The Thurgood Marshall Institute (TMI) at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) seeks an experienced Law and Policy Fellow to advance the work of the TMI’s Policing Reform Campaign. The duration of this position is one (1) year.

The Thurgood Marshall Institute.  TMI is a multidisciplinary center within NAACP LDF. Launched in 2015, the Institute complements LDF’s traditional litigation strengths, and brings three critical capabilities to the fight for racial justice: research, targeted advocacy campaigns, and organizing. The Institute also houses LDF’s Archives—a collection of materials chronicling the legal history of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Policing Reform Campaign.  As one of its inaugural initiatives, TMI launched a Policing Reform Campaign. The United States is undeniably in the depths of a national policing crisis. The life-threatening reality of racial bias in policing has undermined public confidence in our justice system, in law enforcement, and in the rule of law itself. Outrage over police-involved assaults and killings of unarmed African Americans—with many incidents captured in graphic and devastating detail on citizen cell phone videos—has inspired a movement of young activists, captured the public attention, and generated intense calls for a fundamental change in policing. 

Through TMI’s Policing Reform Campaign, LDF is reforming policing policies and practices through work at the federal, state and local levels. For more information about the Campaign, please visit https://www.tminstituteldf.org/advocacy/campaigns/policing-reform/objectives-strategies/.

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The NAACP Legal Defense Fund is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to you without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, age, veteran status, disability or genetic information.

Responsibilities:

• Assist with identifying, developing and implementing legislative and policy reform strategies at the federal, state, and local levels, consistent with TMI’s Policing Reform Campaign goals;

• Conduct policy and other forms of research in the areas of criminal justice and policing;

• Participate in and/or organize briefings with policymakers, including federal or state agency officials on TMI’s Policing Reform Campaign priorities;

• Assist with building and/or participating in national, state and grassroots coalitions, partnerships and task forces working to advance policing reforms;

• Work collaboratively with LDF’s attorneys, organizers and multidisciplinary teams to advance national, state and local reforms;

• Work collaboratively with LDF’s attorneys and researchers to write, publish and widely disseminate policy briefs, fact sheets, talking points, infographics, reports, and other documents that will educate legislators, agency officials, stakeholders and the general public about the need for policy changes to address issues and propose solid recommendations for change;
• Other duties as requested by the TMI Director, the Director of Policy, the Deputy Director of Policy, or other senior management.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Juris Doctor degree;

• Three or more years of experience in policy reform or advocacy at the federal, state or local level in the area of criminal justice;

• Excellent research, writing and public speaking skills;

• A demonstrated commitment to civil rights and racial justice;

• A demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong relationships and partnerships with national and grassroots coalitions of organizations, community members/leaders, and public officials;

• A demonstrated ability to think and plan strategically, including an ability to lead and manage complex policy reform efforts involving multiple issues and parties;

• Ability to work independently and on teams; and

• Ability to travel regularly.

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