Staff Attorney

About Reprieve US:

Reprieve US is a registered 501(c)(3) assisting victims of extreme human rights abuses carried out by governments. We are made up of lawyers, investigators, and advocates helping people face detention without trial, execution and extra judicial execution. We are a small team but we are fearless in our fight for justice.

We work closely with our sibling organization, Reprieve, a UK charity founded in Reprieve US uses strategic interventions to end the use of the death penalty globally and to end extreme human rights abuses carried out in the name of “counterterrorism” or “national security”.

The Role:

Reprieve US is seeking a Staff Attorney to join its innovative US Death Penalty Project. This ground-breaking initiative is centered on preventing the misuse of medicines in executions, an initiative which has contributed to the long-term decline in capital punishment in the US (read more here: https://lethalinjectioninfo.org/)

The attorney will be responsible for investigating current and future lethal injection drug execution methods, including the source and supply chain of drugs. They will progress creative litigation in state and federal courts, including working with local partners to support Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), First Amendment, and 28 U.S.C. § 1983 method-of-execution challenges, as well as to push back against execution secrecy laws.

The attorney will maintain and develop relationships with stakeholders to advance Reprieve US’ death penalty work on a state and national level, including: capital defense attorneys, partner organizations, business representatives, and funders.

They will also support non-litigation advocacy activities related to the US death penalty, including public education and advocacy to expose the myth of the humane execution and highlight the negative consequences of lethal injection and secrecy for business, public health, and taxpayers.

The successful candidate is excited to use a range of different tools to achieve systemic change. The candidate will be creative, detail-oriented, and fully committed to Reprieve US’s position on the death penalty.

The attorney will join a dynamic team of lawyers and policy experts working at Reprieve US, and become part of a wider group of international lawyers, investigators, and campaigners at Reprieve who work globally against the death penalty.

Applicants must have the current right to live and work in the US. They will have a minimum of 2 years of post-law school experience working in litigation and/or legal advocacy.

This role will be based in Reprieve US’s Washington D.C. office on a hybrid basis. They will be supervised by a Manager in the US Death Penalty Team. The role will likely involve travel within the US and international travel to liaise with partners at Reprieve UK’s London office.

Responsibilities:

The Staff Attorney will support Reprieve’s US Death Penalty Project on activities across the following areas of the project:

Research, Investigation & Analysis

• Use a range of investigative and research techniques to gather information on lethal injection protocols and methods of execution in the United States;
• Draw on public sources and private networks to closely monitor state and national political developments which may impact our work;
• Monitor and respond to developments within the pharmaceutical industry relating to lethal injection execution drugs.

Strategic Litigation

• Support litigation and advocacy around Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), First Amendment, and 28 U.S.C. § 1983 method-of-execution challenges, and as well as on execution secrecy. This may involve preparing written materials, engaging with lawyers, experts and family members, and engaging with third parties who may be willing to make public or private interventions on behalf of death row prisoners;
• Conduct legal research and write legal memoranda on specific state/federal law issues relating to various aspects of the work, including on lethal injection and method of execution issues;
• Track case developments at the state and federal level that are relevant to Reprieve US’ strategic priorities;
• Cultivate and maintain partnerships with capital defense teams, experts and other professionals, and organizations, and provide technical assistance and expert advice to these contacts;
• Analyze legislation or potential litigation and proactively identify opportunities for strategic litigation;
• Create and maintain up-to-date casework databases and data sets; and
• Conduct research and advocacy in support of Reprieve’s cases.

Advocacy and Public Education

• Prepare internal- and external-facing educational materials, advocacy briefings, formal correspondence, presentations, and other documents in service of Reprieve US’ strategic objectives, individual cases and policy work on the US death penalty;
• Provide local partners with educational materials, including Reprieve’s key messages on core issues, including execution protocols, business and public health arguments around lethal injection, cost, execution secrecy, and alternative execution methods;
• Develop, together with policy and advocacy colleagues, an understanding of the political environment in key executing states and how this may impact Reprieve US's strategic objectives; coordinate with local partners and Reprieve’s communication team to establish whether and how media engagement should be conducted to serve our goals in key states; and work with communications colleagues to prepare materials for engagement with media, either directly or via trusted local partners;
• Collaborate closely with other members of the organization and at Reprieve UK, including Policy, Communications, and Digital and Campaigns, in order to advance advocacy objectives for the US Death Penalty Project;
• In collaboration with the Joint Executive Directors, Deputy Director, and the Development and Outreach team, maintain relationships with Reprieve US’s funders and take opportunities to keep them up to date with Reprieve US’s work, while also understanding the wider funding landscape and spotting opportunities to engage new potential funders.

This role may also involve the line management of summer and year-long fellows and secondees as needed, and the undertaking of special projects that further the mission of Reprieve US from time to time, particularly where such projects have an overall organizational focus.

Key Contacts:

Reporting to Head of US Death Penalty Team, the Staff Attorney will work closely with all members of the US Death Penalty Team, including the Deputy Director of Death Penalty Projects, Deputy Director of Reprieve US, the US Policy and Advocacy Officer, and other members of the organization and at Reprieve UK, including the Policy, Communications, and Digital and Campaigns teams; Fellows and others engaged by Reprieve; partner organizations and external legal teams.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• A genuine interest in human rights and a commitment to Reprieve's goals
• Current right to live and work in the United States
• J.D. or equivalent degree
• At least 2 years of post-law school experience working in litigation and/or legal advocacy
• Ability to think creatively and problem-solve
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated legal research skills
• Highly organized with attention to detail
• Ability to progress multiple streams of work independently
• Ability to maintain and develop stakeholder relationships
• Proven ability to juggle multiple tasks and exercise good judgment in a high-pressured environment
• Sound judgment and discretion with respect to highly confidential and sensitive information
• Ability to work harmoniously and collaboratively in a small team
• Ability to manage in a remote working arrangement efficiently by taking responsibility for effective communication systems and showing respect for colleagues' time
• Proficiency with MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook

Desirable

• Prior experience in capital defense litigation, investigation, or advocacy
• Prior experience working on human rights issues relating to the death penalty
• Experience working with and supervising staff (including remote staff)

Reprieve US is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To apply, download the application form and job description from our website at www.reprieve.org. Please upload the completed application form by 11.59pm EST on January 5, 2025 to https://hr.breathehr.com/recruitment/vacancies/38695?identifier=reprieve

Please note that cover letters, resumes, and other documents cannot be considered for this role and should not be submitted. We are also not able to accept applications via email.