Guns and Democracy Attorney Fellow

Title: Guns and Democracy Attorney Fellow

Reports to: Senior Counsel & Director of Local Policy

Direct reports: None

Hours: Full-time, exempt

Location: Eastern or Central time zone preferred, Mountain or Pacific time zones considered

Led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Giffords is a nonprofit organization whose team is on a mission to save lives from gun violence. Giffords is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion. People of color, trans individuals, gender non-conforming individuals, women, people with differing abilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

For nearly 30 years, the experts at Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence have been fighting for a safer America by researching, drafting, and defending the laws, policies, and programs proven to save lives from gun violence. Founded in the wake of a 1993 mass shooting in San Francisco, in 2016 we joined forces with former Congresswoman and gun violence survivor Gabrielle Giffords to form a courageous new force for gun safety that stretches coast to coast, with offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, and New York.

Position Summary

We are seeking a motivated attorney or candidate awaiting bar results with 0-3 years of work experience for a two-year fellowship to work alongside Giffords’s legal, government affairs, political, research, and communications staff on state and local gun violence prevention policy including on our Guns & Democracy project. This is an excellent opportunity to join a premier organization at the center of America’s fight to end its epidemic of gun violence led by an inspiring national figure.

This is a full-time, two-year fellowship. Our preference is for a candidate who is in the Eastern or Central time zones but candidates working from other time zones in the contiguous US will be considered. Candidates who live within commuting distance of our Washington DC, New York, or San Francisco offices will have the opportunity to work in a hybrid remote/office model if desired.

This position requires the ability and willingness to occasionally travel and/or work nights and weekends. As the safety and wellbeing of our team is of utmost importance, Giffords has been following strict COVID protocols including a requirement that all staff members are fully vaccinated against COVID 19, including boosters.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Due to the high volume of applicants, no phone calls or emails, please.

Duties + Responsibilities:

The position’s specific job responsibilities will vary but some examples are as follows:

State and Local Policy Work

• Tracking, analyzing, and drafting legislation
• Conducting policy and other research
• Responding to requests for assistance from lawmakers, advocates, the press, and the public
• Preparing written products including bill support letters, public testimony, blog posts, and research reports
• Updating Giffords Law Center’s website with newly enacted legislation and court decisions
• Participating in calls and meetings with local, state, and national coalition partners
• Providing research and occasional administrative support to senior legal, government affairs, and research staff

Guns & Democracy Project

Under the direction of the Guns & Democracy project director, the staff attorney will help develop and execute an initiative dedicated to confronting the threat that armed violence poses to our democracy and its institutions. At a minimum, this will involve:

• Building relationships and forming coalitions with individuals and organizations in democracy protection advocacy spaces
• Tracking, analyzing, and developing legislation that protects people exercising First Amendment rights and engaging in other political activities from the threat of gun intimidation and violence
• Working with Giffords Law Center litigation attorneys and pro bono counsel to identify legal theories to to challenge laws or policies that facilitate armed intimidation of individuals or facilitate political violence
• Tracking violent and gun related rhetoric in campaigns, and candidate statements on violence and/or guns in public spaces
• Drafting op-eds, blog posts, and reports including but not limited to the unique role of American gun culture in political violence

Required knowledge, skills + experience

• JD with 0-3 years of post-law school work experience
• A license to practice law in the United States (candidates awaiting bar results may apply)
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Exceptional writing and editing skills
• Ability to communicate complex information effectively
• Strong capacity to analyze, interpret, and describe legislative text and policy proposals for both legal and non-legal audiences
• A demonstrated commitment to social justice advocacy
• Interest in legal policy work
• Strong belief in and commitment to gun violence prevention
• Strong work ethic and ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Highly organized; able to work independently and problem solve
• Solutions oriented, creative, and flexible
• Strong interpersonal skills, sense of humor and ability to work well on a team
• A commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism

Salary + benefits

The salary range for this position begins at $85,000 annually with the exact salary depending on experience. Competitive benefits include employer-funded health, dental, and vision insurance; health, transit, and parking flexible spending accounts; 401k plan with 4% employer match; reimbursement for cell phone and monthly wifi stipend, 25 days of paid time off (PTO) annually plus paid week closure at the end of the calendar year; and ten paid federal holidays.

Applying + the interview process

Apply with a resume and one-page cover letter that outlines your interest in and qualifications for this position.. Our interview process for this position includes a phone interview, a video interview, a skills assessment, and reference checks.

Giffords is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion. People of color, trans individuals, gender non-conforming individuals, women, people with differing abilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.