Senior Staff Attorney
About the role
The Senior Staff Attorney at Muslim Advocates (MA) will play a key role in our litigation and advocacy across all areas of our work. Reporting to the Legal Director, they will provide technical expertise, develop relationships with partners, and participate in advocacy coalitions.
Responsibilities
- Litigation work, including but not limited to: identifying and weighing potential legal claims/arguments/strategies; client contact, advisals, and communications; drafting pleadings, motions, and briefs; strategizing for and conducting written and oral discovery; strategizing for, exploring, and guiding settlement negotiations
- Provide technical expertise/assistance to partners
- Develop relationships with grassroots and organizational partners and related, shared advocacy
- Develop and present Know Your Rights (KYR) guidance
- Develop trainings for advocates
- Participate in ongoing advocacy coalitions
- Federal and/or state/local policy advocacy, as required
- Screens and follow up on intakes
- In-depth, complex legal research and writing for both litigation and non-litigation advocacy
- Oral advocacy and communications/media/public advocacy relating to both litigation and non-litigation work
- Oversee interns and fellows
Qualifications
- At least 7 years of practice experience as an attorney
- Subject-matter expertise and legal-advocacy experience in one or more of the following areas:
- immigration detention-and-deportation system
- students’ rights under the First Amendment and under Title VI of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964
- criminal legal system
- prisoners’ rights and carceral abolition
- legal frameworks concerning putative national security
- low-wage workers’ rights
- Demonstrated experience in or commitment to movement and client-centered lawyering
- Sound professional judgment
- Rigorous critical-thinking skills
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Exceptional time-management and organizational skills
- Demonstrated ability to work and collaborate effectively in a remote environment as part of a team, with clients, and with myriad partners and allies
- Demonstrated self-starter who readily takes accountability for all areas of their work
- Ability to receive and implement feedback effectively
- Flexibility and adaptation in response to shifting priorities
Additional/Preferred Qualifications
- Experience litigating in federal and state courts, including in complex civil litigation
- Experience with federal and state/local policy advocacy
- Experience preparing administrative complaints directed to civil-rights bodies within federal and state/local agencies
- Fluency in ASL (American Sign Language), ISL (International Sign Language), and/or one or more non-English languages (with a preference for Arabic, Urdu, Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Tajik, and/or Uzbek)
- Demonstrated experience in:
- applying cultural humility in interactions with others
- applying trauma-informed approaches in interactions with others
Benefits
Salary and Compensation: The salary is commensurate with experience. The preferred range of experience is seven plus years of legal practice. This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific employment terms and conditions are subject to collective bargaining. The expected salary range is $110,000 - 130,000. Muslim Advocates offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should apply online through this link: Apply Here
Please be sure to upload the following materials with your application:
- a cover letter specifying your interest in working with MA and your skills and relevant experience
- a resume
- a list of at least 3 professional references who can speak to your recent legal-advocacy experience
- two legal-writing samples no greater than 20 pages in length each and that are an accurate reflection of work that you did either exclusively or predominantly.
If you do not have all of the required qualifications, you are still welcome to apply. We’re open to considering passionate attorneys with a strong learning mindset and relevant, transferable skills.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled.
For more information about MA, visit: www.muslimadvocates.org.