STAFF ATTORNEY OR SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY (LEGISLATIVE)

The Policing Project at New York University School of Law is seeking an experienced legal professional to join our team as a Staff Attorney or Senior Staff Attorney initially focusing on legislative work. An ideal candidate will have both interest in and experience with legislative drafting; a passion for constitutional law, criminal procedure, racial justice, public safety, and related issues; and experience with managing a legal team.

BACKGROUND ON THE POLICING PROJECT

The Policing Project partners with communities and police to promote public safety through transparency, equity, and democratic engagement. We bring a new approach to this fraught area, one grounded in democratic values. In particular, our work focuses on ensuring accountability on the front end. Front-end accountability involves promoting public voice in setting transparent, ethical, and effective policies and practices before the police act. The goal is achieving public safety in a manner that is equitable, non-discriminatory, and respectful of public values.

In recent years, legislatures in some states have started to take a more active role in regulating policing—but these efforts are often piecemeal at best. To remedy this, the Policing Project is working—with input from advocates, researchers, and law enforcement professionals—to draft and revise model legislation on various aspects of policing, that jurisdictions can tailor and adopt. Examples include our existing model laws on the use of force, data collection & transparency, pretextual traffic stops, decertification, and a range of policing tech legislation (see our full list of model laws here).

We also work on advocacy and outreach to develop relationships with policymakers (at the federal, state, and local levels) and work to get such model policies adopted in the real world. We have worked with lawmakers in dozens of states—including New Jersey, New Mexico, California, Rhode Island, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. We regularly testify, write, and support legislation, and have seen our work make a direct impact on policing reform.  We are excited to have you join that effort.

JOB DESCRIPTION & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Staff Attorney will be part of and report to the Policing Project’s legislation team and will engage in a wide variety of work to support our current and future legislative efforts. This includes both (1) research and drafting assistance on legislation and (2) getting laws adopted in the real world. Responsibilities may include:

• Conducting factual, policy, legal, and legislative research to further our legislative efforts;

• Drafting and refining legislation, as well as memoranda, testimony, op-eds, and content for our website;

• Providing technical assistance to legislators and advocacy groups on proposed legislation;

• Developing and maintaining relationships with advocacy partners and lawmakers;

• Tracking policing reform legislation and determining when to engage.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:

We seek to hire someone with excellent analytical and writing skills, and an interest in improving policing and public safety. This individual should have the experience and ability to manage projects and relationships independently. Given the cutting-edge and innovative nature of our work, and the fact that it often occurs around fraught social issues, we are looking for someone who is a problem solver with maturity and judgment.

A J.D. is required for this position. In addition, we will consider the following qualifications, but do not expect any applicant to have all of them:

• At least three years of professional experience (but encourage interested candidates with less experience to apply);

• Experience with legislative drafting and the legislative process generally;

• Strong familiarity and/or interest in constitutional law, criminal procedure, policing and public safety (or related fields), racial justice, and civil rights/civil liberties;

• Strong written communications skills;

• Experience with and an interest in staff and project management, particularly with multi-member/multi-team projects;

• Exceptional attention to detail;

• Strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated willingness to maintain and develop professional relationships; and

• Excellent judgment and the ability to keep many balls in the air.

The Policing Project heartily encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds and is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, citizenship status, color, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

To apply please email a cover letter, resume, and unofficial transcript(s) to applications@policingproject.org. Indicate “Staff Attorney Application” in the subject line. Cover letters should include when you are available to start and any salary requirements. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and you will be contacted if selected for an interview.

Salary commensurate with experience, ranging between $80,000 and $120,000. Compensation also includes excellent benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and retirement. Further information regarding benefits can be found here: https://www.nyu.edu/employees/benefit/full-time/professional-research-staff/benefits-guide-2023.html.

NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

EOE/AA/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity