Legal Research Specialist
About the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel
The mission of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel (NCCRC) is to encourage, support, and coordinate advocacy across the country to expand recognition of a right to counsel for low-income people in civil cases involving basic human needs, such as housing, physical safety, civil incarceration, health, and child custody. It currently has over 600 participants and partners working in 41 states, and it supports the work and goals of advocates pursuing state court litigation, legislative campaigns at the local, state, and federal level, social science research, and public awareness efforts. It has assisted successful efforts to establish a right to counsel in civil cases such as adoption, termination of parental rights, adult guardianship, evictions, and civil incarceration. Its website, http://www.civilrighttocounsel.org, is the national repository for the status of the right to counsel as well as all the current expansion efforts.
The NCCRC was created in 2003 as a project of the Public Justice Center (PJC). Founded in 1985, the PJC uses legal advocacy tools to pursue social justice, economic and racial equity, and fundamental human rights for Marylanders who are struggling to provide for their basic needs. Learn more at http://www.publicjustice.org.
About the Position
As the NCCRC has grown in size and national influence, the demands for both original legal research as well as maintaining and improving the existing legal research have increased alongside the requests for technical assistance. This is especially the case given that the NCCRC’s support and research cover the wide spectrum of civil cases. For this reason, we are looking to hire a Legal Research Specialist to help maintain and expand the NCCRC’s vast repository of legal research resources regarding the 50-state status of the right to counsel in a variety of civil areas, including questions around scope of the right, timing, the rights of various parties, and appellate issues. The position is currently funded through December 2023, and there is the hope and possibility it will be extended. It is a full-time, exempt, professional position.
The Legal Research Specialist will report to the NCCRC Coordinator, who works from Montgomery, Alabama, but will be able to work remotely. The Legal Research Specialist will spend approximately a week at the outset in Montgomery for training purposes.
Core Duties
- Conduct and oversee research on the federal, state, and local right to counsel in numerous (15+) civil legal areas, including conducting and/or supervising new research, finalizing incomplete research, and updating existing research
- Identify, assign, and supervise research projects with law student or law firm volunteers
- Synthesize, organize, and regularly update research in various locations, such as in internal memos, public website, participant-only wiki, FAQs, infographics, etc.
- Present research at conferences, webinars, and stakeholder meetings
- Collaborate with team members on projects and proposals associated with legal research
- Publish blog posts / research / articles, or work with team members to do so
Compensation
The salary range is $60,000-$70,000 depending on experience. An excellent cafeteria benefit package is included offering health, dental, disability and life insurance, and retirement options.
Required Skills / Experience
- JD degree
- Strong research, written, and oral communication skills
- Flexibility and enthusiasm for working in a wide variety of subject areas
- Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice
Desired Skills / Experience
- Researching, discussing, and writing about complex legal concepts
- Conducting and compiling 50-state research
- Researching or practicing in family law, eviction, or mental health (guardianship)
- Supervising a research project conducted by one or more individuals
- Academic research experience preferred
- Law clerk and/or law review experience helpful
- Ability to employ a racial justice lens, and experience working on racial justice initiatives
Applications should be submitted by Monday, December 20, 2021, but will be accepted and interviews conducted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To apply, please submit a cover letter explaining your interest, resume, two legal writing samples, and three references to John Pollock, jpollock@publicjustice.org with “NCCRC Legal Research Specialist Position” in the subject line.
The Public Justice Center is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We value a diverse and multicultural working environment and strongly encourage Black, Latine, Indigenous, and other applicants of color, people with disabilities, and other people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply.