Description
About FIRE
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational foundation devoted to defending free speech, individual liberty, religious freedom, freedom of conscience, legal equality, due process, and academic freedom on our nation’s campuses. In July 2014, FIRE launched its Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project (SUFS) with the goal of filing lawsuits against public colleges and universities that maintain unconstitutional speech codes.
Position Description
The SUFS attorney will report to and work directly with FIRE’s Director of Litigation, in addition to corresponding with outside legal counsel, students, and faculty. The duties for this position include, but are not limited to:
-- Assist in matching plaintiffs with appropriate legal counsel;
-- Act as a liaison with SUFS lawyers to help develop case strategy;
-- Act as a liaison with SUFS plaintiffs;
-- Conduct legal research on issues related to SUFS potential or actual cases;
-- Draft complaints, motions, and other court documents as assigned;
-- Assist in discovery and other litigation tasks as assigned;
-- Blog about SUFS goals and progress;
-- Keep SUFS website content up-to-date;
-- Assist Director of Litigation as assigned.
This position will also perform other support functions for the day-to-day operation of FIRE and will frequently collaborate with other staff members and departments on general duties and specialized projects, including but not limited to contributing to FIRE’s blog, The Torch; working closely with our outreach staff and the FIRE Student Network when gathering plaintiffs; and gaining input from our Policy Reform Program during settlement.
This position involves a moderate amount of travel. Occasional work on weekends and evenings should be expected.
The start date for this position is envisioned to be September 2016. A specific date is negotiable.
Qualifications
A successful candidate will have a good work ethic, be a self-starter, and have the ability to work independently. Most importantly, the candidate must demonstrate a knowledge and passion for FIRE’s mission and an ability to articulate that passion in a way that will make others enthusiastic about our cause. A candidate must also be able to demonstrate:
-- At least two years of experience in civil trial-level litigation, including discovery and motion practice;
-- Exceptional legal research skills;
-- Exceptional written and verbal communication and general copy-editing skills;
-- Exemplary planning and organizational skills, including an ability to handle dynamic, challenging, and changing situations;
-- Proven ability to collaborate and work with remote staff members successfully over email and phone;
-- Flexibility and creativity during implementation of a new project;
-- Candidates must be a graduate of an ABA accredited law school and a member of the bar of at least one state.
Salary and Compensation
FIRE offers a comprehensive benefits package and competitive salary structure. The benefits package includes employer-paid comprehensive health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan with immediately vested matching contributions, and a generous paid time off plan.
Starting salary is negotiable and is commensurate with experience and education level. FIRE conducts periodic evaluations in which employees may receive raises or bonuses for outstanding work.
Working at FIRE
FIRE offers a dynamic working environment with a staff passionate about the First Amendment and committed to defending student and faculty rights. FIRE aims to offer every employee a well-rounded experience that enables understanding of the philosophical and legal foundations of FIRE’s work. This empowers staff to advocate for the overall mission of the organization—promotion of First Amendment and due process rights—as well as advance those objectives through a particular program.
Applications
Applicants should provide a resume, law school transcript, cover letter, short writing sample (pleadings, briefs, commentary on legal issues and similar documents encouraged), and contact information for at least two professional references. All applications are confidential.
Please email applications to Peyton Cudaback, Director of Human Resources at peyton@thefire.org.
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