Job Description
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is looking for a litigator who is excited about fostering digital creativity, justice and innovation to join our legal team. Candidates must have some experience in patent litigation and policy, plus experience with copyright issues. Experience with or strong interest in unfair competition, administrative law, telecommunications, privacy, and/or First Amendment litigation are preferred but not required. In addition to litigation, you will help set EFF’s strategy to patent policy, including evaluating legislative proposals and coordinating with allies. Responsibilities will include: all aspects of litigation, including case development and management; writing amicus briefs; blogging and other social media writing; public speaking and media appearances; advancing legislative and regulatory matters related to technology and the public interest; and occasional direct client counseling. While patent experience and interest is essential, you should not expect to work on patent issues full-time; our IP work is varied and responsive to evolving challenges in the digital space, so your docket will likely consist of other matters for 50% or more of your time.
The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of litigation experience, though some qualified candidates may have more. That experience should include devising and carrying out case strategy and handling day-to-day projects and deadlines. Candidates must have excellent writing and analytical skills and an eagerness to be part of a team of highly motivated lawyers and activists working collaboratively in a nonprofit environment. We value candidates who bring diverse experiences and perspectives, professional and otherwise, to our team and to EFF as a whole, and who likewise value diversity among their colleagues and collaborators.
Tech savviness and a familiarity with issues at the intersection of technology and the public interest are preferred; an eagerness to learn is essential.
This position is based in San Francisco, and we expect to return to working primarily from the office in mid-2022 (though we continue to re-evaluate this plan in light of new developments with the pandemic and the needs of EFF employees). Because we are highly collaborative and value our in-person time together, applicants seeking to work remotely on a full-time basis will not be considered.
Interested applicants should submit the following (as PDFs please):
- A cover letter explaining in detail your specific interest in EFF and this particular job, and the relevant experience you will bring to the EFF legal team.
- A resume, highlighting your most pertinent experiences
- A brief excerpt from a litigation document on which you were the primary author that shows your persuasive legal writing and reasoning skills (800 words maximum)
EFF will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled, beginning March 15, 2022.
As an advocacy organization, EFF is committed to being part of a diverse community. Diversity of life experiences makes a big difference in how we identify and litigate legal issues, design privacy-enhancing software, and organize our activism. To that end, we deliberately seek applicants with different perspectives, identities, and experiences to build an inclusive workplace to better inform our advocacy and defense of freedom in our digital world. EFF is an equal opportunity employer and encourages people of all races, genders, ages, abilities, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.