Deputy Legal Director

Summary/Objective

The Deputy Legal Director (DLD) assists the Legal Director (LD) in the leadership, administration, and management of the ACLU-DC’s legal program, and supervises, co-counsels, and personally litigates individual and class action cases raising constitutional, statutory, and common law claims across the entire range of civil rights and liberties issues.

The DLD needs the ability to exercise sound judgment in litigation, docket-building, departmental, organizational, and inter-organizational strategy; to uphold high standards of ethics and professional excellence; and to support a collaborate, diverse, and inclusive workplace. The DLD will supervise and mentor individual attorneys; oversee the process of intake and case investigation; lead or supervise litigation teams, including both internal teams and teams involving co-counsel; help develop and administer polices and processes for the Legal Department; compile reports and review documents as needed for other departments and the ACLU-DC Board of Directors; speak publicly and develop key relationships on behalf of the ACLU-DC; and advise and assist the LD in managing partnerships both inside and outside the organization and in charting a strategic course for the ACLU-DC legal program in the broader context of the ACLU-DC’s integrated advocacy combining litigation, policy advocacy, and public education. The DLD will assume LD roles and tasks when needed and is a member of the ACLU-DC leadership team.

Among the matters currently on our docket are: representing Black Lives Matter-DC and individual activists in challenging the attack by federal and local law enforcement on civil rights demonstrators in Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020; a lawsuit seeking to reform the District's practice of sending police and not trained mental health professionals to respond to individuals experiencing mental health crises; a challenge to the D.C. police department's practice of retaining arrestees' cell phones for months or years after the owners are released or charges are dropped; and eighteen cases against policies and practices of the second Trump administration including on immigration, trans rights, voting rights, federal workers’ rights, and freedom of speech.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Program Management, Supervision, and Administration:

• Fulfill the duties of the LD in the LD’s absence.
• Directly supervise and mentor 1-3 members of the Legal Department, who may be staff attorneys, fellows, and/or paralegal/intake coordinator — including weekly check-ins, regular substantive feedback, and yearly performance evaluations.
• Manage development of staff, including identifying, supporting, and developing staff strengths, and — for attorneys — ensuring opportunities for writing, discovery, arguments, and other professional-growth points.
• Maintain strictest confidentiality of client and organizational information.
• Help design, implement, and improve department policies and procedures, and oversee and maintain efficiency in existing legal department policies and procedures (e.g., electronic case file maintenance, procedures for opening and closing cases, recordkeeping, website, accounting procedures).
• Assist the LD with and/or lead the process for recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and managing new legal staff and fellows, including assisting prospective legal fellows with fellowship applications. Manage or oversee the process for recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and managing legal interns.
• Collaborate with the LD and leadership team on strategic organizational decisions.
• Participate in strategic planning and budgeting for the Legal Department and the organization.
• Assist in coordination with the Policy and Communications Departments on integrated advocacy.
• Compile reports and review documents as needed for other departments and the ACLUDC Board of Directors.
• Assist with all other legal program activities as needed and as assigned. Legal

Legal

• Supervise the litigation of civil rights and liberties cases, including reviewing and editing draft filings and discovery requests, supervising client interviews and case investigation, helping prepare other ACLU-DC attorneys and co-counsel for depositions and court appearances, and helping ensure sound legal, strategic, and ethical decision-making.
• Investigate, develop, and litigate civil liberties and civil rights cases, including conducting factual and legal research, writing demand letters, writing pleadings and motions, conducting discovery, negotiating settlements, trying cases, presenting oral argument, and writing appellate and amicus briefs.
• Serve as lead or sole co-counsel on cases litigated jointly with the National ACLU or nonACLU cooperating attorneys, providing feedback on strategy and filings.
• Assess requests for legal assistance, make decisions about what if any further investigation is necessary, and recommend appropriate cases to litigate and the appropriate responses to cases we do not take.
• Advise the LD in the development of the ACLU-DC legal docket as a whole.
• Proactively build the ACLU-DC’s docket of cases by identifying impact litigation opportunities and (with approval of the Legal Director) pursuing them or assigning them to other ACLU-DC attorneys.
• Ensure that appropriate client retainer agreements are executed.
• Maintain ACLU-DC litigation files and legal program administrative files.
• Develop expertise on government practices, procedures, structures, and rules regulating demonstrations in the District of Columbia, and advise partner organizations and demonstrators about their rights.

Policy, Communications, and Community Outreach

• Represent the ACLU-DC publicly through speaking engagements, media interviews, and (occasionally) legislative meetings or testimony.
• Serve as the primary legal advisor (and perhaps occasional presenter) for our knowyour-rights presentations.
• Review, edit, and (where asked) assist in developing communication materials, including press releases, op-eds, articles, blog posts, and social media assets.
• Develop strong relationships with partner organizations, other lawyers and law firms, and community coalitions and members.
• Provide guidance (where asked) to the Policy Department on legislative advocacy.
• Work with clients to prepare them to speak with the media.
• Work closely with the LD to align integrated advocacy strategy among the ACLU-DC Legal, Policy, and Communications departments.

