Job Description
The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP) protects and advances the constitutional and civil rights of people incarcerated and detained in Pennsylvania through litigation, advocacy, and legal assistance. PILP is a legal aid organization that provides free civil legal services to over 100,000 people housed in jails, prisons, immigration detention centers, halfway houses, juvenile detention facilities, and state hospitals.
Our organization is committed to ensuring that incarcerated and detained people are treated humanely, have access to medical and mental health care, are safe from violence and sexual abuse, receive accommodations for their disabilities, have the ability to observe their religion, and more. PILP’s litigation is primarily in the federal courts.
PILP is based out of three offices located in Philadelphia, Lewisburg, and Pittsburgh. This position is for the Pittsburgh office. PILP staff work on a hybrid schedule. It is expected that this attorney will be physically present in the Pittsburgh office at least 3 days a week.
PILP is flexible on a start date, but would like the position to start no later than early fall 2025.
Responsibilities:
- Litigate statutory and constitutional civil rights claims on behalf of incarcerated people, primarily in federal court.
- Conduct visits to prisons and other institutions to meet with clients and monitor ongoing conditions of confinement.
- Work closely with PILP’s attorneys, paralegals, and clients to investigate and develop potential cases.
- Provide legal advice and pro se assistance to incarcerated people through letter intake and legal calls/video visits.
- Collaborate with staff in all three offices on advocacy and legal strategy.
- Develop relationships with community partners.
- Be engaged with the legal and local community on issues pertaining to incarceration and other related legal issues.
Qualifications:
- Excellent research, analytic, legal writing, oral advocacy, and communication skills.
- Strong work ethic, initiative, sound judgment, and creativity.
- Federal litigation experience (including as a judicial law clerk), especially on the legal rights of the incarcerated, civil rights, or constitutional law, is strongly preferred but not required.
- Willingness to travel and work outside of normal business hours.
- Proficiency with technology, including Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Word, Excel, Sharepoint).
- Commitment to public interest work and the role of PILP in safeguarding the rights of incarcerated and institutionalized people.
- Awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and orientations due to PILP’s diverse client base.
- Bilingual capabilities, especially Spanish, are a plus.
- Pennsylvania bar admission, or admission to another state bar and willingness to apply for admission to the Pennsylvania bar.