The Prisoners’ Rights Project (“PRP”) enforces and advocates for the expansion of the constitutional and other rights of people incarcerated in New York State prisons and New York City jails. We seek systemic change to protect incarcerated people and improve the conditions of their confinement, primarily through civil rights class action litigation. A significant portion of the work involves enforcement of consent judgments that PRP previously won to ensure they are implemented in practice.
PRP also seeks to change carceral practice through policy and community-based advocacy, including with legislatures, state and city agencies, and oversight agencies. We work with coalitions and other stakeholders to secure the rights of transgender individuals during their incarceration; improve the investigation of sexual abuse in custody; ensure our clients receive mental health treatment where needed; fight the use of solitary confinement; and defeat restrictions on the receipt of books and packages in prisons and jails. PRP also engages in extensive individual advocacy with correctional and other agencies on a wide range of these and other issues.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
- Working on all aspects of complex civil litigation concerning prison and jail conditions, including factual investigation; identifying legal claims and issues; interacting with stakeholders, including grassroots organizations, coalitions, formerly and currently incarcerated people, and other directly impacted people; working with co-counsel from varied backgrounds, including large law firms, other Legal Aid Society units and projects, and other nonprofit organizations; discovery; motion practice; settlement; and trial
- Producing excellent written work, individually and collaboratively
- Identifying problems and challenges that people experience during incarceration and strategizing solutions
- Advocating for incarcerated people directly with prison officials, jail officials, and local, state, and federal agencies
- Making advocacy and litigation decisions based on understanding of what incarcerated people need, gained by speaking with them, corresponding with them, and reviewing their records
- Working substantively and collegially with others, including incarcerated people, PRP and Legal Aid Society colleagues, pro bono counsel, grassroots groups, coalitions, and policy makers
- Conducting policy advocacy on issues affecting incarcerated persons, including commenting on proposed regulations and legislation, and presenting oral and written testimony
- Mentoring and collaborating with paralegals, legal interns, legal externs, and legal fellows
- Using discretion and sound judgment to help troubleshoot issues and resolve non-routine matters
- Other duties as assigned
Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Experience in and demonstrated commitment to prisoners’ rights work
- Demonstrated ability to engage in complex legal analysis and writing, as reflected in written work product and a writing sample
- A minimum of one year of prisoners’ rights litigation experience after law school, including developing affirmative systemic litigation
- Experience monitoring conditions inside prisons or jails and specifically monitoring implementation of prison or jail consent decrees
- Experience working directly with incarcerated people and advocating with prison and jail officials on their behalf
- Excellent written and oral advocacy skills
- Excellent judgment
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, including an ability to foster constructive, respectful working relationships with colleagues, clients, and coalition partners, and an understanding of the importance of principles of diversity and inclusion in the workplace
- A demonstrated ability to work under time-sensitive circumstances and adhere to agreed-upon deadlines
- Admission to the New York State bar or eligibility to waive into the New York State bar
- Desirable, but not required, experiences include experience with legislative or regulatory drafting; experience with legislative advocacy; familiarity with the experience of incarceration; work with community organizations; knowledge of New York carceral systems; proficiency in Spanish
SALARY TRANSPARENCY
The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.
Salary Range/ Salary: $83,844 to $147,907
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if an offer is made.
Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid Society
HIGHER EDUCATION AND LOAN FORGIVENESS
The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs.
Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.
hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.
WORK AUTHORIZATION
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)
HOW TO APPLY
All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.