Voting Rights Staff Attorney

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Voting Rights Staff Attorney

As the nation’s oldest legal organization focusing on the civil rights of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (Advancing Justice – ALC) is a leader in defending the interests of low-income immigrants. Since 1972, Advancing Justice – ALC has litigated high-profile cases and provided an array of services including community education, advocacy, and direct client representation. Our current program areas include national security and civil rights, immigrant rights, housing rights, criminal justice reform, workers’ rights, voting rights, and ASPIRE. We are a founding member of the national Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation with partners in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Position summary: This position is an exciting opportunity to help Advancing Justice – ALC take its voting rights program to the next level. The voting rights program uses a combination of litigation,legal advocacy, policy advocacy, and community organizing to expand access to democracy for California’s immigrant communities. That work is needed now more than ever.
The next three years pose a critical period for California’s democracy. The state is implementing the nation’s leading state-level language-access-in-election bill (AB 918, sponsored by Advancing Justice – ALC and Advancing Justice - LA in 2017) and experimenting with a dramatically new format for voting under the Voter’s Choice Act. The Census, critically important to secure political representation for Hard to Count communities, is under dire threat. Decennial redistricting, which will come shortly after the Census, will present opportunities to build political power (or have it denied) at the state level and in localities around California.
The voting rights program needs an attorney to protect the rights of and expand participation for California’s immigrant communities in all of these projects.
Responsibilities:
Build Advancing Justice – ALC’s Census program together with the voting rights program manager, including both community outreach/education and possible litigation and other advocacy;
Transition the voting rights program’s 2018-2020 Census work into 2020-2021 local and statewide redistricting work;
Support implementation of the Voter’s Choice Act, including community outreach/education, technical assistance, and advocacy to county elections offices;
Assist community-based partners and the San Francisco elections office in implementing non-citizen parent voting in school elections (created by 2016’s Proposition N) in a way that expands access and protects non-citizens;
Support litigation to protect the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) from constitutional challenge;
Bring CVRA lawsuits in Northern California in a way that blends legal advocacy and community engagement;
Develop and manage relationships with allies, community-based partners, and co-counsel;
Conduct legal research and analysis on a range of other projects.
Qualifications:
Dedicated interest in civil rights issues preferably impacting low-income immigrant communities
JD with ideally 1-4 years of relevant post-graduate experience
Legal research and writing experience and some experience supporting litigation efforts
Familiarity with policy analysis and advocacy
High degree of sensitivity and strong interpersonal skills needed to manage relationships with external partners
Excellent analytical, written, and oral communication skills
Detail-oriented and organized
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced work environment
Salary and Benefits:
Salary range is $58,000-$64,000. A full benefits package is included.
Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit to [email protected]: a resume, a cover letter summarizing your interest (Microsoft Word or PDF compatible attachments), three references, and a writing sample (no more than 10 pages). Indicate “Voting Rights Attorney application” in the subject line of your email. We will review applications on a rolling basis. No phone calls please.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply, regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, height, weight, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, HIV status, marital or domestic partner status, or religious affiliation.