Staff Attorney

The ACLU of Arizona works to advance equity and dismantle systemic injustice through legal action, policy advocacy, and mobilizing our communities to protect the civil rights, liberties, and dignity of all Arizonans.

Overview

The Staff Attorney is responsible for maintaining an active docket of cases (typically in co-counsel teams including outside cooperating attorneys), investigating, filing, and litigating civil liberties and civil rights cases in both federal and state courts on a wide range of issues. This includes legal research, investigative work, identifying plaintiffs, complaint drafting, discovery and motion practice, and handling trials and appeals. The Staff Attorney will also conduct community outreach and represent the ACLU of Arizona publicly, speaking to the media and others.

The Staff Attorney will also be expected to work closely with ACLU of Arizona organizers, communications, and policy staff on cases, advocacy projects, and campaigns in support of ACLU of Arizona’s “integrated advocacy” model that unites legal, policy, organizing, and communications for maximum impact. The ideal applicant will bring solid legal skills and experience and is eager to work in a highly collaborative, learning environment. And at the foundation of it all, they should share the values of the ACLU of Arizona, support our mission, and bring an enthusiastic and innovative perspective to push forward our affirmative litigation agenda as well as engage in fast-moving, defensive battles against threats to civil rights and liberties in Arizona.

The Staff Attorney will not be responsible for supervising paid staff but may supervise interns and other volunteers as assigned.

Location : Arizona; Phoenix preferred

Compensation: The salary range for this position is $88,900- $91,500. This is a union position represented by NOLSW/UAW Local 2320. Compensation is determined by the collective bargaining agreement and follows a structured scale with regular step increases based on years of relevant experience.

Deadline to Apply: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Priority deadline for applications is October 12, 2026

Supervision : The staff attorney is part of the Legal Department and reports directly to the Legal Director.

Classification : Full-time, exempt

Position Responsibilities

Job responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Conduct legal and factual investigation to develop and litigate high-impact cases at the trial and appellate levels in federal and state courts.
• Serve as co-counsel and work with ACLU of Arizona and other ACLU staff and partner organizations to bring pro-active litigation around strategic priority issues.
• Follow-up with individuals who file complaints with the ACLU of Arizona, including interviewing them, drafting affidavits or testimonies on their behalf, and conducting research to determine whether further action by the ACLU of Arizona is warranted.
• Serve as a legal resource on civil rights and civil liberties issues in support of legislation and other ACLU of Arizona campaigns.
• Engage in public speaking, media interviews, outreach and "know your rights" presentations, as well as writing op-eds, newsletter articles, and reports as needed or assigned.
• Provide technical support to community stakeholders and partners on civil rights and civil liberties issues.
• Develop legal strategies with the ACLU of Arizona legal team to advance our litigation and advocacy efforts around strategic priority issues.
• Participate in intra-organizational work, including strategic planning, internal meetings, and collaboration with other ACLU affiliates and the National ACLU.
• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging: Be an active contributor to the organization and legal department’s efforts to think creatively, ambitiously, and openly about how our legal program and litigation can better integrate equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging into our day-to-day operations as well as our goals, plans and work with volunteers, leaders and partners.

Qualifications

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. While no candidate will possess every quality, the successful candidate will possess many of the following qualifications and attributes. Even if you aren’t sure but are excited about the position, we encourage you to apply.

• Demonstrated commitment to ACLU of Arizona’s values, mission, and vision.
• 3- 5 years of civil or criminal litigation experience. Experience with discovery, conducting hearings, trials, and appeals, and experience in federal courts is preferred.
• D. from an ABA accredited law school.
• Membership in the Arizona Bar or eligibility for admission on motion.
• Excellent research, writing, analytic, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to centering the voices and leadership of directly impacted people.
• A collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively with organizing, policy, and communications staff to achieve shared goals.
• Ability to analyze and articulate complex issues and communicate them concisely to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to keep organized in a fast-paced environment, to manage several projects simultaneously, and to adjust to frequently changing demands.
• Spanish language fluency is a plus but not required.

Cultural Responsibility: Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about differences, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. A complex understanding of racial justice and the urgency of confronting institutional racism and inequity. Commitment to equity and inclusion as an organizational practice and culture. Proven track record of working across lines of race, immigration status, ethnicity, language, class, gender, and other identities and experiences including record of arrest or conviction.

Working Conditions: The ACLU of Arizona offices are open between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The physical demands and work environment described below represent those required and encountered by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Inputting information into a computer for extended periods of time.
• Periodically working extended hours, including some evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Regular travel locally and in-state, and some out-of-state travel as needed.

Why work for the ACLU of Arizona?

Time off : Staff get 15 vacation days their first three years; 20 days after four years. We observe 16 holidays, and all staff have 1 personal day off each month, a modified summer schedule with alternating Fridays off, and an extended winter break.

Benefits package : We cover 100% of health, vision, and dental insurance for employees and 50% for dependents. We provide life and disability insurance, as well as reimbursement for some out-of-pocket healthcare related expenses. Staff are reimbursed for cell phones and home internet.

401k Plan : We want you to be prepared for retirement! We match 100% of the first 1% of your salary deferred to your 401k, plus 50% of the next 5% of your salary contribution. And then, we contribute an additional 2% of your salary contribution each pay period.

Commitment to our staff : We invest in staff growth, professional development opportunities, and are committed to providing regular feedback and opportunities for advancement.

Crystal clear focus : Our team focuses on some of the most important and urgent issues of our times – from abortion rights, voting rights and democracy, LGBTQ+ rights, criminal legal reform, immigrants’ rights, border justice, and racial justice.

Our team is amazing : You will be working with incredibly dedicated, smart, and caring people who know how to have fun while getting a lot done in a low-ego environment. In addition to your Arizona colleagues, you will become part of a national network of ACLU staff in all 50 states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico!

How to apply

Email your resume, cover letter, three professional references, and a legal writing sample of no more than 10 pages to View email address on click.appcast.io. Include “Staff Attorney” in the subject line. In your cover letter, please tell us how you learned about the job, how your qualifications make you the right person for this job, and about your interest and experience with civil rights, civil liberties, and social justice. All attachments should be in Word or PDF format.

No phone calls or walk-ins, please.

The ACLU of Arizona undertakes inclusive strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact View email address on click.appcast.io

Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Priority deadline for applications is October 12, 2026.

The ACLU of Arizona is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction.