The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico (ACLU-NM) seeks a full-time legal assistant. Founded in 1962, the ACLU-NM is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization which uses legal, legislative and public education approaches to protect and promote individual rights and freedoms, including free speech, racial justice, privacy, religious liberty, reproductive rights, LGBT rights, and more. The ACLU-NM is an affiliate of the national ACLU, the leading defender of civil liberties guaranteed by our nation’s Bill of Rights.
Position Overview

Under the direction of the Legal Director, the Legal Assistant provides administrative, financial, clerical and research support for 2-3 attorneys who litigate civil rights cases in state and federal courts in New Mexico. The Legal Assistant also serves as a liaison with other attorneys, court personnel, and clients.

Primary responsibilities include:

Provide support in the filing, review and organization of litigation documents, including briefs, motions, declarations, discovery, and correspondence.
Manage and coordinate the intake database.
Draft correspondence, declarations, and various court/legal documents such as requests, notices, and orders.
Maintain primarily electronic case files including pleadings, correspondence, discovery and other materials.
Maintain a calendar of attorneys’ litigation schedules.
Provide word-processing and litigation support to the Legal Director and Attorneys as needed.
Coordinate with accounting department on legal department expenses, case expenses, and reconciliation of monthly expenses.
Handle special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of legal assistant or related experience preferred.
Must be well organized, efficient, highly motivated, and able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and see them through to completion; work well under tight deadlines, and take initiative.
Knowledge of filing procedures and requirements for trial and appellate courts in state and federal systems, and experience researching all courts’ rules.
Experience with filing and case management system.
Strong written and oral communication skills; strong interpersonal skills.
Ability to work independently as well as within a team while maintaining a high level of efficiency and professionalism.
Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office; familiarity with spreadsheets preferred.
Experience creating tables of contents, tables of authorities, mail merges, and creating/inserting macros.
Excellent typing and proofing skills.
A flexible schedule desirable as work includes occasional evenings and weekends.

The ideal candidate is:

Personally committed to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, goals and programs.
A flexible, reliable, creative, and self-motivated person who can handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities.
A team player who collaborates well with staff members.
Emotionally mature and self-confident, with a sense of humor in order to maintain balance and perspective.
Committed to producing high-quality legal work.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits include paid time off, generous medical and dental insurance, 401(k) plan, life and long-term disability insurance, and generous paid holidays.

TO APPLY: Send cover letter, with salary requirements, resume, and names and contact information of three professional references either by email, in MSWord only, to HR@ACLU-NM.org .

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled but preference will be given to applications received by August 1, 2015.

The ACLU encourages 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, and veteran status.