Experience: 15 years +
Location: Chicago Loop
Location: Hybrid/Remote
URL: recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/3202589/Roger-Baldwin-Foundation-of-ACLU-Inc/Director-of-Womens-and-Reproductive-Rights-Project
Area of Practice: Litigation
Director of Women's and Reproductive Rights Project
April 2025
https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/3202589/Roger-Baldwin-Foundation-of-ACLU-Inc/Director-of-Womens-and-Reproductive-Rights-Project
The Roger Baldwin Foundation of ACLU, Inc. (ACLU of Illinois) seeks a Project Director to build and lead litigation and, in collaboration with other Departments, work on non-litigation advocacy to protect reproductive freedom and the right to make decisions about health care and bodily autonomy.
About the Job
The ACLU and its Women's and Reproductive Rights Project (WRRP or Project) seek, through litigation, and collaborating with colleagues, public education, and legislative and regulatory advocacy, to secure the right to make and effectuate decisions about contraception, abortion, pregnancy, and childbearing. Our advocacy also seeks to ensure that women can participate equally in the professional, academic, and social spheres of our society and that they and their families have the rights and resources that make such participation possible.
Project lawyers work with colleagues in other departments to ensure and increase access to reproductive health care and information and to advance gender equality. Post-Dobbs, the Project Director, has worked closely with health care providers to navigate a legal landscape that includes efforts by neighboring states to limit access to abortion care in Illinois. The Project works in collaboration with local, regional, and national reproductive health, rights, and justice advocates, including the ACLU's National Office and the ACLU's nationwide network of state affiliates.
Responsibilities
The job responsibilities of the Project Director include, but are not limited to, the following:
Lead the development of high-impact cases, including researching systemic practices, obtaining and analyzing public records, working with coalition partners, and learning from directly impacted people.
Conduct effective and efficient legal research and prepare sound written analysis on novel and/or complex legal issues in emergency and non-emergency situations.
Produce polished high quality written work (e.g., discovery, pleadings, briefs, and correspondence in litigation and non-litigation settings).
Handle appearances at administrative proceedings and in court at the trial and appellate level in federal and state courts.
In coordination with other Departments, help deploy non-litigation strategies for advancing civil rights and civil liberties such as policy reform and legislative campaigns, public education, and fundraising initiatives.
Develop and maintain trusting, respectful, and collaborative relationships with clients, impacted individuals, issue experts, and community-based and allied organizations, stakeholders, coalitions, communities affected by our work, and ACLU-IL members.
Serve as an ACLU-IL spokesperson with the media and external partners on identified issues.
Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned to advance the work of the Legal Department and the ACLU-IL.
Qualifications
All applicants must have the following qualifications or qualities:
A J.D. and be admitted to practice in Illinois, be eligible to waive into the Illinois bar, or be willing to take the Illinois bar exam no later than February 2026.
Optimally 15 or more years of litigation experience.
Self-motivated and committed to reproductive rights and justice.
Ability to participate in all stages of complex litigation and to formulate and implement sophisticated legal strategies.
Excellent writing and analytical skills.
Ability to supervise junior lawyers and to collaborate with cooperating counsel.
Ability to work cooperatively on a variety of projects with lawyers, other staff members, and diverse community organizations and coalitions.
Ability to communicate effectively in legal and non-legal settings.
Salary and Benefits
The salary for a full-time hire will be in accordance with the ACLU-IL salary scale and commensurate with experience. A Project Director with 15 years of experience would be paid $150,000.
Benefits include 100% employer-paid medical, vision, and dental insurance for employees and eligible dependents, a 403(b)-retirement plan, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance. New employees receive 15 days of paid vacation, pro-rated for the first year. After the first year, staff will receive 20 vacation days on April 1st each year, which can be used until March 31st of the following year.
The WRRP Director is an exempt non-union management position. ACLU-IL staff are based in Chicago, IL and are currently working on a hybrid in-office / remote work schedule. Staff members will be expected to work in our Chicago office on in-office days.
Job Application Statement
The ACLU-IL is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and 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, criminal record, or veteran status.
The ACLU of Illinois is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance with the online application process, please email our Human Resources Manager at jalicea@aclu-il.org, including the position you are applying for in the subject line. You will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodation for the interview process.
How to Apply
Visit our website:
https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/3202589/Roger-Baldwin-Foundation-of-ACLU-Inc/Director-of-Womens-and-Reproductive-Rights-Project
Applications are due by May 30, 2025, and will be considered on a rolling basis.
