Staff Attorney

Department Summary

The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) is located within the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and is operated in partnership with the UCLA School of Law and the UCLA School of Social Sciences. VRP works to ensure an accessible and equitable system of voting through impact litigation, research, and clinical education. VRP was co-founded in 2018 by Political Science and Chicano/a Studies Professor Matt Barreto, Ph.D. who serves as its Faculty Director, and Chad W. Dunn, J.D. a 25+ year experienced trial and civil rights lawyer who is a Lecturer in Law and serves as the VRP Legal Director.

Position Summary

The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) seeks an experienced litigation, trial and appellate attorney to work on a new project focused on California county, city, school and state redistricting plans and election policies. The VRP is located within the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and is operated in partnership with the UCLA School of Law and the UCLA School of Social Sciences. VRP works to ensure an accessible and equitable system of voting through impact litigation, research, and clinical education. VRP was co-founded in 2018 by Political Science and Chicano/a Studies Professor Matt Barreto, Ph.D. who serves as its Faculty Director, and Chad W. Dunn, J.D. a 25+ year experienced trial and civil rights lawyer who is a Lecturer in Law and serves as the VRP Legal Director. Reporting to the Legal Director, the staff attorney/California Voting Rights Counsel will play a critical role in the VRP, developing a new program, along with data scientists, to track and analyze redistricting plans and proposed changes within local jurisdictions throughout the state of California. In addition, the staff attorney will develop, initiate and litigate a docket of cases and matters that they will manage while also assisting in pending litigation, trials and appeals of cases managed by other VRP attorneys. The staff attorney will support the advocacy, research and clinical education functions of the Voting Rights Project, both pro-active and reactive. These tasks include shaping a legal docket that advances the organization's legal advocacy goals, sending and following up on demand letters and open records requests, reviewing and responding to intake requests, engaging in legislative and local ordinance advocacy, drafting pleadings, expert designations, discovery responses and objections and all other litigation, trial and appellate filings, presenting oral advocacy, conducting witness preparation and examination, and engaging in all other activities that are required in a successful voting rights case. Additional tasks include participating in and organizing public education events and speaking to the media and others about our work. VRP attorneys and staff primarily work from home and are offered resources from UCLA to create a comfortable and productive work-from-home environment. Attendance at VRP workdays/meetings at the UCLA Westwood Campus are required regularly each month. Also, beginning in August 2026 and continuing until March 2027, the successful applicant will attend the VRP class that is held weekly on Thursdays (and some Tuesdays) in person, on campus, between 4:20-6:20 p.m., based on the UCLA academic calendar. What you'll do: Working with VRP data scientists, build a centralized data and mapping resource bank to support litigation and analysis on county, city, school, and other locally elected government redistricting plans and election policies; Investigate, initiate, litigate, try and appeal voting rights and fair map cases primarily in California state courts; Track other litigation and identify vulnerable jurisdictions; Support partner organizations in building additional legal capacity to absorb anticipated litigation demands; Develop and deliver, with the assistance of other VRP experts and attorneys, statewide trainings for attorneys, advocates, students, and community partners; Create a legal resource bank of form notices, pleadings, expert report frameworks and model briefing to support other voting rights litigators; Collaborate with local citizens and officials, and other VRP attorneys/data scientists to implement integrated advocacy efforts drawing on a mix of legal, research, communications, and legislative advocacy functions, and serve as a resource on legal matters to colleagues; Draft and/or coordinate amicus briefs in cases; Prepare and present testimony before elected government bodies and administrative agencies; Assist in developing communication materials, including press releases, op-eds, articles, blog posts, and social media assets; Assist with fundraising and development pitches, drafting and submission of grant proposals and reports, and other tasks needed to promote the organization and its mission; and Develop equitable and reciprocal relationships with scholars, external community-based organizations, other lawyers and law firms, and elected officials. The successful applicant will remain abreast of democracy-related opportunities and challenges and incorporate them into their work. The staff attorney will connect litigation activities in real-time with decision-makers, namely elected and appointed officials, community partners, funders, the media, and other decision-makers. The successful applicant will work with a team of qualified undergraduate, graduate and law student fellows to support advocacy and research functions, and will assist with the clinical education that the VRP provides to UCLA students.

Salary & Compensation

*UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.

Qualifications

• At least 4 years of heavy litigation experience in state courts of California (Required)
• First or second chair trial experience of at least 5 contested civil or criminal matters (Required)
• Experience drafting, editing, finalizing, and e-filing state court pleadings of varying nature in California courts (Required)
• Experience working with clients, co-counsel, support staff and opposing counsel on vigorous litigation (Required)
• Ideally the successful candidate will have experience seeking temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctive relief (Preferred)
• Some experience and/or demonstrated interest in civil rights or voting rights causes (Preferred)
• Exceptional legal research, writing, analytical, and oral communication skills (Required)

Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

Juris Doctor (JD) Degree from an accredited law school and admission to the State Bar of California (Required)

Special Conditions for Employment

• Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
• Age Requirement: Candidate(s) must be 18 years or older to be eligible to be hired.
• COVID and Flu Vaccinations: The position is subject to providing evidence of inoculation.

Schedule

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Union/Policy Covered

99-Policy Covered