Work With Us

Justice Fellowship Position Opening

Partnership for Civil Justice Fund
Center for Protest Law & Litigation

Full-time one year position with possibility of renewal. Position may be located in the Washington, D.C., or Oakland, CA, office. Both offices currently operate on a hybrid work schedule. 

Who We Are and What We Do:

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) brings high-impact free speech, civil rights and constitutional rights litigation and provides criminal defense to those who are targeted for prosecution because of their First Amendment-protected viewpoints and advocacy for justice. We protect and advance the rights of protestors to organize, assemble, and demand justice around the country.

For over 30 years, the PCJF has been a leading voice in the legal fight to defend democracy and advance constitutional rights and social justice by litigating landmark civil rights, civil liberties, and First Amendment cases and by providing legal defense to justice movement organizations and activists targeted for their First Amendment-protected speech and activities. Our litigation work is integrated with outreach, education, and advocacy in partnership with other civil rights lawyers, affected communities, activists, and organizations in racial, social, and environmental justice movements. Our work is focused ultimately on creating meaningful social, political, and legal changes and dismantling systems of repression.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a West Coast office in the Bay Area, we litigate around the country.

The Position:

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund seeks a skilled, enthusiastic, and motivated recent law graduate, judicial clerk or new lawyer to join our legal team in the fight for civil rights, free speech and democracy and the defense of grassroots movements for justice.  The work will involve the range of PCJF’s civil rights matters including the work of the Center for Protest Law & Litigation regarding legal matters in the context of free speech, assembly, and protest.

The Justice Fellow position, within a cutting edge and nimble litigation organization, offers an opportunity to fight for what you believe in, gain practical experience, grow, learn, and contribute within a collaborative and creative team that has substantial expertise in constitutional rights litigation and in the defense of First Amendment activity. The fellowship position is for applicants with 0-3 years of experience.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the legal team in advancing impact litigation including in discovery, depositions, motions practice and legal research.
• Work under the direction of legal team attorneys to prepare requests for documents including discovery and FOIA production; review and provide annotation, analysis and summaries of documents and videos.
• Participate in team meetings where the goal is to develop, evaluate and investigate potential claims, new projects and litigation strategies to forward our efforts to defend and advance civil rights and social justice nationally.
• May attend as appropriate depositions and court hearings as well as meetings with clients, grassroots organizations, or partner coalitions as part of the learning experience.
• Assist in other related duties as assigned.

Key Requirements and Qualifications:

• Excellent writing skills and ability to timely complete legal research that is specific, comprehensive, and accurate without the use of AI.
• Strong academic credentials and excellent communication skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail and a high level of organization.
• Ability to respond to direction, to work efficiently and manage time.
• Passion for the mission of the PCJF. Dedication to civil rights and social and environmental justice issues. Optimism.
• Excellent judgment and the highest level of professional integrity including in maintaining confidentiality.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills both individually and in teams.
• A strong work ethic and fighting spirit is essential as well as the capacity to work well under pressure, to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, and to meet deadline requirements and rapid response needs, including working occasional weekends and evenings when necessary.
• Being an all hands on deck person possessing a roll up your sleeves, “no job too small” approach to tasks and expectation towards work in a small civil rights organization. 

Preferred: Experience working with frontline communities and/or grassroots social justice movements. On-the-ground experience at demonstration activities.

Fellows must be (at the time of their start):

• Awaiting the results of their bar exam, awaiting admission after passing the bar exam, or admitted to the bar of a state, territory, or district of the United States. No disciplinary actions on record or pending.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. We will consider applicants who are currently available as well as applicants for the fall of 2027.

 START DATE:  September 2027 for graduating students after they have taken the bar; earlier start date for practicing lawyers depending on availability.   

SALARY

The salary range is $75,000 – $90,000 and will depend on the applicant’s bar status, years out of law school, relevant experience, and qualifications. Benefits include outstanding health and dental insurance that is 100% employer paid and an optional vision plan; short term disability insurance; three weeks paid vacation; additional personal and sick leave; all 11 paid federal holidays.

Please send a cover letter detailing why you are interested in this position at the PCJF, your resume, an unofficial transcript, and a writing samples of original work (5 pages maximum, excerpts are acceptable). Please state your bar admission status and if you have a geographic preference. Please state whether your fellowship may be externally-funded in whole or in part and if so, what fellowship funders may be available to you. Materials should be sent to [email protected] putting “Fellowship Application, [your full name]” in the subject line of the email.

Your cover letter must answer these three questions:

1. Explain your motivation for wanting to be engaged in the issues and areas we work on and what about our organization’s work speaks to you.

• Detail your experiences and skills that you believe are relevant to this type of litigation work and how they specifically relate to the fellowship as described.

• Very briefly describe a recent case (last four years) involving civil rights or free speech that caught your attention and why you think it matters (whether win or lose).

We prefer that you not use AI in writing your cover letter or in your submitted writing sample so we can see how you personally think and write.  If you do use AI, please note how and for what portions you used AI to support your work. Evidence of AI use without a note may disqualify your application.

Applicants invited to move forward will be contacted for an initial phone screen. Applicants who move forward after the phone screen will be invited to interview over Zoom.

NOTE: We are only accepting applications electronically submitted. Please do not make any inquiries about the position or the status of your application as we cannot respond individually to each application. We will contact those applicants that are of interest directly.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, age, formerly incarcerated person status, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.