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DEPUTY LEGAL DIRECTOR JOB SYNOPSIS

Full job description can be found here. Position overview The ACLU of Montana (ACLU-MT) seeks a dynamic, strategic, and mission-driven Deputy Legal Director to co-lead its Legal Department. The coming years present a unique opportunity to dramatically shape the legal landscape in Montana. Building off the individual rights guaranteed by Montana’s modern constitution, the Deputy Legal Director will shape and guide a docket to fight back against governmental discrimination, harassment and marginalization of impacted communities. The Deputy Legal Director reports to the Deputy Director and plays a critical role in advancing ACLU-MT’s legal efforts, with primary responsibility for ensuring that the legal docket reflects our organization’s priorities and maximizes impact across a diverse range of subjects. The Deputy Legal Director will directly supervise staff attorneys and paralegals within the Legal Department.

At the ACLU of Montana, we cover the broad waterfront of civil rights issues, including the right to privacy (including reproductive rights), voting rights, criminal-legal reform, and 2S-LGBTQIA+ rights, with a particular emphasis on our strategic priority areas of Indigenous Justice and decriminalization of poverty. The ideal candidate has demonstrated deep commitment to civil rights and liberties, along with sophisticated understanding of how to use impact litigation as a tool in advancing our organizational priorities.

To learn more about working for the ACLU-MT, please visit: www.aclumontana.org/careers.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position is full-time, exempt, and will pay an annual salary of between $115,000 and $120,000, depending on experience. Excellent benefits offered, including health, vision and dental insurance, 401(k) retirement plan and employer matching, and generous vacation, holiday, sabbatical, and family and medical leave policies. Relocation reimbursements for actual moving expenses are available up to $4,000, contingent on two years’ employment. The ACLU of Montana also invests in each staff member’s professional development. The position is fully remote, based anywhere in Montana. There is optional access to co-working spaces in select cities. Candidates based in other states must be willing to relocate to Montana within the first three months of start date. All staff are required to meet quarterly for in-person workdays held across the state. ACLU of Montana pays for work relative travel expenses, including in-person days.

Cultural competency to effectively communicate about social justice issues, including Indigenous Justice, 2S-LGBTQIA+, and other ACLU of Montana priorities with diverse audiences and impacted communities.

Applications without both a resume and a cover letter will not be considered. For those applicants invited to interview, a writing sample and three references (including two former or current supervisors) will also be required; additional instructions will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

Applicants with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing to jobs[at]aclumontana.org to request reasonable accommodation at the time of application.

Ability to travel and attend events as needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND ATTRIBUTES

• J.D. plus at least 9 years of civil litigation experience.
• Admission to the State Bar of Montana, Federal District Court for the District of Montana, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. If not admitted, commitment to apply for admission within six months of start date.
• Ability to manage and direct complex federal and state court litigation.
• Excellent analytical, research, writing and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to litigate independently.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and manage attorneys and support staff.
• Demonstrated oral advocacy skills.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills; demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively with a varied and wide range of individuals and groups (i.e. staff members, board members, lawyers, clients, volunteers, and coalition partners and diverse communities).
• Experience managing, prioritizing, and meeting multiple and simultaneous deadlines and projects in a timely manner, with the ability to pivot and re-prioritize when necessary to meet fast-changing deadlines and organizational needs.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion, and respect for differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance and class.
• Understanding and willingness to engage with the issues of institutional and structural racism and bias, their impact on historically marginalized communities, and intersectionality in our interpersonal relationships and work.
• Demonstrated experience engaging and working with and/or on behalf of underserved and historically marginalized communities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate teams of attorneys across a diverse range of issues.
• Familiarity with the ACLU-MT’s mission and a broad range of civil rights issues and how they impact various communities across Montana.
• Commitment to, and passion for, social justice and the preservation and advancement of civil rights and liberties.
• Demonstrated ability and commitment to exploring creative and innovative solutions to novel legal issues.
• Experience with and understanding of Montana’s constitution and statutes.
• Experience working with legislative processes.
• Exceptional people skills, including the ability to connect with clients and work professionally with opposing counsel.
• Flexibility to accommodate work outside of regular business hours when warranted/necessary.
• Experience working or volunteering extensively in a social justice or civil rights organization.
• Ability to travel as needed for rapid response and emergency situations.
• Desire to work in places where diversity and equity initiatives are forefront.
• Experience or knowledge of the varied Montanan Tribal Nations and their specific cultures.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite and internet-based legal research databases.
• Lived experiences including, but not limited to:
  • Being directly impacted by the social and civil rights issues addressed by ACLU of Montana.
  • Living or working in Indigenous communities and/or living or working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • A history of personal work on issues of equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging, particularly on issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.