Advocacy Policy Counsel

About the role

The Advocacy Policy Counsel plays an important role in the Public Advocacy department to advance ACLU of Massachusetts’ mission to defend and promote civil rights and civil liberties in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research and analysis, legislative drafting, and projects to support the organization’s legislative, policy, and non-litigation advocacy work;
• Identify and inform ACLUM advocates of the civil rights and civil liberties implications of state and municipal government actions and proposed new legislation/ policy/ ordinances;
• Contribute to local and statewide campaigns in priority issue areas;
• Foster relationships and collaboration with external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor or advanced law degree required;
• Minimum of six years’ experience in legal system advocacy or practice;
• Direct experience working on issue-based public advocacy campaigns;
• Expertise in election, campaign finance, ballot initiative, and related state and municipal law strongly preferred;
• Knowledge of legal issues and law reform related to immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, free speech, privacy, and broader civil rights and civil liberties, particularly where such issue areas intersect, a plus;
• Demonstrated strength in legal research and analysis as well as legislative and policy drafting;
• Excellent written and verbal communication, as well as interpersonal skills;
• Proven experience in creative problem-solving and deriving insight from research findings and data;
• Demonstrated experience and success in communicating complex legal and political concepts in a simplified, understandable manner for general audiences;
• Superb relationship-building skills, as well as ability to inspire collaboration and mobilize stakeholders to take action;
• Superior project and time management skills, including organization, follow-through, and ability to balance and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities;
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
• Attention to detail and commitment to producing meticulous work product;
• Flexibility to learn and achieve proficiency in new issue areas, as assigned;
• Experience engaging with and working on behalf of underrepresented communities;
• Strong belief in the ACLU’s mission and work to defend and strengthen civil rights and civil liberties;
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Qualifications, Experience And Attributes

• Experience in legal system advocacy or practice;
• Direct experience working on issue-based public advocacy campaigns;
• Expertise in election, campaign finance, ballot initiative, and related state and municipal law;
• Knowledge of legal issues and law reform related to immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, free speech, privacy, and broader civil rights and civil liberties;
• Demonstrated strength in legal research and analysis as well as legislative and policy drafting;
• Excellent written and verbal communication, as well as interpersonal skills;
• Proven experience in creative problem-solving and deriving insight from research findings and data;
• Demonstrated experience and success in communicating complex legal and political concepts in a simplified, understandable manner for general audiences;
• Superb relationship-building skills, as well as ability to inspire collaboration and mobilize stakeholders to take action;
• Superior project and time management skills, including organization, follow-through, and ability to balance and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities;
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
• Attention to detail and commitment to producing meticulous work product;
• Flexibility to learn and achieve proficiency in new issue areas, as assigned;
• Experience engaging with and working on behalf of underrepresented communities;
• Strong belief in the ACLU’s mission and work to defend and strengthen civil rights and civil liberties;
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion.