current employment opportunities

Civil Rights Attorney

North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services (NCPLS) is seeking a staff attorney to lead our Jails Project. The Jails Project will promote social and economic justice through systemic change to our statewide jails and detention centers. There is a tremendous need for zealous legal representation for jail detainees and to hold facilities accountable for violations of constitutional rights. The Jails Team will serve people housed in all of the 55 jails throughout the state.

The Jails Project team will provide three major types of advocacy for our clients: immediate intervention, direct representation, and pro se assistance. The first type of advocacy is for detainees facing serious medical or mental health concerns or concerns for their physical safety. These clients would receive immediate action, which could include making a call to the facility, going to the jail to speak with the administration to rectify the issue, or even filing a temporary injunction to force the jail into action. The second other type of advocacy the team will provide is direct representation. We will bring actions for constitutional violations such as excessive use of force, failure to protect, negligent medical and mental health care, abuse of solitary confinement, and physical and sexual assault. The third type of advocacy we will use will be providing self-help materials. This will be the least preferred method of assistance, and will hopefully be used more and more sparingly as the project grows its capacity.

The Jails Team Attorney will be dedicated to holding jails accountable for safe and humane conditions throughout our state. The Jails Team would be comprised of an attorney and a paralegal, who work to improve the conditions of North Carolina’s jails. This role will be responsible for the following:

Reviewing claims to determine litigation priorities;
Work with paralegal to review and respond to all client and community inquiries;
Litigate constitutional claims arising from incidents that occurred in jail facilities;
Follow developing jail policy;
Work with community partners to maximize impact of Project.

We are seeking someone with 5+ years of experience. The perfect candidate for this role will have experience in litigating civil rights in the courtroom as well as with working with other attorneys, paralegals, and staff. We are looking for someone with a specific vision and ideas on how to ensure that incarcerated people are safe, protected, and treated humanely. We want a person who will think creatively about how to achieve these goals, be relentless in pursuit of them, and is willing to work with trusted partners. The ideal applicant would demonstrate excellent writing and analysis skills as well as a substantial and lasting interest in advocacy for marginalized people.

The successful applicant must hold a North Carolina law license. Salary is $55,000 to 70,000/year and is dependent on experience; excellent benefits, including generous annual leave, mileage reimbursement, medical, dental, and vision coverage, and retirement benefits.

NCPLS is an equal opportunity employer. NCPLS values a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. NCPLS encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability and veteran status. Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. NCPLS is dedicated to prioritizing diversity and inclusion, and encourages you to apply if you are enthusiastic about the opportunity but your experiences don't perfectly align. You may be the right candidate for this or other available roles.