Paralegal, Speech, Privacy, and Technology

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Paralegal in the Speech, Privacy, and Technology (SPT) Project of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. 

The Speech, Privacy and Technology Project is dedicated to protecting and expanding the First Amendment freedoms of expression, association, and inquiry; expanding the right to privacy and increasing the control that individuals have over their personal information; and ensuring that civil liberties are enhanced rather than compromised by new advances in science and technology. The project is currently litigating cases and conducting other advocacy efforts on a variety of issues, including political protest, freedom of expression online, privacy of electronic information, journalists’ rights, scientific and academic freedom, openness in the courts, privacy rights at the border, and the impact of big data and algorithmic decision-making.  

Reporting to the Deputy Project Director, the Paralegal will be responsible for providing litigation and administrative support to the legal project. This includes, but is not limited to, responding to legal assistance inquires, cite checking and formatting litigation documents, and maintaining files and other litigation items.   

• Provide litigation, administrative, and research support to the work of SPT attorneys and other SPT staff   
• Handle general administrative duties including processing invoices, tracking expenses and case costs, preparing expense reports, ordering supplies, etc.   
• Handle travel arrangements and calendar for Director and other staff   
• Maintain database of all Project expenses, including travel and case costs  
• Arrange for service of legal documents; prepare and serve discovery documents; research court rules and procedures  
• Maintain case files, attorneys’ correspondence files, and internal litigation tracking systems including case summaries and calendar of litigation deadlines and court dates  
• Provide administrative support for the managers’ review of applications for open positions  
• Work jointly with interns and communicate routine and/or procedural guidance on projects assigned by managers   

In addition to:  

• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned 
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes 
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• 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
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

• Experience with litigation or administrative support  
• Must take initiative, be highly organized and detail-oriented, and possess strong interpersonal and time-management skills  
• Excellent research and writing skills 
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team while maintaining a high level of efficiency and professionalism  

• Bachelor’s degree or two years of related administrative experience 
• Experience with free speech or digital privacy issues is preferred  

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly 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, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.    

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.