Education and Experience

Required

• Juris doctor from an accredited law school.
• Member of the District of Columbia Bar or must pass next D.C. Bar Examination or obtain D.C. Bar licensure promptly through reciprocity.
• 8-15 years of experience as a full-time attorney (counting fellowships and clerkships)
• At least 5 years of experience as a full-time litigator.
• Experience as a supervisor or manager of litigators (personnel management, supervising work product, or — ideally — both).
• Experience litigating complex constitutional civil rights matters.

Preferred

• Non-profit experience.
• Experience working and communicating with marginalized or vulnerable communities.

Competencies

• Broad substantive knowledge of constitutional law and civil rights, including both substantive law (e.g., First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, equal protection, due process), and doctrines of civil rights enforcement (e.g., justiciability, qualified immunity, municipal liability).
• Ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Excellent research and analytical skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively to people of different backgrounds and levels of training or education.
• Ability to interview and work with clients, potential clients, and witnesses.
• Excellent writing skills.
• A personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, sex, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, religion, ability, and socioeconomic circumstance.
• Commitment to and working knowledge of civil liberties, civil rights, and the mission of the ACLU.
• Ability to work with diverse coalitions and community groups, work across the political spectrum, and value differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion, ability, and socioeconomic circumstance.
• Ability to juggle and prioritize many concurrent tasks at once, manage a high-volume workload, adapt quickly to changing organizational priorities, and meet moving deadlines.
• Ability to take initiative, problem-solve, multi-task, and work independently.
• Personal enthusiasm, optimism, and a sense of humor.
• Ability to work long hours and weekends when needed.
• Ability to work cooperatively on a variety of projects with lawyers, organizers, other staff members, and with diverse community organizations and coalitions.
• Ability to think strategically and critically about the uses and limitations of impact litigation.
• Ability to skillfully supervise attorneys, students and legal support staff, including ability to give specific feedback that is both candid and tactful, and help staff improve performance and realize their potential.
• A team player who inspires collaboration and can prioritizes the professional development of others.
• Creative and strategic approach to litigation that draws on both legal tools (e.g., facility with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure) and non-legal tools (e.g., ability to cultivate community partnerships, send of when and how media coverage might help with a case).
• Well-organized and self-directed, able to meet and enforce deadlines for both legal and internal/administrative functions.
• Willingness to engage in robust but cordial debates over legal theories and strategy, including ability to voice unpopular views, challenge consensus, and keep an open mind.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position supervises permanent employees.
• This position may supervise interns and volunteers as needed.

Work Environment

• Organization is currently in a hybrid remote work environment.
• On-site environment is a professional office.
• All ACLU-DC staff must live in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia.

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent written and verbal communication.
• Frequent and extended periods of standing and sitting.
• Visual activity for extensive reading, preparing, analyzing information, and viewing a computer terminal.

Travel Required

• Occasional travel and flexibility to work outside standard hours, including evenings and weekends, may be required.

Work Authorization/Clearance

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Benefits Summary

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; a 401(k) retirement plan with employer contributions; life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance; and paid time off.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity Statement

The ACLU of the District of Columbia is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maximizing our team's diversity and want to involve all those who can contribute to our inclusive culture. We support all qualified individuals within our workforce without regard to race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to supporting persons with disabilities in their work and encourage their request for needed job accommodations.

Hiring Process

We are committed to a thorough and transparent hiring process designed to ensure the best fit for both our organization and potential team members. If you have a disability and need accommodation regarding any part of the application process, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io.

To Apply

The deadline for applying is 11:59pm Eastern time on Sunday, July 12, 2026.

To complete the application, you will need to upload:

• A resume that lists relevant experience and education
• A cover letter explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position.
• A writing sample that is your own work, with a brief explanatory note describing the extent of others' involvement if any (e.g. "I wrote this draft entirely myself with no input" or "This is a second draft based on feedback from a supervisor but it's all my own writing" or the like). This sample should be no more than 10 pages, and may be a section of a larger document (with a cover note explaining the context if it's unclear from the sample alone). The sample must be a litigation-related document containing legal analysis or argument, such as a brief, motion, or research or strategy memo about potential litigation. Complaints and academic articles do not qualify.
• A list of four references, including a sentence about each one identifying what information the person can provide. At least two of your references should be attorneys you worked with in a practice setting. At least one of your references should be able to speak about your experience as a supervisor or manager of litigators (who may have been include student-attorneys or interns).

Applications without all of the above will not be considered. Please apply through