We're hiring a staff attorney

Position: Staff Attorney

About us

Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice (Oklahoma Appleseed) is a nonprofit organization that fights for justice and opportunity for all Oklahomans. We take a system-based approach to complex issues – such as criminal justice, mental health care access, education policy, and voting access – and we take our work wherever we believe we can do the most good, whether that’s in the courthouse, at the Capitol, or in the community.

Commitment to Race Equity

Oklahoma Appleseed is committed to diversity, inclusion, equity, and dismantling systemic racism that produces inequitable outcomes for communities of color. These foundational values are central to our mission to increase justice and opportunity for all Oklahomans.

Position Description

Oklahoma Appleseed is currently hiring a Staff Attorney to work under the Legal Director. The Staff Attorney serves a key role in the OK Appleseed legal team by carrying out our mission through research, investigation, drafting memorandum and legal policy briefs, supporting the development of legal theories, and assisting in litigation.

The Staff Attorney will have excellent research, writing, and oral advocacy skills. The Staff Attorney must also be adept at managing up to elevate issues and legal theories that have otherwise not been advanced. Strong interpersonal skills are necessary to assist in policy discussions with non-legal staff at OK Appleseed. The Staff Attorney will report directly to the Legal Director. This position is litigation focused, but will consist of investigation and policy research to support non-litigation policy efforts.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE:

• To undertake research, writing and oral advocacy in the areas of criminal justice impact litigation - with a particular focus on juvenile justice, education justice impact litigation, and election/voting justice impact litigation.
• To draft pleadings, letters, memorandum of law, briefings for lawyers and lay people alike, and assist in drafting policy briefs.
• To collaborate with non-legal department staff to further the mission and objectives of OK Appleseed
• Supporting community organizing staff in coalition building, informing coalition partners on research outcomes, and collaborating to build community power behind research recommendations.
• To benchmark work of other Appleseed centers and assess litigation/issue viability for Oklahoma.
• Any other relevant project work that position has capacity and expertise for that is needed to further the mission of the organization.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school
• Active Bar License in the State of Oklahoma

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Relevant litigation experience
• Demonstrated ability to distill complicated legal issues into plain language
• Experience coordinating pro bono or community partnerships

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

• Commitment to excellence and timeliness
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills
• Strong leadership, diplomacy, and interpersonal skills

DESIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

• Flexibility and ability to adapt and learn new areas of law quickly
• Knowledge of Oklahoma’s legal and policy landscape
• Willingness to push individual knowledge boundaries and specific focus areas and work through the discomfort of not knowing everything all at once.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: Up to $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Tulsa, OK 74120

To apply, email a resume and. cover letter to [info] at [okappleseed] dot [org].