Legal Director

The ACLU of Arizona works to advance equity and dismantle systemic injustice through legal action, policy advocacy, and mobilizing our communities to protect the civil rights, liberties, and dignity of all Arizonans.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Legal Director provides vision, direction, and support for the ACLU of Arizona’s legal program. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Legal Director provides strategic leadership on litigation and legal advocacy to advance the ACLU of Arizona’s mission and goals in priority areas including immigrants’ rights, criminal justice, voting rights, and LGBTQ+ equality, as well as other civil rights and liberties issues. They oversee the management and coordination of our docket, legal staff, and network of cooperating attorneys. The ideal candidate possesses a strong commitment to advancing civil rights and liberties, exceptional litigation skills, and management and supervisory experience to lead our proactive, high-impact legal program and continue to build our in-house litigation capacity.

Internally, as a critical member of the organization’s senior leadership team, the Legal works within our integrated advocacy model in collaboration with other departments to develop strategies that make an even greater impact on civil rights and liberties in Arizona. Externally, the Legal Director is a highly visible public spokesperson for the ACLU of Arizona’s work and a leader in the state’s legal community, particularly in the areas of civil rights and liberties.

The Legal Director supervises and supports a committed and high-performing legal team; works directly with the Executive Director, leadership team, and board of directors; and collaborates closely with National ACLU departments on litigation efforts and other organizational and nationwide priorities.

Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Salary Range: The anticipated hiring range is $102,000- $130,000; salary will be determined by a variety of factors, including the knowledge, skills, and experience of the individual selected.

Deadline to Apply: September 30, 2025; we will review applications on a rolling basis

Supervision: This position reports to the Executive Director, is a member of the Leadership Team and supervises four attorneys, a senior paralegal, and occasional interns and volunteers.

Classification: Full-time, exempt

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide strategic leadership and management of the legal program: Develop and regularly assess a comprehensive annual legal department plan and budget with ambitious goals and clear metrics for measuring the success of the program. Identify areas for high-impact, strategic amicus opportunities and litigation that aligns with organizational goals and mission. Manage all aspects of the litigation program including coordinating the case selection process, overseeing the investigation and development of cases, building litigation teams, and overseeing all aspects of ongoing litigation including reviewing pleadings, managing discovery, and handling trials and appeals as necessary. Collaborate closely with ACLU of Arizona staff attorneys, ACLU national office attorneys, and co-counsel from other nonprofits and private firms.
• Individual litigation caseload: Maintain an individual caseload of developing and active litigation, including overseeing and directing pre-litigation activities, discovery, motion practice, brief writing, hearings and trials, and appellate work.  
• Team leadership and development: Provide direct supervision and support for legal staff including conducting regular staff evaluations, supporting the development and implementation of individual and team work plans, ensuring continued professional development of all legal staff, and overseeing the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of all legal positions.
• Reporting, records, and case management: Report to the Executive Director, board of directors, internal and external stakeholders on litigation efforts and goals through regular written updates and presentations. Oversee case management procedures and systems and ensure that they are accurate and effectively aligned to support litigation and overall program activities.
• Relationship-building and external relations: Cultivate and deepen relationships with volunteer attorneys, the Arizona legal community, and local and national groups and coalitions to increase organizational visibility and to help build our legal docket. Staff the volunteer Legal Panel to weigh prospective litigation and generally oversee the balance of the legal docket. Be an active contributor and leader among national ACLU cohorts including the ACLU affiliate legal director community. Serve as a primary spokesperson for print, radio, and broadcast/TV media on ACLU of Arizona issues and litigation.  
• Organizational leadership and partnership: Ensure there is coordination and collaboration on cross-departmental projects and serve as a resource on legal matters for staff, partners, and other ACLU of Arizona constituents. Contribute to the development of the organization’s strategic plan with insight and information on legal trends and practices. Be a thought-partner and actively contribute to the leadership team to proactively raise solutions to ongoing challenges and opportunities.
• Equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging: Be an active contributor to the organization and legal team’s efforts to think creatively, ambitiously, and openly about how we can better integrate equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging into our day-to-day operations as well as our legal advocacy.

