Supervising or Staff Attorney, Women & Survivors Program

The Illinois Prison Project (IPP) is a nonprofit organization in Chicago that seeks to reduce mass incarceration by providing legal services to individuals incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). We focus on novel and creative approaches to prison reduction including commutation, sentence restructuring, public education, and advocacy.

IPP’s Women & Survivors Program (WSP) engages in advocacy and provides direct legal representation to incarcerated women and survivors of gender-based violence in clemency, parole, medical release, resentencing, and post-conviction matters. IPP is hiring either a Supervising or Staff Attorney who will be devoted to our Women & Survivors Program.

The ideal candidate will have experience in both the gender-based violence field and the defense-side criminal legal field, particularly for the supervising position. Candidates should be passionate about this work, skilled at working with clients, and have excellent oral and written advocacy skills. IPP requires all team members to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Proof of vaccination will be required. 

Responsibilities include:

• Represent incarcerated clients in post-conviction and resentencing proceedings, medical release and commutation, youthful parole, administrative advocacy requests, and pursuing other release mechanisms  
• Communicate regularly with incarcerated clients and their family members by phone, mail, and in-person
• Organize and track voluminous case materials, and maintain up-to-date client information in IPP’s case management system
• Assist with recruiting, training, managing, supervising, and supporting pro bono attorneys 
• Assist with proactively building and maintaining relationships with community partners in the gender-based violence and reentry fields 
• Assist with data collection and recording, keeping accurate and thorough client records in IPP’s case management software
• Assist with crafting social media messaging and events 
• Assist with programmatic and financial reporting for grants
• Other duties as assigned
  

Additional Supervising Responsibilities include:

• Supervise lawyer(s), support staff, law clerks, and their caseloads which may include post-conviction, resentencing, medical release and commutation petitions, youthful parole,  administrative advocacy requests, and other release mechanisms  
• Other duties as assigned
  

Desired Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate degree from ABA-accredited law school
• Licensed to practice law in Illinois by date of employment (exceptions may be made to allow time for licensure to be obtained for exceptionally qualified candidates)
• At least one year of experience working in the gender-based violence field, whether before or after law school
• At least one year of experience as a practicing attorney, with a strong preference for defense-side criminal legal experience
• Commitment to criminal legal reform in Illinois and social, economic, gender and racial justice
• Comfortable working with incarcerated clients with a diversity of backgrounds, identities, and types of convictions, including convictions related to sexual violence 
• Commitment to a trauma-informed approach
• Be self-driven, creative, highly energetic, and innovative
• Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and produce quality results
• Strong legal research and writing skills; strong proofreading skills 
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both in writing and orally
• Proficiency using Google and Microsoft suite; prior experience with case management software a plus
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, including to to work collaboratively with staff, interns, law clerks, and volunteers
• Flexibility to work some evenings and weekends as required
• Ability to commute to IPP’s office in Chicago and travel throughout the state for prison visits, parole board hearings, and other events (license is required; car not required)
• We also value lived experience related to incarceration, gender based violence, poverty, and community violence
  

Additional Mandatory Qualifications for the Supervising Attorney

• At least six years of experience as a practicing attorney is mandatory
• At least four years of defense-side criminal legal experience is mandatory 
• Experience with resentencing or post-conviction litigation is highly desired
• At least two years of experience working in the gender-based violence field is desired, whether before or after law school
• At least two years of experience in supervision is desired
  

Driver’s License and Travel: A driver’s license and willingness to occasionally travel downstate for court hearings and prison trips is required. A car is not required. 

Work Authorization: All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Location: Candidate must live in the Chicago area. Relocation and Illinois bar licensure, if necessary, may in rare circumstances be permitted to occur after the start date but must be accomplished as soon as feasible. IPP maintains a hybrid work environment, including working remotely and out of IPP’s office at 53 West Jackson Blvd in Chicago, Illinois. 

Reports To: Supervising Staff Attorney reports to WSP Director; WSP Staff Attorney reports to WSP Supervising Attorney 

Compensation for Staff Attorney:This is a full-time position with a starting salary of $90,053 - $117,072, and planned quarterly bonuses equivalent to $100,059 - $130,080, in accordance with IPP’s payscale which is based on experience. 

Compensation for Supervising Staff Attorney: This is a full-time position with a starting salary of $96,058 - $117,072, and planned quarterly bonuses equivalent to $106,731 - $130,080, in accordance with IPP’s payscale which is based on experience. 

Benefits: Full benefits include a 36-hour work week (half-day Fridays), 20 days of vacation leave, 2 additional weeks of office-wide closure for winter and summer breaks, sick/wellness leave, professional development stipend, and 401(k), along with health, dental, vision, long-term disability, short-term disability, and life insurance. IPP also makes a flat $1,000 contribution to all employees' 401(k) accounts.

Grant-Funded Position Dependent on Funding: The offer on this position will only be made upon the organization’s receipt of anticipated grant that has been authorized by the funder but not yet funded. Our goal start date is January 11, 2026; subject to change.

Union: The Staff Attorney position is part of a newly recognized bargaining unit represented by OIEPU, Local 39. IPP and OIEPU are currently negotiating for a collective-bargaining agreement that will govern the terms and conditions of employment, including benefits and salary, at IPP. At this time, employment is subject to IPP’s current terms and conditions of employment and current benefits and salary. Please note, however, that both are subject to the ongoing negotiations between IPP and OEIPU, and thus could change in the final collective-bargaining agreement.

Commitment to Diversity: Illinois Prison Project is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Illinois Prison Project believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

How to Apply:

• Please send 1) a resume, 2) a cover letter, 3) a writing sample, and 4) a single document with the names and contact information of three professional references, to hiring@illinoisprisonproject.org with “WSP Staff Attorney” or “WSP Supervising Attorney” in the subject line, depending on which position(s) you are applying for. 
• Applicants may apply for both positions. If you are applying for both positions, one  cover letter addressing both positions is preferred. Please use the subject line “WSP Staff & Supervising Attorney.”
• Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Due to the large volume of applicants, we will not be able to reply to individual emails about an applicant’s status. No phone calls, please.