Senior Staff or Staff Attorney, Democracy: Voting Rights Litigation Team

The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Democracy – Voting Rights Litigation Team (DVR) works across the Deep South in collaboration with community partners and organizers to engage and mobilize voters, restore voting rights to returning citizens, pursue electoral policy reforms, and bring litigation to challenge unconstitutional and discriminatory voting practices.

Our efforts center on expanding access to the ballot; promoting fair redistricting; defending against racial gerrymandering and vote dilution; improving election administration; and community outreach and engagement. DVR’s current work includes:

• A lawsuit challenging multiple provisions of SB 202, Georgia’s sweeping voter disenfranchisement law;
• A lawsuit challenging Alabama’s state legislative maps as racial gerrymanders in violation of the U.S. Constitution;
• A lawsuit challenging the Mississippi Supreme Court’s 35-year-old districting plan, which denies Black voters a fair opportunity to elect candidates of their choice;
• A lawsuit challenging Alabama’s failure to make its absentee ballot system accessible to blind and print-disabled individuals.

We also engage regularly in public education, election monitoring, and other legal advocacy work across the Deep South.

Who You Are

• Experienced. Demonstrated experience litigating individual and class action civil rights cases in federal and state courts at the trial and appellate levels.
• Advocate. Experience working with community organizations, grassroots campaigns, and impacted communities, particularly in the Deep South, to promote voting rights.
• Committed. Demonstrated interest and commitment to voting rights, civic engagement, campaign work, organizing, or election law.
• Analytical. Ability to synthesize complex issues and communicate them effectively to diverse audiences.
• Researcher. Demonstrated ability to conduct legal research and factual investigations.
• Creative. Ability to create vision and take calculated risks in crafting and executing strategies to move litigation forward.
• Collaborative. Demonstrated ability to work with other litigation teams, external organizations, and stakeholders to advance the work of the DVR Team.
• Communicative. Exceptional communication skills and ability to communicate persuasively through writing and speaking.
• Mission, Vision & Culture Alignment. Demonstrates an understanding of and a commitment to SPLC’s mission, vision, and values.

What You’ll Do

• Litigate cases in state and federal courts, primarily across SPLC’s five focus states. This includes conducting research, writing motions/briefs, and handling discovery and oral arguments.
• Lead advocacy and litigation, including legal research, factual investigations, and drafting complaints.
• Identify and develop new cases and litigation strategies to advance voting rights in partnership with community groups.
• Senior Staff Attorneys will mentor and train legal staff and interns as needed.
• Collaborate extensively across departments to ensure effective implementation of SPLC’s impact area goals.
• Represent DVR on relevant task forces and coalitions.
• Work closely with SPLC’s Policy and Communications departments to advance organizational objectives.
• Engage in public speaking and articulate SPLC’s programs to the public and media.
• Uphold JEDI principles by seeking diverse collaborators and ensuring contributions align with the Center’s values.

Minimum Qualifications

We are committed to equitable hiring practices; therefore, you must meet the minimum qualifications to be considered for the role.

• Staff Attorney I-II: At least one (1) year of federal court civil litigation or comparable experience post-law school.
• Senior Staff Attorney I-IV: At least six (6) years of federal court civil litigation or comparable experience post-law school.
• Bar Membership: Membership in good standing of at least one state bar in the U.S., preferably AL, GA, LA, MS, FL, or Washington, D.C.
• Education: J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school.

Compensation & Benefits

This is an exempt role. Salary is based on legal experience post-law school:

• Staff Attorney I (1-3 years): $73,832.00
• Staff Attorney II (4-5 years): $84,904.00
• Senior Staff Attorney I (6-7 years): $97,637.00
• Senior Staff Attorney II (8-9 years): $112,286.00
• Senior Staff Attorney III (10-11 years): $129,129.00
• Senior Staff IV (12+ years): $148,500.00

Where & How You’ll Work

This role offers the following work designation options:

• Local Remote: Work remotely but attend work-related activities at SPLC offices or in the states where SPLC operates.
• Telework: Work at an SPLC office at least three days per week.

This position reports to a Senior Supervising Attorney, Democracy: Voting Rights.

Other Special Considerations

• Performed under general office conditions; no strenuous physical demands.
• This position is represented by the Washington-Baltimore News Guild.

Disclaimer: The statements herein describe the general nature and level of work and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities or skills required.

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants regardless of age, caregiver status, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, marital status, national origin, religion, or veteran status.

Learn more here