QUALIFICATIONS:

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. While no candidate will possess every quality, the successful candidate will possess many of the following qualifications and attributes. Even if you aren’t sure you meet each qualification but are excited about the position, we encourage you to apply. Consideration will be given to individuals who may not meet the listed qualifications but demonstrate strong skills, knowledge, and potential.   

• Demonstrated commitment to the ACLU of Arizona’s values, mission, and vision.
• Admission to the Arizona Bar or licensed in another state and qualified to apply for admission in Arizona within 6 months of hire date.
• Minimum of 10 years legal experience, including substantial state and federal litigation at trial and appellate levels, including class actions, with a strong background in constitutional law and civil rights.
• Minimum of 3 years of management experience that includes recruiting, training, managing, and retaining a diverse, high-performing litigation team.
• Exceptional litigation skills; experience designing and executing complex and sequenced litigation strategies including multi-year or multi-jurisdictional projects.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills; ability to communicate effectively with plaintiffs, opposing counsel, staff, volunteers, and the public. A demonstrated ability to convey complex legal issues to the public and media.
• Commitment to working with community groups and impacted communities in the planning and development of litigation. Ability and flexibility to work in both service and leadership roles with many diverse players and constituencies.
• Excellent organizational skills with a creative and strategic approach to problem-solving and litigation, including a demonstrated ability to exercise sound professional judgement.
• Dedication to social justice; an awareness of, and willingness to engage in, the difficult and transformative work of challenging systems of oppression, institutional and structural racism, and implicit bias.
• Ability to plan effective strategies, establish realistic objectives, and evaluate progress to goals, with an ability to recognize and maximize opportunities on behalf of the organization.
• Experience working with a volunteer board of directors and other nonprofit organizations, including allies from across the political spectrum.
• Experience working collaboratively and respectfully with teams and coworkers, including toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts.

Cultural Responsibility: Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about differences, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. A complex understanding of racial justice and the urgency of confronting institutional racism and inequity. Commitment to equity and inclusion as an organizational practice and culture. Proven track record of working across lines of race, immigration status, ethnicity, language, class, gender, and other identities and experiences including record of arrest or conviction.

Working Conditions: The ACLU of Arizona offices are open between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The physical demands and work environment described below represent those required and encountered by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Inputting information into a computer for extended periods of time.
• Periodically working extended hours, including some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Regular travel locally and in-state, and some out-of-state travel as needed.

Why work for the ACLU of Arizona?  

Time off: Staff get 15 vacation days their first three years; 20 days after four years. We observe 16 holidays, and all staff have 1 personal day off each month, a modified summer schedule with alternating Fridays off, and an extended winter break. 

Benefits package: We cover 100% of health, vision, and dental insurance for employees and 50% for dependents. We provide life and disability insurance, as well as reimbursement for some out-of-pocket healthcare related expenses. Staff are reimbursed for cell phones and home internet.  

401k Plan: We want you to be prepared for retirement! We match 100% of the first 1% of your salary deferred to your 401k, plus 50% of the next 5% of your salary contribution. And then, we contribute an additional 2% of your salary contribution each pay period.  

Commitment to our staff: We invest in staff growth, professional development opportunities, and are committed to providing regular feedback and opportunities for advancement.  

Crystal clear focus: Our team focuses on some of the most important and urgent issues of our times – from abortion rights, voting rights and democracy, LGBTQ+ rights, criminal legal reform, immigrants’ rights, border justice, and racial justice.  

Our team is amazing: You will be working with incredibly dedicated, smart, and caring people who know how to have fun while getting a lot done in a low-ego environment. In addition to your Arizona colleagues, you will become part of a national network of ACLU staff in all 50 states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico!  

How to Apply

Email your resume, cover letter, a writing sample, and three professional references to jobs@acluaz.org with “Legal Director” in the subject line. In your cover letter, please tell us how you learned about the job, how your qualifications make you the right person for this job, and about your interest and experience with civil rights, civil liberties, and social justice. All attachments should be in Word or PDF format.

No phone calls or walk-ins, please.

The ACLU of Arizona undertakes inclusive strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodation in the application process to contact jobs@acluaz.org.  

Deadline: September 30, 2025; we will review applications on a rolling basis.

The ACLU of Arizona is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We 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, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction.