Position Overview

The Abolitionist Law Center (ALC) is hiring a full-time administrative manager for our Pittsburgh office. 

The ALC Administrative Manager is responsible for the day-to-day oversight and coordination of administrative and operational functions of ALC including office management; bookkeeping and financial compliance; grant/donation documentation and compliance; and database and technology administration.  

This position is supervised by the Operations Director and works closely with the Executive Director to offer guidance on compliance, and with other Director level staff to collect all documentation needed for financial, grant, and legal reporting and compliance. The Administrative Manager will directly supervise part-time independently contracted office assistants. This role also supports Straight Ahead Organization, a 501c(4) organization.

The Administrative Manager is a vital support role for our legal and advocacy programs that advocate on behalf of incarcerated clients and their communities to challenge state violence in all its forms and contribute to building powerful movements for collective liberation.

Responsibilities

• Office Management
  • Organize and oversee all office operations; procurement of supplies; Maintain ALC’s file system; manage and develop office systems and maintain equipment
  • Coordinate some HR functions including hiring, onboarding, payroll, benefits, and personnel record management
  • Manage building maintenance requests for leased spaces; Manage technology and network administration
  • Supervise and support other administrative staff and contractors
• Bookkeeping and Financial Compliance
  • Complete daily, weekly, and monthly finance support activities including: documenting accounts payable and receivables; Credit card reconciliation; Receipt and invoice documentation
  • Assist with program and grant budget development and monitoring
  • Prepare lobbying and campaign finance reports for Straight Ahead Organization

• Grant/Donation Documentation and Compliance
  • Manage quality control processes related to grant record keeping and compliance. Assist with financial grant reporting.
  • Support the Development Director and Executive Director by offering guidance on required records keeping and reporting policies and protocols; 
  • Support Development Director to ensure they have the necessary information for data entry, record maintenance, and quality assurance oversight.

• Databases and Technology Administration
  • Administrator for all company accounts and platforms (including zoom, GSuite, Everyaction, Adobe, myCase, and MSOffice Suite)
  • Organize and maintain the organization’s Google Drive
  • Work with Paralegals and Legal Director to ensure Legal Department’s expenses are appropriately tracked in ALC’s case management system
• Other responsibilities as assigned
• Occasional travel to Philadelphia may be required.

Requirements

• Background and experience in business management, bookkeeping, human resources, and/or nonprofit administration
• Experience in an office management, finance, and/or grant administration role. Familiar with non-profit business processes
• Very strong attention to detail – exceptional planning, organizing, and administrative skills, specifically in establishing and maintaining office procedures and processes and maintaining filing systems and databases
• Problem-solver; willing to independently identify organizational needs, and initiate and lead projects to resolve them
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills
•  Expertise in GSuite, MSOffice,  and experience with donor databases and case management systems

Compensation

This position will be based in Pittsburgh, PA. This is a full-time position with a starting salary of $55,000 per year. Benefits include employer-sponsored medical, dental and vision insurance options (premium 100% covered by organization), options for traditional 401k and Medical Flexible Spending Account, and 280 hours of paid time off annually.

Application Process
Please send your resume, three professional references, and a detailed cover letter explaining your interest in the position as a single PDF to hiring@alcenter.org and include “Admin Application” in the subject line. We ask that applications be submitted by August 12, 2024 to receive full consideration.

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Abolitionist Law Center is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, LGBTQI-GNC people, and formerly incarcerated people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Statistics show that people from structurally marginalized communities are less likely to apply if they feel they do not meet 100% of the requirements. If you have a strong feeling that you are right for this position, no matter who you are, we strongly encourage your application.

Position Overview

The Abolitionist Law Center (ALC) is contracting a part-time Board Coordinator position based in Philadelphia, PA. The Board Coordinator will directly support the Executive Director and other board members as required. This position will also act as the liaison to the Board of Directors and related committees, and administers a variety of functions for the Board including coordination of board meetings, document retention/file management, preparing information/reports for board members, and assisting with coordination of board projects. 

