Senior Supervising Attorney, Criminal Justice Reform

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a leader in the fight against hate and bigotry in the United States, is seeking nominations and applications for the role of Senior Supervising Attorney (SSA), Criminal Justice Reform in Alabama. Joining a legal team that uses impact litigation and policy advocacy as its primary tools to relentlessly pursue justice and equal rights, the Senior Supervising Attorney will lead the implementation of SPLC’s criminal justice reform agenda in Alabama and manage a highly-talented team in using all possible tools – including litigation, legislative campaigns, and public advocacy, to advance the rights of all. 

As fear, political and cultural division, hatred, and economic uncertainty persist in the American consciousness and manifest in discriminatory policies, speech, and actions, individuals across the country are reigniting their commitment to equal justice. Southern Poverty Law Center’s Legal Department is growing in response to the increased demand to protect Americans whose civil rights are being threatened in cities and states across the country.  Over the last 12 months, the growth of this team has been unprecedented. Under the direction of Legal Director Rhonda Brownstein and Deputy Legal Director Lisa Graybill, the Criminal Justice Reform practice group is growing to meet the goal of delivering systemic reforms to a state that is among the top ten nationally in its rate of incarceration. Not only does Alabama lead most states in incarceration, its history of systemic racism resonates in every aspect of the criminal justice system, from over-policing to draconian sentencing policies to horrific conditions of confinement to collateral consequences that ensure that even when people leave prison, they are not free.

The new Senior Supervising Attorney will report to the Deputy Legal Director and collaboratively develop the vision and strategy for criminal justice reform in the state. Together with a team of attorneys, policy counsel, advocates, and support staff, the SSA will use every tool at his/her/their disposal to challenge the structural inequalities that have infected the criminal justice system in the state and continue to result in mass incarceration and the disproportionate incarceration of people of color. Specifically, the SSA will be responsible for developing and litigating impact cases raising constitutional and statutory claims in Alabama and federal courts, at both trial and appellate levels. The SSA will engage in litigation and public advocacy related to civil rights issues relating to practices in policing, prosecution, sentencing, incarceration, and probation/parole. This may include, but will not be limited to, advancing sentencing reform and addressing unconstitutional conditions in Alabama’s juvenile, adult, and immigrant detention facilities. The SSA will lead the team in addressing other issues such as: the denial of due process in the criminal justice system; racial disparities; collateral consequences of justice system involvement; the provision of indigent defense; and over-policing or police misconduct.

The ideal candidate will be an exceptionally talented litigator, strategist, and manager with a deep, personal passion for equity and constitutional compliance at every stage of the criminal justice system. He/she/they will bring at least seven (7) years of litigation experience and two (2) years successfully managing and leading a highly-talented team and be barred or willing to sit for the next bar exam in Alabama.