Counsel, Justice Program – Criminal Justice Reform

Job Description

Counsel, Justice Program | Brennan Center for Justice

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at the Brennan Center for Justice, located in New York City. The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute dedicated to improving the systems of democracy and justice in the United States, acting as a think-tank, advocacy group, and communications hub. This role is crucial for advancing the Justice Program’s mission to create a fair and equitable criminal justice system by championing evidence-based reforms. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team focused on securing equal justice for all.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, New York, NY
• Pay: $110200–$145100 yearly
• Team: Reports to a Justice Program Director
• Mission: Create a fair, equitable, and effective criminal justice system by reforming policies and practices to reduce mass incarceration and promote dignity.

What You’ll Actually Do
• State Legislation: Support state legislative efforts across the country to improve the justice system, with a specific focus on prison reform.
• Research & Writing: Research, develop, and co-author reports and policy proposals for legal, legislative, media, and public audiences.
• Project Development: Generate new project ideas by researching and drafting concept papers, funding proposals, articles, opinion pieces, and speeches.
• Legal Research: Conduct research at the direction of senior attorneys and provide support for high-level meetings and public events.
• Advocacy Support: Draft white papers, talking points, public statements, and articles to support the Law Enforcement Leaders project.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Juris Doctor (J.D.) required.
• Experience: 3-4 years of work experience post-law school, including recent judicial law clerks. Prior experience working on state legislative priorities is also required.
• Skills: Excellent legal research and analysis, strong organizational skills with effective prioritization, the ability to write for diverse audiences, and sound judgment with strong interpersonal skills.
• Bonus: Comfort working with social science research and experts, openness to feedback, a self-starter mindset, and eagerness to work in a team-based environment.