WHAT YOU'LL DOReporting to the
NPP Project Director, the
Deputy Project Director for Immigration Detention will assist the Project Director in all aspects of management of the Project, including strategic planning, fundraising, and supervision of Project staff. This position will have a particular emphasis on challenging immigration detention conditions, the expansion of the immigration detention footprint, and the use and abuse of immigration detention in the federal government's mass deportation system, and coordinating closely with counterparts in the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project and ACLU affiliates across the country. The Deputy Project Director will lead complex civil rights litigation in state and federal court, and develop and lead integrated advocacy campaigns.
YOUR DAY TO DAYSTAFFING AND SUPERVISION- Directly supervise specified staff attorneys, legal fellows, and/or administrative staff, including regular check-ins, approval of expense reports, and time off requests.
- Assist NPP Project Director, Co-Deputy Project Director, and management team in making staffing decisions
- Ensure balance of work across Project staff, including opportunities for writing, arguments, discovery, witness examinations, case development, and other professional growth
- Ensure that Project staff maintain and foster relationships with media, coalition partners, and other targets and allies
- With an eye on developing and maintaining an excellent and diverse staff, collaborate with other members of management team to:
- Improve process for hiring, onboarding, and managing new staff, fellows, and interns, which includes recruiting excellent candidates and furthering our board-mandated goal to increase the percentage of staff with disabilities and significant disabilities and to work in furtherance of our other announced diversity hiring initiatives
- Oversee sustained efforts to create and nurture pools of diverse candidates from which to recruit
ADMINISTRATION- Align with management, including collaborating with and sharing ownership of decisions made by the NPP Project Director, Trone Center for Justice & Equality Director, and Senior Staff
- Assume responsibility for specified administrative functions such as gathering particular data for legal or development departments; and ensuring accuracy of case database, among other work, as directed
- Assist the NPP Project Director and Co-Deputy Project Director with expense tracking and budgeting, as directed
LEGAL AND ADVOCACY- Engage in litigation in federal and state court, including drafting pleadings, briefs, and affidavits
- Serve as lead counsel or co-lead counsel on a substantial caseload of major class actions in federal court, working closely with other staff attorneys, local counsel, immigrant rights organizations, and clients
- Conduct discovery and motion practice, handle hearings and trials, argue appeals in both federal and state courts
- Manage case development and conduct client and witness interviews
- Conduct legal research and write legal memoranda
- Provide technical assistance and expert legal advice to ACLU affiliates, cooperating attorneys, and others who seek assistance from the Project
- Lead and manage advocacy campaigns including developing and executing strategic goals and managing campaign advocacy, research, and public education efforts
- Conduct policy advocacy on prisoners' and detainees' rights, criminal justice, and immigration detention issues
- Develop new cases and non-litigation advocacy projects
- Travel as required for litigation, conferences, and case and strategy development
STRATEGY, CROSS-PROJECT/CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION, AND INTEGRATED ADVOCACY - Assist NPP Project Director and Co-Deputy Project Director with annual strategic planning and memoranda to Senior Staff
- Manage special projects
- Assist NPP Project Director and Co-Deputy Project Director in managing relationships and coordinating with other departments and external partners, for example:
- Work as part of a cross-project team with staff in the National Prison Project and Immigrants' Rights Project on litigation and other advocacy to challenge draconian and unlawful immigration enforcement policies and practices
- Represent NPP in meetings with the National Political Advocacy Department, Communications, Digital, Development, and other departments
- Develop and maintain relationships with ACLU affiliates and other partners
- Assume responsibility for specific collaborative initiatives, issues, and/or relationships as directed
- Represent NPP / ACLU in public-facing meetings, speaking events, and media opportunities as relevant
FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL - Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
- Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
- Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts
WHAT YOU'LL BRINGMINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS- J.D. degree and active State Bar membership
- Extensive experience in complex civil litigation matters in federal court, minimum of 10 years preferred
- Demonstrated experience working in immigrant detention and immigrant community settings
- Excellent legal research, writing, and verbal communication skills
- Ability to engage in complex legal analysis and fact finding
- Demonstrated ability to write and speak clearly and persuasively
- Experience working with reporters and the media on criminal justice and immigration issues
- Ability to work with a wide range of people and foster a team environment
- Commitment to the mission of the ACLU
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regard to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
- Commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS- Fluency in Spanish or other languages commonly spoken by immigrant detainees preferred
- Self-motivated, diligent and able to meet strict deadlines while under pressure
- Extensive experience in class action litigation
- Proven expertise in campaign management and execution
- Comprehensive experience in criminal justice, immigration issues, and institutional reform efforts
COMPENSATIONThe ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. Consistent with our compensation philosophy, there is a set salary for each role based on geographic work location. The annual salary for this position is
$229,096 (
Level DPD), reflecting the salary of a position based in New York, NY. Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.
For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf
At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:
- Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
- Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
- Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
- We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops
