The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has been transformative–to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

LDF’s litigation, policy advocacy, organizing, and public education programs in the substantive areas of criminal justice, economic justice, education and political participation seek to ensure the fundamental and basic human rights of all people to quality education, economic opportunity, the right to vote and fully participate in democracy, and the right to a fair and just judicial system.

LDF seeks a Policy Counsel to advance the work of its Policing Reform Campaign.

The Policing Reform Campaign.  As one of its inaugural initiatives, LDF launched the Policing Reform Campaign in 2015 through its Thurgood Marshall Institute in response to public outrage over police-involved assaults and killings of unarmed Black and Brown individuals.  These incidents inspired a movement of activists, captured the public attention, and generated intense calls for a fundamental change in policing. For the past five years, LDF utilized policy advocacy, litigation, community organizing and communications strategies to advance unbiased and accountable policing at the national, state and local levels in partnership attorneys and activists.  For more information about the Campaign, please visit https://www.tminstituteldf.org/advocacy/campaigns/policing-reform/objectives-strategies/.

Responsibilities:

• Assist with identifying, developing and implementing legislative and policy reform strategies at the federal, state, and local levels, consistent with 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 the Campaign’s 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 and to research and launch public safety strategies that do not involve law enforcement;
• Review and summarize proposed legislation and assist with drafting model legislation;
• 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; and
• Other duties as requested by the Manager of the Policing Reform Campaign, Deputy Director of Policy/Director or State Advocacy, Director of Policy or other senior management.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree and admission to the District of Columbia Bar or ability to be admitted to the Bar;
• Three to eight years of experience in policy reform or advocacy at the federal, state or local level in the area of criminal justice and/or policing reform;
• 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.