Responsibilities

• Remain highly organized to efficiently coordinate all board meetings and other committee meetings as required. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Scheduling and facilitating bi-monthly virtual board meetings and 2 in-person board meetings each year
  • Compiling committee and Executive Director’s input into a cohesive agenda
  • Assistant to the Secretary of the Board – record meeting minutes from Board and committee meetings and submit to Secretary for filing
  • Coordinating attendance of Board members at meetings and other relevant events (providing calendar invites, meeting reminders, providing minutes when absent, etc.)
  • Assist Board Committees in scheduling committee meetings and recording minutes
• Communication of all decisions, actions, directives, and important information following board and committee meetings to the appropriate individuals or stakeholders. 
  • Compiling, composing, editing, and distributing detailed memos, e-mails, reports, and/or presentations relevant to the Board and/or upcoming meetings
  • Anticipate and follow up on outstanding agenda items, taking action to ensure information is provided to the board and committee members in a timely manner
• Assist the Executive Director in day-to-day logistics by managing their calendar; conducting follow-ups on necessary issues and items; maintaining travel and financial records; and/or, performing other related activities as needed.
• Ensure the cleanliness and organization of ALC’s Philadelphia headquarters including the following:
  • Weekly/as needed dusting, sweeping, disposing of trash/recycling, generally managing clutter and file archives, etc.
  • Restocking office supplies and other consumables, when necessary
  • Ensuring that all utilities and other operational expenses are documented and forwarded to appropriate administration for payment
• Please note that responsibilities listed above are not exhaustive and duties may be subject to change as needed

Requirements

• Experience coordinating schedules and communication with executive-level staff

• • Able to demonstrate a sound understanding of agenda planning and practical experience in hosting meetings (virtually and otherwise)
  • Very comfortable navigating Google Workspace and Calendar; detail-oriented with diligent record keeping 
  • General knowledge of best practices in file management and digitization – both electronic and hard copies
  • Advanced written and oral communication skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Executive Director, board members, co-workers, and external partners
  • Self-starter with the ability to work independently, with relatively little supervision 

• Weekday availability, with the ability to work weekends/evenings as needed for meetings.  
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds and complete light cleaning and office organization tasks

Compensation

This position will be based in Philadelphia. This is an independent contractor position with a pay rate of $20.00 per hour for 5-10 hours per week.

Application Process

Please send your resume, three professional references, and a detailed cover letter

explaining your interest in the position as a single PDF to hiring@alcenter.org. We ask that applications be submitted by September 1, 2024 to receive full consideration.

Position Overview

The Abolitionist Law Center is hiring a staff attorney to work on our solitary confinement docket. This position may be based in our Philadelphia or Pittsburgh office. We are seeking an abolitionist lawyer to assist in litigating against solitary confinement. Solitary confinement is the innermost core of a system of state violence that upholds racial capitalism. The Abolitionist Law Center has been committed to abolishing solitary confinement from our first case, which successfully ended our client’s 22 years in isolation, through to our current docket that includes six class action lawsuits challenging solitary. The Staff Attorney will work with incarcerated clients and their communities and advocates to build the movement to abolish solitary confinement.

Responsibilities

• Litigate in state and federal courts.
• Work with ALC attorneys and co-counsel and organizers to manage a significant caseload, including substantial class action litigation.
• Frequent visits with clients and potential clients who are incarcerated.
• Lead investigations into solitary confinement practices in county jails in Pennsylvania. 
• Support public education and organizing efforts against solitary confinement.
• Develop and draft reports, position papers, memoranda, and other strategic communications on human and constitutional rights issues related to solitary confinement.
• Attend weekly staff meetings, providing feedback to leadership and staff to improve organizational effectiveness.
• Commitment to an abolitionist politics and movement-lawyering approach to our work that seeks to replace punitive justice with healing justice, promotes decarceration and the elimination of the use of jails/prisons to deal with social problems, and centers the political agency and organizing activity of those individuals and communities most impacted by the criminal legal system.

Requirements 

• J.D. and active bar membership.
• 3-5 years litigation experience. 
• Proficient writing ability, capable of clarity, efficiency, and analytical precision.
• Excellent legal research skills.
• Ability to manage substantial and complex caseload.

Recommended

• Experience in § 1983 litigation, jail and prison conditions litigation, and class action litigation

Salary and Benefits

This position will be based in ALC’s Philadelphia or Pittsburgh office. This is a full-time, salaried position. The salary for this position is $73,00 – $77,000 annually. Benefits include employer-sponsored medical, dental and vision insurance options (premium 100% covered by organization), options for traditional 401k and Medical Flexible Spending Account, and 280 hours of paid time off annually.

Reports to: Legal Director

Application Process

Please send your resume, three professional references, and a detailed cover letter explaining your interest in the position as a single PDF to hiring@alcenter.org.  Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible to receive priority consideration. This position is open until filled.

Abolitionist Law Center is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, LGBTQI-GNC people, and formerly incarcerated people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Statistics show that people from structurally marginalized communities are less likely to apply if they feel they do not meet 100% of the requirements. If you have a strong feeling that you are right for this position, no matter who you are, we strongly encourage your application.

