Legal Director

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Join to apply for the Legal Director role at ACLU of South Dakota

The ACLU's National Chapter of South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming seeks applicants for the full-time position of Legal Director in Sioux Falls, SD, or Fargo, ND (with flexibility to consider other locations within the states). This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight(8) days per month.

Reporting to the Executive Director of the Dakotas/Wyoming Chapter, the Legal Director will lead and expand the ACLU legal program across South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming, including developing and litigating high-impact cases and managing the legal department. At the direction of the Executive Director, the Legal Director will be responsible for crafting and executing legal strategy that advances the ACLU of SD/ND/WY mission, as well as handling the day-to-day management of legal staff and cooperating attorneys.

As a critical member of the office's senior leadership team, the Legal Director will provide strategic leadership on both litigation and non-litigation legal advocacy in priority areas of criminal justice, immigrants’ rights, Indigenous justice, LGBTQ and Two Spirit equality, reproductive rights, and voting rights, as well as other areas including First Amendment rights.

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Legal Director who will lead all aspects of litigation and serve as a key senior leader within our Chapter. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to legal advocacy and strategic leadership, contributing significantly to the Chapter’s culture, management, and overall direction. Key responsibilities and qualifications include:

• Strategic Leadership
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  Provide leadership in both litigation and non-litigation legal advocacy, playing a crucial role in shaping the Chapter’s legal strategies and broader organizational goals
• Team Management and Collaboration
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  Proven ability to manage and inspire high-performing legal staff and teams. Coordinate effectively with advocacy, communications, and development teams to ensure cohesive, cross-functional success
• Manage, supervise, and direct a staff attorney and occasionally law student and undergraduate interns; handle recruiting and hiring of additional legal staff (budget permitting); and foster an organizational culture within the legal program that encourages staff development through internal and external resources
• Coordinate and collaborate with other ACLU SD/ND/WY departments on cross-departmental projects, ensuring integrated – and maximally effective – outcomes. Serve as a resource on legal matters for staff, partners, and other ACLU of SD/ND/WY constituents
• Direct Litigation Expertise
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  Engage in direct litigation efforts and manage cases demonstrating self-sufficiency and expertise in legal proceedings
• Maintain and continue to develop our impact litigation and advocacy docket, which advances the ACLU of SD/ND/WY strategic priorities and responds to civil rights and civil liberties threats
• Manage all aspects of the litigation program, including coordinating the selection of cases, overseeing the investigation and development of cases before commencing litigation; building litigation teams with in-house lawyers, private lawyers, and nonprofit partners; directly engaging in litigation in federal and state court; and overseeing ongoing litigation
• Maintain an individual caseload of developing and active litigation and amicus briefs, including overseeing and directing pre-litigation investigations, discovery, motion practice, brief writing, hearings and trials, and appellate work
• Work with staff attorneys, cooperating attorneys, and co-counsel (including but not limited to attorneys from the ACLU’s National Legal Department) on all work within the ACLU SD/ND/WY legal program
• Community Engagement
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  Develop and nurture strong relationships with community leaders, members, and organizations, both within legal circles and the broader community
• Broaden and deepen relationships with volunteer attorneys and…