STAFF COUNSEL, CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM PROGRAM

Position Description

Impact for Equity seeks a dynamic and experienced attorney with a demonstrated commitment to racial and social justice to join our Criminal Legal System team as Staff Counsel. The successful candidate will be flexible, creative, and comfortable working independently and within a team on multiple projects of varying complexity. This is an exciting opportunity to provide vision, leadership, and support on some of the most vital social justice issues of our time.

This Impact for Equity Staff Counsel will develop laws, policies, and programs; create and implement advocacy strategies; and, as appropriate, engage in litigation, to promote the goals of the Criminal Legal System program. In cooperation with the Program Director and other Impact for Equity colleagues, this Staff Counsel works independently and within a team on multiple projects of varying complexity.

The Responsibilities Of Staff Counsel Include

• Conduct legal and policy research and analysis to develop and implement laws, policies, and programs, and, as appropriate, engage in impact litigation, to promote program goals;
• Explore, develop, and implement advocacy strategies and projects to address inequities within the criminal legal system, informed by legal and policy research, data analysis, and the expertise of directly impacted people and communities;
• Participate in, support and/or build coalitions, partnerships, and task forces, working to strategize, engage collaboratively;
• Prepare written materials including policy reports, issue briefs, op-eds, fact sheets, legal and policy memoranda, and legal briefs;
• Work with communications staff and colleagues to help develop and implement communication strategies and messaging to elevate Impact for Equity advocacy efforts and serve as spokesperson upon request;
• Build and maintain a deep working knowledge and professional expertise on priority legal and policy issues and the criminal legal system policy landscape;
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including impacted individuals, community members and leaders, community-based and ally organizations, policymakers, professional subject matter experts, and funders;
• Engage in cross-team collaboration and support and supervise fellows and interns on discrete projects:
• Develop short- and long-range strategies and monitor progress in achieving identified project goals;
• Cooperate with development staff to assist in securing external funding to support the work;
• Consistently integrate equity concepts into projects and interactions;
• Exemplify Impact for Equity’s core values and advance Impact for Equity’s mission and vision in all aspects of the work; and
• Travel in Chicagoland and to national conferences and meetings as needed.