Position Overview
The Abolitionist Law Center (ALC) is hiring a full-time paralegal/legal assistant for our Pittsburgh office. The ALC paralegal works with our legal department in litigation, investigation, and research tasks, communicating with incarcerated clients, managing case files, and managing intake correspondence. This is a full-time, in-person, Pittsburgh-based position. The paralegal will work with incarcerated clients and their communities and advocates to challenge state violence in all its forms and contribute to building powerful movements for liberation.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with ALC attorneys on litigation-related tasks, including drafting correspondence, organizing, managing, and reviewing discovery; conducting research; managing case files in a database; assisting with filings, preparation for court proceedings, and document requests; assisting with client communication; and a variety of other litigation support tasks.
• Manage large volume of physical mail and email correspondence regarding difficult circumstances of incarcerated people. This includes reading, tracking, scanning, writing, sending, and storing physical mail.
• Conduct visits and calls with clients and potential clients who are incarcerated.
• Assist in investigations of conditions of confinement in jails and prisons in Pennsylvania, including developing and maintaining relationships with potential clients, witnesses, organizers, and community partners; preparing and managing record requests.
• Attend weekly staff meetings, providing feedback to leadership and staff to improve organizational effectiveness.
• Other duties and special projects as needed.
• Some travel within the state of Pennsylvania may be required.

Requirements

• Commitment to an abolitionist and movement-lawyering approach that seeks to replace punitive justice with healing justice, promotes decarceration and the elimination of the use of jails and prisons to deal with social problems, and centers the political agency and organizing activity of those individuals and communities most impacted by the criminal legal system.
• Exceptional organizational skills, capable of maintaining voluminous electronic and physical case and correspondence files.
• Proficiency in using or ability to learn Microsoft Word, Excel, and Sharepoint, Google Mail, Docs and Sheets, Adobe Acrobat, and legal case management software.
• Able to track, organize, and respond to a large amount of correspondence.
• Excellent writing ability, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to conduct legal research on an as-needed basis.

Compensation
This position will be based in ALC’s Pittsburgh office. This is a full-time position with a starting salary of $55,000 per year. Benefits include employer-sponsored medical, dental and vision insurance options (premium 100% covered by organization), options for traditional 401k and Medical Flexible Spending Account, and 280 hours of paid time off annually.

Application Process
Please send your resume, three professional references, and a detailed cover letter explaining your interest in the position as a single PDF to hiring@alcenter.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Abolitionist Law Center is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, LGBTQI-GNC people, and formerly incarcerated people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Statistics show that people from structurally marginalized communities are less likely to apply if they feel they do not meet 100% of the requirements. If you have a strong feeling that you are right for this position, no matter who you are, we strongly encourage your application.

ALC accepts applications from October 1st thru January 31st for our summer legal internship positions.

The 10-week summer internship program is for law students interested in abolition and movement lawyering, who successfully complete their first year of law school and want to work with us in defending the human rights of incarcerated people and their communities in Pennsylvania.

Our casework includes solitary confinement litigation, direct representation of those seeking medical transfer under the state “compassionate release” law, post-conviction criminal representation, prison conditions litigation, and class action litigation against Philadelphia and Allegheny County Jails over their treatment of the incarcerated population.

ALC is accepting three Philadelphia-based interns who will be asked to work in ALC’s Philadelphia office at least two days a week, and two remote interns who can work from any location.

Statistics show that people from structurally marginalized communities are less likely to apply if they feel they do not meet 100% of the requirements. If you have a strong feeling in your gut about this position, no matter who you are, we strongly encourage your application.

Apply: Applications should be sent in a single email with one PDF attachment including all materials (listed below) with the subject line “Legal Internship Application” to Rupalee Rashatwar, Staff Attorney, at rupalee@alcenter.org.

Applicants are required to submit the following:

• Cover Letter: No more than two pages double-spaced. Include name and contact information; current law school or legal education; whether you are interested in a Philadelphia-based position or a remote position; your interest in prison abolition; why you want to work with the Abolitionist Law Center; and what experiences, skills, or attributes of yours make you suitable to work with ALC.
• Resume: No longer than one page in length to reflect most recent work history. Previous internships and volunteer and organizing experience may also be included.
• Professional References: Please provide three professional references. These can be prior employers, volunteer coordinators, or other people with whom you have worked. These should be from people who can attest to your ability to handle challenging intellectual work, learn new material, work well in a collaborative setting, and communicate effectively.
• Legal Writing Sample: no longer than five single-spaced pages or 10 double-spaced. This can be an excerpt from a longer writing.

Decisions: Decisions will be made on a rolling basis.

Funding: There is no guaranteed funding available from ALC for these positions; students will be required to finance their internship via grants or fellowships.