First Amendment Jobs in Alexandria, VA (NOW HIRING)

Senior Staff Attorney

Muslim Advocates (MA)—a national legal-advocacy, social-justice, and educational  organization—seeks applications from talented and motivated attorneys wishing to join our growing legal team as a senior staff attorney. 

Status:  Full time

Classification:  Exempt

Location:  MA’s staff  works remotely within the United States, with most of the team based on the East Coast. Periodic domestic travel for staff gatherings, court appearances, case development, fundraising events, and other professional reasons is required. 

Reports to: Legal Director

Background:

MA's movement-centered mission works with and for diverse Muslim and historically marginalized communities to build community power, fight systemic oppression, and demand shared wellbeing. We work in coalition with grassroots and community-based partners to dismantle discriminatory systems, including systems of state surveillance, mass incarceration, detention and deportation, and family regulation. We also work to defend movements from targeted state repression related to their principled dissent.  Recognizing the limitations of any singular strategy, we use a combination of public education, policy work, systemic-change litigation, direct legal services, and technical assistance to movement leaders and community-based partners.

The senior staff attorney will report to the legal director and play a key role in our litigation and advocacy across all areas of our work.

Roles and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Litigation work, including but not limited to: identifying and weighing potential legal claims/arguments/strategies; client contact, advisals, and communications; drafting pleadings, motions, and briefs; strategizing for and conducting written and oral discovery; strategizing for, exploring, and guiding settlement negotiations 
• Provide technical expertise/assistance to partners
• Develop relationships with grassroots and organizational partners and related, shared advocacy 
• Develop and present Know Your Rights (KYR) guidance 
• Develop trainings for advocates
• Participate in ongoing advocacy coalitions
• Federal and/or state/local policy advocacy, as required
• Screen and follow up on intakes
• In-depth, complex legal research and writing for both litigation and non-litigation advocacy
• Oral advocacy and communications/media/public advocacy relating to both litigation and non-litigation work
• Oversee interns and fellows

Qualifications:

Success as a senior staff attorney requires the following:

• At least 7 years of practice experience as an attorney
• Subject-matter expertise and legal-advocacy experience in one or more of the following areas: 
  • immigration detention-and-deportation system
  • students’ rights under the First Amendment and under Title VI of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964
  • criminal legal system
  • prisoners’ rights and carceral abolition
  • legal frameworks concerning putative national security
  • low-wage workers’ rights
• Demonstrated experience in or commitment to movement and client-centered lawyering
• Sound professional judgment
• Rigorous critical-thinking skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Exceptional time-management and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work and collaborate effectively in a remote environment as part of a team, with clients, and with myriad partners and allies
• Demonstrated self-starter who readily takes accountability for all areas of their work
• Ability to receive and implement feedback effectively 
• Flexibility and adaptation in response to shifting priorities

In addition, candidates should have a J.D. from an accredited university, be admitted in good standing to the bar of any state and/or the District of Columbia, be fluent in oral and written English, and be willing and able to travel as the demands of the position require.

Additional/Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have: 

• Experience litigating in federal and state courts, including in complex civil litigation
• Experience with federal and state/local policy advocacy
• Experience preparing administrative complaints directed to civil-rights bodies within federal and state/local agencies
• Fluency in ASL (American Sign Language), ISL (International Sign Language), and/or one or more non-English languages (with a preference for Arabic, Urdu, Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Tajik, and/or Uzbek)
• Demonstrated experience in:
  • applying cultural humility in interactions with others
  • applying trauma-informed approaches in interactions with others

Equal-Opportunity Employment

MA is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer.  Black, indigenous, and other people of color, people with disabilities, individuals with diverse traditions and beliefs (non-religious or religious), people with any gender identity or expression, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with lived experience of economic struggle are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary and Compensation:  The salary is commensurate with experience.  The preferred range of experience is seven plus years of legal practice.  This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific employment terms and conditions are subject to collective bargaining.  The expected salary range is $110,000 - 130,000.  Muslim Advocates offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.  

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply online through this link: 

https://muslimadvocates.applytojob.com/apply/P8aWD8GVg3/Senior-Staff-Attorney
Please be sure to upload the following materials with your application: 

1. a cover letter specifying your interest in working with MA and your skills and relevant experience
2. a resume
3. a list of at least 3 professional references who can speak to your recent legal-advocacy experience 
4. two legal-writing samples no greater than 20 pages in length each and that are an accurate reflection of work that you did either exclusively or predominantly. 

If you do not have all of the required qualifications, you are still welcome to apply. We’re open to considering passionate attorneys with a strong learning mindset and relevant, transferable skills. 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled.  

For more information about MA, visit: www.muslimadvocates.org.

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