Staff Attorney
Special Instructions to Applicants
Cover letter is required with application submission.
The onsite requirement is 3x/week on campus.
This is a 1 year contract with the possibility of extension and/or conversion to a career appointment.
Department Summary
The Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA School of Law promotes research, collaboration, and advocacy aimed at ensuring continued free and fair elections in the United States. The Project aims to protect the cornerstone of American democracy: that all eligible voters, and only eligible voters, will be able to freely cast a vote that will be fairly and accurately counted, with the winner of the election peacefully taking office and accepted as legitimate. It also focuses on bolstering the rule of law, the right to vote, and democratic institutions and norms. The Safeguarding Democracy Project is built upon the premise that tackling issues of U.S. election integrity must be collaborative: across ideologies, across scholarly disciplines, and as a bridge between theory and practice.. For more information, please visit our website at https://law.ucla.edu/academics/centers/safeguarding-democracy-project.
Position Summary
The Safeguarding Democracy Project seeks a staff attorney to engage in creative, high-quality research, analysis, and writing related to election law and protecting free and fair elections. The Staff Attorney will further SDP's mission by conducting legal and multi-disciplinary research on a range of election law and related issues, including state and federal constitutional protections for free and fair elections, the effects of state laws and policies on protecting peaceful transitions of power, and other topics. The Staff Attorney will work with SDP's Director and will lead volunteer law students and outside attorneys in research and writing amicus briefs; assist in producing academic research and writing helpful to decisionmakers and policymakers concerned about fair election practices; and contribute to reports, academic articles, public comments, and other SDP work. This will be a one-year position with the possibility of extension, and it will be based in Los Angeles, California. The candidate will be expected to attend and participate in SDP events on campus and generally be on campus 2-3 days per week. Additional work may be done remotely as agreed to by the SDP Director.
Salary & Compensation
*UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to perform the highest-caliber legal research and writing. (Required)
- Demonstrated experience with or substantive knowledge of election law. (Preferred)
- Excellent skill in speaking effectively and persuasively to individuals and groups from various social contexts, across ideologies, across academic disciplines, and between academics and practitioners. (Required)
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to work effectively under conditions of heavy workload, frequent interruptions, distractions, and deadlines. (Required)
- Knowledge of work on election law and election integrity nationwide. (Preferred)
Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations
- Juris Doctor (JD) Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience (Required)
- Attorney admitted to practice law in California and in various federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. (Preferred)
Special Conditions for Employment
- Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
- Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.
- Age Requirement: Candidate(s) must be 18 years or older to be eligible to be hired.
- Attorney admitted to practice law in California and in various federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court (Preferred)
- Ability to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends as needed to fulfill job responsibilities.
Schedule
Monday - Friday | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and some nights/weekend
Union/Policy Covered
RP-Research and Public Service PR
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