Immigrants' Rights Attorney

Position Description

The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia (ACLU-VA) is growing! We are hiring for two attorney positions in our legal department. The staff attorney position is funded for an initial two-year term with the potential for future funding. The Staff Attorney is responsible for proactively developing and executing litigation and other legal advocacy strategies to achieve the ACLU-VA’s strategic priorities and to advance civil liberties and civil rights in Virginia.

They will litigate on a variety of issues, including criminal legal reform, voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants’ rights, reproductive rights, and freedom of speech and religion. The Staff Attorney will also participate in non-litigation advocacy to advance the ACLU-VA’s strategic priorities, including supporting legislative and policy work, participating in public speaking engagements, and working with our communications team to draft press or public education materials.

We are also looking for an experienced attorney who will be responsible for proactively developing and executing litigation and other legal advocacy strategies to advance the rights of immigrants and immigrant communities in Virginia. Please note this is a two-year, grant-funded position with the potential for a one- to two-year extension depending on organizational needs and funding availability. The Immigrants’ Rights Attorney will litigate on a variety of issues relating to the rights of immigrants, with a particular focus on ending the mass detention and deportation of immigrants in Virginia as well as limiting cooperation between federal immigration authorities and state and local government.

The Attorney will also participate in non-litigation advocacy to advance the ACLU’s strategic priorities in this area, including supporting legislative and policy work, participating in public speaking engagements, and working with our communications team to draft press or public education materials.

The ACLU-VA strives to be Virginia's premier guardian of civil liberties and a recognized champion of civil rights for all Virginians. For just over a hundred years (56 in Virginia), the ACLU has made a profound difference in the lives of clients and community members, as well as historic contributions to our country and state. Now, more people than ever before have turned to the ACLU to fight back against unprecedented new attacks on civil rights and liberties.

We are also committed to pursuing impactful policy changes at the local and statewide levels to achieve racial equity and advance civil liberties and civil rights for everyone. The ACLU-VA is committed to ending racist policing, cutting the number of people incarcerated in Virginia, increasing access to quality mental and medical care, ending sex and gender-based discrimination at work and in schools, and securing a constitutional right to vote for everyone.

• Developing and executing litigation and legal advocacy strategies
  • Developing and executing a wide range of federal, state, and administrative litigation, including impact litigation, complex class-action litigation, appeals, and amicus briefs;
  • Participating in case selection and development and participating in all phases of litigation;
  • Appearing and arguing in federal court, state court, and before administrative agencies;
  • Seeking out and cultivating relationships with the national ACLU, with other advocacy organizations, and with cooperating attorneys to partner in potential litigation;
  • Monitoring litigation being handled by partner organizations and cooperating attorneys and providing assistance as needed.
• Assisting with the overall administration of the legal program
  • Providing input on litigation priorities and potential legal advocacy strategies to advance those priorities;
  • Assisting in the implementation of legal program policies, procedures, and systems;
  • Participating in the review and consideration of intakes and other requests for assistance received by the ACLU of Virginia;
  • Developing and conducting, as appropriate, staff training sessions, workshops, continuing legal…