Legal Department Associate
Seattle, WA
Part Time
Entry Level
Legal Associate
Position Open Until Filled
First Review of Applicants Scheduled for May 12, 2025
Position Open Until Filled
First Review of Applicants Scheduled for May 12, 2025
The ACLU of Washington (ACLU-WA) advances liberty and justice in the courts, in the legislatures, in the streets, and at the ballot box. Our work is rooted in belief in a future where everyone in Washington, particularly those who have been historically and systematically denied full enjoyment of their promised civil rights and liberties, are finally free to do so without barriers. Defending and advancing these fundamental rights and core values relies on the contributions of exceptional staff. Learn more about the ACLU-WA.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (ACLU-WA) is seeking a skilled and highly organized Legal Associate to provide critical administrative and legal support that strengthens our efforts to protect and advance civil liberties for all Washingtonians. This role plays a key part in keeping our legal operations running smoothly managing calendars and court deadlines, coordinating logistics, supporting legal filings, and ensuring seamless communication across internal and external partners.
This associate position will give us the capacity to push forward our affirmative agenda as well as engage in fast-moving, defensive battles against attacks on civil liberties and civil rights.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Administration:
- Carrying out administrative tasks such as processing invoices and reimbursements; making purchases for the department.
- Support Legal Department calendaring, scheduling, and meeting administration.
- Help maintain calendars of court deadlines.
- Coordinate meeting logistics internally and involving external stakeholders; occasionally coordinate interdepartmental meetings.
- Draft correspondence as needed.
- Collaborate with other department associates in managing office-wide calendar to ensure staff is informed of the events that the legal team is co-leading or co-sponsoring.
- Coordinate job postings and interview scheduling for prospective legal department staff and interns. Assist with onboarding and offboarding Legal Department staff, volunteers, and interns in accordance with office procedures.
- Coordinate conference and CLE registrations; make travel arrangements.
- Assist the paralegal and attorneys researching court rules, gathering information from the court, and formatting case documents as needed.
- Maintain case management and department databases;
- Ensure meeting notes are accurate and circulated to staff.
- Engage in document and file management, coordinate large mailings, and conduct research into court records and files as needed.
- Assist other staff with events, where necessary.
- Provide backup support for the Information and Referral program, receiving and logging requests for legal assistance when other staff are unavailable.
- Work alongside the Political Strategies, Communications, and PAG departments in helping streamline communication across teams to support collaborative work.
- Communicate clearly and professionally with a broad range of stakeholders, including cooperating attorneys, clients, defendants, and court officials.
- Prior administrative experience. This includes, but is not limited to experience in an office, retail, or service industry field, and may include volunteer work.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct research and translate findings verbally and in writing to share information with the staff effectively.
- Working proficiency around MS Suite (Excel, Word, etc.) & Adobe platform. Willingness and ability to learn new software and platforms.
- Experience with litigation and e-discovery software is a plus.
- Awareness of, willingness, and commitment to centering race equity and community, specifically impacted people of systemic injustices and inequities.
- Awareness of and willingness to engage in the difficult and transformative work of challenging systems of oppression, institutional and structural racism, and implicit biases.
- Excellent time management and organizational skills. The ability to take direction and manage their own workflow in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment.
- Ability to multitask several different projects, maintain and balance deadlines, manage details, and adapt to changes within a project.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
- Ability to communicate clearly about progress on a project.
- Self-motivated, with the ability to manage the day-to-day functions and needs of the entire Legal team.
- Strong organizational skills to maintain records systems, and initiate improvements in consultation with supervisor. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in teams, produce work reflecting consistent attention to accuracy often under tight deadlines.
- A personal approach that acknowledges and values an individual’s race, socioeconomic background, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and lived experience.
- Be committed to advancing the mission, vision, and values of the ACLU-WA.
- Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives; and
- Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.
CLASSIFICATION: This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. The ACLU-WA reserves the right to change the content of this posting at any time without advance notice. This position is “non-exempt” under the Fair Labor Standards Act and approved at .60 (21 hours per week) fulltime equivalent (FTE).
WORKING CONDITIONS: The position requires maintaining some physical file records and word processing and is expected to observe an in-person hybrid workstyle.
MENTAL DEMAND: Decision-making, high emotional intelligence, giving and receiving feedback and building trusting relationships. The nature of this work can be emotionally demanding and requires thoughtful and clear communication and resilience.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The ACLU-WA observes a hybrid workstyle, with some staff working primarily remotely while others work in the office several days a week. Our office is generally open between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and is located in downtown Seattle.
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 the essential functions.
- Able to input information into a computer for long periods of time.
- Able to assess information communicated through a computer.
- Able to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- Able to periodically work long and extended hours.
- Able to travel locally/regionally/across the state as needed.
The hourly wage for this position is $34.74 to $41.61. A range indicates the intention to accommodate those with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale.
BENEFITS: Generous benefits include three weeks of vacation, twenty-three sick days, fifteen paid holidays, employer-paid professional development, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, an employer contributed retirement plan, student loan reimbursement, family care and adoption assistance, life insurance, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.
ACLU-WA provides laptops, home office supplies, certain equipment, and technology support. You will need an effective Wi-Fi connection and a way to communicate by phone. This position is eligible for either a work phone or phone stipend, as well as an additional $150 stipend each month to help cover any additional costs while working from home.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: To apply, please submit a cover letter, writing sample, résumé and three references on our online job portal. In your cover letter, please explain the ways in which you satisfy the skills and qualifications specified above. We also invite you to include in your cover letter information about how your background and/or experience could contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and advocacy work.
HIRING TIMELINE: This position is open until filled with the first review of candidates scheduled for 5/12/2025. We will schedule interviews with qualified candidates after the first review of candidates.
REFERENCES: Please submit with your application three (3) professional references who can provide feedback about and have direct knowledge of your work experience. Note that there may be outreach to other references that fall outside of your designated list. We will extend a conditional offer of employment before conducting reference checks.
The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, socio-economic circumstance, or record of arrest or conviction. We do not conduct criminal background checks on our candidates. People of color, women, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.
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