Capital Punishment Legal Fellow

ACLU of Pennsylvania Seeks Capital Punishment Legal Fellow

The ACLU of Pennsylvania (ACLU-PA) invites rising third-year law students and recent graduates (within 2 years) to apply for a one-year, full-time Legal Fellowship position, beginning in the summer or fall of 2026, with the possibility of renewal. The primary project of the Legal Fellow will be assisting with litigation regarding the constitutionality and racial equity of Pennsylvania’s death penalty, working closely with the national ACLU’s Capital Punishment Project. The Fellow will also have the opportunity to contribute to other ongoing and related legal advocacy led by the ACLU-PA. This position will be based in Philadelphia, PA , or Pittsburgh, PA . The ACLU-PA currently offers a hybrid, flexible work schedule in which staff spend a minimum of two days per week working in their local office, while working from home when not in the office.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vision Statement

The ACLU-PA affirmatively values the humanity and contributions of those we work with, inside and outside of the organization, and will take action to build and sustain an equitable, anti-racist culture that centers the voices and experiences of marginalized and directly impacted people and communities, and an organizational environment where all people feel valued, trusted, and respected. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and having a workforce that reflects the populations that we serve; we actively recruit people of color, women, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people, and LGBQ&T, and gender non-conforming people.

The Approach

Our work is guided by the principles of freedom, equality, and justice enumerated in the Constitution. However, we understand that systemic racism and other forms of oppression have prevented the equitable application of these principles to all, and we strive to ensure that our approach accounts for this reality. We also acknowledge that demands of the work as well as the challenging subject matter it often involves take a toll. While we know that the path of this work is long and hard, we also value the importance of personal wellbeing. To that end, we endeavor to cultivate a culture that is supportive and sustainable and promotes taking care of oneself.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Gather, organize, and analyze court documents in Pennsylvania death penalty cases
• Submit, track, and pursue public record requests
• Conduct legal research and analysis to develop case theories
• Draft legal memoranda, pleadings, affidavits, motions, and briefs
• Draft and edit public education and non-litigation advocacy materials
• Conduct investigation and research regarding the history of the Pennsylvania death penalty

Qualifications

Required Education/Experience

• J.D. or expected to receive a J.D. by the Spring of 2026
• Membership in the Pennsylvania Bar. If you are currently a member of another state bar, you must either be eligible to be admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar or sit for the next available Pennsylvania Bar examination and pass within twelve months

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, racial equity, and civil liberties
• Strong research and writing skills, which can be demonstrated through clerkship, fellowship, clinical, summer internship, or other experience
• Excellent communication and active listening skills, particularly with people of varied backgrounds and experiences
• Demonstrated ability to conduct complex legal analysis and fact-finding
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently, manage a variety of tasks, and see projects through to completion
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality around sensitive issues

Compensation & Benefits

We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse workforce through equity initiatives, which includes equitable pay practices. Competitive compensation is commensurate with experience. The salary for the Capital Punishment Legal Fellow is $68,055 annually. Excellent benefits include generous vacation, personal and sick leave; individual/family employer-provided health and dental insurance; life insurance and long-term disability; defined contribution plan with employer match; and 11 paid holidays. This position is full-time, salaried, and exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Location

This position will be based in either our Philadelphia or Pittsburgh office. Under the ACLU-PA’s current hybrid remote work policy, the Capital Punishment Legal Fellow will be permitted to work up to three days per week remotely. We offer a flexible work schedule with the understanding that our work often extends beyond the traditional hours of 9 to 5.

Application Procedure

Applications will be accepted until January 5, 2025. Applications must include (1) a resume, (2) a cover letter, and (3) a writing sample.

Please submit your materials and attachments at . Application materials sent via email, postal mail or fax will not be accepted. No calls, please.

The ACLU of Pennsylvania advances equity and inclusion in the workplace by providing equal employment opportunity to support a work environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (over 40), sexual orientation, military and veteran status, and any other basis prohibited by law. The organization also provides reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. This equal employment opportunity policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, selection, advancement, training, problem resolution, and separation from employment. Through this policy, the ACLU-PA strives to establish and maintain an equitable and accessible work environment that is free from discrimination and supportive of a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of our communities and the people we serve.

About the ACLU of Pennsylvania

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization that serves as an enduring guardian of justice, fairness, and freedom, working to protect civil liberties and advance equity for all.

ACLU-PA defends and promotes the fundamental principles and values protected by the constitutions of the United States and of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as by national, state and local civil rights laws. For more than 100 years, the ACLU has sought in particular to protect and expand the freedoms of expression, belief and association; voting rights; the separation of church and state; the right to privacy, including reproductive freedom; due process of law, including the rights of the accused and of immigrants; limitations on the power of police; and the right to equal protection for all marginalized individuals and groups. In advancing these rights, ACLU-PA strives always to acknowledge and remedy the pervasive and persistent harms of systemic racism.

Integrating litigation, legislative and policy advocacy, organizing, and communications, ACLU-PA’s staff and volunteers work both independently and in coalition with those most affected by the issues we address to ensure that threats to liberty and the civil rights of all persons in Pennsylvania are met with stark resistance as we progress toward a more genuine multiracial, multicultural democracy.

ACLU-PA’s hiring process will comply with Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Records Screening Standards (“Ban the Box”) ordinance.