The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Paralegal in the Reproductive Freedom Project of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.
The ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project envisions a world that respects and supports each of us in making deeply personal decisions that determine the shape of our lives: with whom to form intimate relationships, and whether, when, and how to have children. In the world we see, we can all get the health care and other resources necessary to have a child, to prevent pregnancy, or to have an abortion—regardless of where we live, our income, race, age, gender identity, or immigration status or whom we love.
For five decades, the ACLU has been a leader in the efforts to ensure that every person has access to affordable and stigma-free abortion care. The ACLU has participated in nearly every reproductive rights case before the Supreme Court and in significant cases in federal and state courts too numerous to count. The ACLU is currently involved in challenges to abortion bans around the country, including bans in Georgia, Missouri, and Ohio, as well as challenges to a host of other restrictions on access to abortion. The ACLU also has several ongoing lawsuits seeking to expand access to abortion and reproductive health care in general. The ACLU's national office also works closely with our state affiliates to fight abortion bans and restrictions, decriminalize abortion, shore up protections for abortion rights, and expand access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care.
The ACLU is unique among reproductive rights organizations in that it works with the ACLU’s nationwide network of state affiliates as well as attorneys and advocates in the organization who specialize in areas such as LGBT rights, criminal defense, immigrants’ rights, racial justice, disability rights, and freedom of speech and religion.
This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by Local 2110 of the United Auto Workers Union.
Reporting to the Project Director or one of the Deputy Directors, the Paralegal will attend regular staff meetings and will have the opportunity to learn about current threats to reproductive rights and justice and the legal landscape for challenging them, as well as opportunities to expand access to reproductive health care. The Paralegal will support litigation teams, track and summarize state legislation relating to reproductive health care, and provide administrative support to members of the Reproductive Freedom Project.
- Track and summarize state legislation relating to reproductive health care
- Respond to requests for information about state bills and litigation
- Monitor and compile media coverage of reproductive health, rights and justice issues
- Format, cite check, create tables for, and file litigation documents in federal and state courts around the United States
- Manage litigation documents including exhibits, discovery documents, deposition transcripts, and briefs
- Maintain databases and case files
- Assist staff in assembling and preparing information, including multimedia presentations, for conferences, media, etc.
- Prepare updates for ACLU website
- Manage administrative tasks including attorney calendar management, expensing and invoicing, time tracking, and coordination of travel
- Provide administrative support for manager review of job applications
- Provide other litigation and administrative support
- Engage in special project and other duties as assigned
- 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 working collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts
- Must take initiative, be highly organized, extremely detailed oriented, and a strong proofreader
- Must be efficient, able to handle multiple tasks at once, and work well under pressure
- Must have strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently, as well as within a team
- Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and PowerPoint
- Commitment to civil liberties and reproductive rights is essential
- Bachelor's degree
- One year of paralegal experience
- Basic knowledge of Westlaw Next
- Basic knowledge of the Blue Book
- Experience creating tables of contents and tables of authorities for briefs
- Experience with legislative monitoring and/or Quorum
The 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 $78,979, reflecting the salary of a position based in New York, NY. This position is subject to a hybrid schedule of 2 days/week or 8 days/month in-office.
For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf
For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.
We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being.
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
Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.
With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
