of Adobe Acrobat
• Demonstrated ability to multitask and work well under pressure.

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

Application Procedure:
Please submit a letter describing your qualifications and interest in the position, a current résumé, and the names and telephone numbers of three references by email to hrjobs@aclu.org. Reference [DLRP 14/WACLU] in subject line – or by mail to:

Human Resources
RE: [DLRP-14/WACLU]
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18^th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Please indicate where you learned of this job posting.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

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.”