ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Public Rights Project (PRP) is a public interest legal nonprofit, headquartered in Oakland, with a remote team based throughout the United States. Our mission is to help local government officials fight for civil rights.

Since its founding in 2017, PRP has litigated in more than 100 cases (either as a party or amicus), trained 131 prosecutors and government lawyers in 24 states, built a partner network of over 670 government offices, elected officials, and community-based organizations in 43 states, secured court victories on police accountability, abortion, immigrant, worker, and voting rights. Learn more about our work.

PRP supports local government partners in the face of an onslaught of federal and state abuses of power. We provide direct representation, legal analysis, research, training, and community partnerships to help local governments develop strategies that protect their residents’ civil rights. The Litigation Team works on behalf of dozens of local governments in significant cases that affect the rights and welfare of millions of people across the country.

JOB SUMMARY

Public Rights Project seeks to hire one or more Staff Attorneys to join its Litigation Team. The Staff Attorney will be a key member of PRP’s team advancing the work of local governments protecting civil rights in the face of hostility from the federal government, as well as state governments and private actors. The Staff Attorney will conduct and support case development and research, work with partners, and manage and contribute to various litigation and pre-litigation activities. The Litigation Team handles cases in which government clients are both plaintiffs and defendants, in both state and federal courts. This position reports to the Litigation Director and will work closely with members of the Litigation Team and other Program Team staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Independently and as a member of a team, identify opportunities for advocacy and strategize pathways to action
Represent PRP’s partners in litigation from idea generation through conclusion, including legal and factual development, case pitching, motions practice, discovery, oral argument, client management, coalition engagement, and more
Conduct legal research and analyze laws across a range of jurisdictions
Draft, review, edit, and provide feedback on written work product
Effectively advise government clients, including on legal, political, and justice considerations of potential courses of action
Participate in regular meetings for the Litigation Team and other crucial strategic meetings and discussions, including ensuring alignment, collaboration, and clear next steps
Meet with government and non-government stakeholders
Synthesize input and feedback from internal and external stakeholders
Contribute to an innovative, inclusive, and supportive group of advocates

QUALIFICATIONS

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

Licensed to practice law in a jurisdiction of the United States is required
A minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in litigation is preferred. Relevant experience may include clerking, government enforcement, and/or complex civil litigation
Outstanding writing and editing skills, including drafting and editing complex briefs and legal analysis
Excellent judgment about both legal issues and strategy
Strong communication skills, both writing and speaking
Demonstrated ability to handle aspects of litigation, including at least half of the following: client management, discovery, oral advocacy, brief writing, deadline management, electronic filing, navigating local rules, working with cooperating counsel, and expecting the unexpected
Strong project management skills and the ability to use electronic tools to coordinate with other team members
Demonstrated interest in working on issues of federal law, constitutional law, civil rights law, and other relevant legal topics
Team player who can work with government partners, co-counsel, community-based organizations, and other advocates, as well as internal teams
Demonstrated positive and respectful attitude, ability to work well with diverse people and communities, capacity to show presence, self-confidence, common sense, and good listening ability
Prior experience with remote work in large teams in support of fast-moving and mission-driven litigation is preferred
Belief in the power of state and local government to make positive change in the world

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS & SPECIFICATIONS

This is a full-time, fully remote, exempt role with a salary range of $82,735 - $111,935. The exact salary will be based on the candidate's experience. For internal equity purposes, PRP will not negotiate with candidates outside of the role’s designated range. Public Rights Project offers a robust suite of benefits, including health, dental & vision insurance, retirement savings, and stipends for cell phones, home office & professional development. You can see details of the benefits offered here.

This role requires travel several times a year to PRP events, case hearings, conferences, or meetings. This role requires sitting, talking, and listening for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are encouraged to promptly submit their applications through our online portal. All applicants will receive a response to their application. Please email rcostello@positivelypartners.org with questions or for support in submitting your application.

Candidates who advance should expect:

Initial interviews with the recruitment team at Positively Partners in November 2025
A virtual interview with members of the PRP team
A multipart interview with work exercise with a range of PRP stakeholders in December 2025

The expected start date is in December 2025 or January 2026. Positively Partners is committed to conducting an equitable, accessible assessment process. If you would like to request an accommodation during the interview process, please email search@positivelypartners.org. Accommodation requests will be handled confidentially.

PRP HIRING COMMITMENT

PRP is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. A diverse and inclusive workplace, both at PRP and within the government offices we serve, is a key ingredient for achieving our mission of building equitable enforcement capacity within state and local government.

We aim to assemble a team that reflects the world we live in and the communities we serve with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and immigration status. People with personal or family experience with the type of harms we seek to combat, including wage theft, predatory lending, fraud, discrimination, and environmental degradation, are particularly encouraged to apply.

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Public Rights Project Litigation Staff Attorney