Racial Equity Attorney – CPR
The Center for Public Representations (CPR) seeks an attorney with a minimum of 3 years experience who can be an independent thinker and collaborative partner, someone whose lived experience informs their work and relationships, and who is dedicated to racial and social justice. This attorney would join our litigation team challenging discrimination against people with disabilities in BIPOC communities.
About CPR
CPR is a national non-profit civil rights firm engaged in systemic reform initiatives on behalf of people with disabilities in multiple states across the country, including Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Indiana, and others. CPR partners with law firms, disability protection and advocacy programs, and national organizations in impact litigation that seeks to end segregation and expand opportunities for integrated community living. CPR’s litigation in Rosie D. vs. Romney dramatically enhanced the delivery of home based mental health services to youth with serious emotional and behavioral conditions in Massachusetts. CPR’s groundbreaking litigation in Oregon enabled thousands of people with intellectual disabilities who had been previously segregated in sheltered workshops to work in competitive employment. More information about our cases and systemic litigation agenda can be found at http://www.centerforpublicrep.org/litigation-and-major-cases/litigation.
CPR’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
In our work on behalf of people with disabilities and in our work together as an organization we value dignity, respect and belonging for everyone. To help us achieve our goals and mission, we encourage applications from people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQI+ community, women, and people who believe they can add unique value to our staff and our mission.
CPR’s Racial Equity Initiative
As part of our mission to enforce and expand the rights of people with disabilities, we are working towards racial equity and community inclusion for all people, and to apply a race equity lens to our system reform work. We are committed to developing a new generation of attorneys who can lead this work for at least the next decade. We seek an attorney to focus on racial equity issues and work as part of a team on several system reform cases and policy initiatives designed to:
- Challenge police violence against people with mental illness and expand voluntary, community-based services as an alternative to police response to behavioral health crisis, with a particular focus on communities of color
- Challenge discriminatory mental health delivery systems for children and adults
- Challenge the unnecessary institutionalization in jails and psychiatric institutions of people with behavioral health disabilities due to the lack of community-based mental health services
In this role you will:
- Be part of a team that initiates, develops, and litigates complex civil rights cases, including both injunctive and damage actions
- Be a key contributor to CPR’s systemic reform initiative agenda
- Incorporate racial equity principles into litigation, systemic reform efforts, policy advocacy, and CPR priorities
- Partner with community-based advocacy and reform coalitions
- Learn and develop expertise in subject matter areas which impact people with disabilities
- Be part of a supportive, collaborative, and creative team that works together to promote community integration, racial equity, and choice for people with disabilities
Qualifications:
- Admission to the Massachusetts Bar or the bar of another jurisdiction
- At least three years of legal experience
- A demonstrated commitment to racial justice and civil rights
- Strong experience or interest in learning civil rights litigation and advocacy
- Ability to work with and learn from people from a broad range of diverse, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
- Strong research, writing, and communication skills
- Ability to travel
- Bilingual skills preferred, but not required
Location
This position can be fully remote or located in our Easthampton, MA office.
Salary and Benefits:
CPR offers a fixed salary scale based on experience. For example, the salary for an attorney with three years experience would be $89,000; 5 years experience would be $95,000, and 10 years experience would be $108,500. CPR offers a unique benefit package, including health, dental, life and disability insurance; paid time off including vacation, sick, personal days and retreat time for individuals, a flexible spending account; and a 403(b)-retirement plan.
Please send cover letter, resume, and writing sample to Cathy Costanzo (she/hers), Center for Public Representation, 5 Ferry Street, Suite 314, Easthampton, MA 01027, or by e-mail to hiring@cpr-ma.org.
Deadline
This position is open until July 14 or until it is filled. If you are having technical difficulties, or need assistance/accommodations to complete your application, please call (413) 586-6024.
