Senior Supervising Attorney, Voting Rights at Southern Poverty Law Center

Summary:

Launched in 2019, the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Voting Rights Practice Group (VRPG) works across the Deep South in collaboration with community partners and organizers to engage and mobilize voters, restore voting rights to returning citizens, pursue electoral policy reforms, and bring litigation to challenge unconstitutional and discriminatory voting practices. The Voting Rights Practice Group’s efforts center on expanding access to the ballot; promoting fair redistricting and defending against racial gerrymandering and vote dilution; election administration; and community outreach and engagement.

The practice group’s current work includes a lawsuit on behalf of voter engagement organizations and individual plaintiffs challenging multiple provisions of SB 202, Georgia’s sweeping voter disenfranchisement law which threatens to disenfranchise Georgia voters, specifically voters of color; a lawsuit brought on behalf of voting rights organizations and individual voters challenging Alabama’s state legislative maps as racial gerrymanders in violation of the U.S. Constitution; a complaint to the U.S. Department of Justice against the state of Alabama’s absentee voting program under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and ongoing litigation challenging aspects of Mississippi’s and Alabama’s felony disenfranchisement laws. The practice group recently submitted reports to Congress in support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act detailing current and historical voting rights violations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The practice group also engages in public education, election protection, and other legal advocacy work across the Deep South. The practice group will expand upon that work by continuing advocacy around statewide and local redistricting, protecting and expanding access to the ballot, and advocating for progressive state and federal policy reform alongside our colleagues in the SPLC Policy Department.

The Voting Rights Practice Group seeks a Senior Supervising Attorney to work with the Deputy Legal Director to help develop and execute the vision and strategy of the VRPG. They will help supervise a dedicated team of attorneys, data experts, and advocates. To this end, the Senior Supervising Attorney will lead individual and class action cases in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels and will engage in other forms of legal advocacy, policy reform, and community education on the topics above.

Primary Job Functions:
• Lead the development and implementation of SPLC’s Voting Rights strategies in the Deep South;
• Develop new cases and campaigns and lead litigation and legal advocacy;
• Manage a team of approximately three staff, proving mentoring and coaching to support the work;
• Hire, train, establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign duties, and conduct performance reviews;
• Successfully supervise, mentor, develop, and manage the work of a diverse group of Senior Staff Attorneys, Staff Attorneys, Law Fellows, Data & Research Analysts, interns, and other staff;
• Collaborate with the Deputy Legal Director, other VRPG staff, the Policy Department, and other staff to identify and support the advancement of state and local policy priorities and testify to legislative bodies upon request;
• Collaborate with the Deputy Legal Director, other VRPG staff, the Policy Department, and the Communications Department to develop communication strategies around cases and campaigns; serve as spokesperson upon request;
• Supervise outreach activities related to cases and campaigns;
• Communicate regularly with SPLC staff across the southern region about cases, campaigns, and strategies;
• Represent SPLC in various fora, including before community groups, legislatures, state agencies, and the press;
• Develop and oversee community engagement efforts to maintain open communication and collaboration with directly impacted people and communities; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications –

Education and Related Work Experience:
• J.D. degree;
• At least eight (8) years of federal court civil litigation or comparable legal experience, including demonstrated knowledge of procedural and substantive law applicable to the litigation of constitutional and statutory civil rights claims;
• At least two (2) years of demonstrated managerial experience of legal staff to include hiring, training, performance evaluation, mentoring, etc.;
• Excellent research and writing skills; and
• Member of bar or admission within time required by state of residence.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:
• Creativity and a demonstrated willingness to take calculated risks in crafting and executing strategies;
• Initiative, vision, and a proven commitment to civil rights issues and the mission and goals of the SPLC;
• Demonstrated knowledge of, and passion for voting rights, civic engagement, political participation, democracy reform, organizing, election law, or related work;
• Initiative and ability to work collaboratively and efficiently;
• Excellent and consistent attention to detail and the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines;
• Strong organizational skills, follow-through and flexibility around changing priorities and deadlines;
• Aptitude for and willingness to be a team player;
• Demonstrated leadership in building and maintaining an innovative, inclusive, and positive working culture;
• Commitment to ideals of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion; and
• Commitment to fostering an anti-racist work culture and to anti-racist principles and learning.

Other Special Considerations:

This job is performed under general office conditions and is not subject to any strenuous physical demands or dangerous conditions.

Disclaimer:

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. These statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a Commitment to Diversity

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and as an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, we consider applicants equally of race, gender, gender identity, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability, political affiliation, national origin, or prior record of arrest or conviction.
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