Attorney - PIA and 4th Amendment Case Investigator - Institute for Justice

Do you want to use your legal background to help IJ attorneys break down the barriers preventing victims of government abuse from holding their abusers accountable? Or help protect one of America’s foundational property rights: The right to be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures?  

The Institute for Justice (IJ) is currently looking for an attorney to serve as a potential case investigator, assisting our teams focused on the Project on Immunity and Accountability (PIA) and Project on the 4th Amendment. The Case Investigator will work with both project teams on advancing doctrinal goals. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to use their legal background to protect the rights of everyday Americans. The role will require superb legal knowledge, analysis, and judgment but is not a litigation position. 

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Using judgment to evaluate potential cases 

• Writing memos about potential cases 

• Contacting potential clients and conducting an initial screening and fact-gathering interview 

• Contacting lawyers with potential cases that seem promising after some initial research 

• Coordinating with attorneys and others on strategy and types of cases we are looking for, as well as steps to take to advance the possible case 

• Staying up to date on legal precedent in these rapidly changing areas. 

• Calculating the dates by which action must be taken by us so good potential cases do not fall through the cracks 

• Doing preliminary background checks on potential clients 

• Doing internet/media research on potential clients 

• Contributing to the PIA and Fourth Amendment teams  

• Coordinating with PIA and Fourth Amendment lawyers to make sure promising cases are staffed 

• Maintaining a running list of potential Immunity and Accountability cases 

• Maintaining a running list of potential Fourth Amendment cases 

• Monitoring news items and case decisions for potential cases or takeovers 

• Other duties as assigned. 

Primary Qualifications: 

• J.D. required  

• Active membership, in good standing, with a state bar or eligible to be admitted in good standing to a state bar 

• Ability to manage many ongoing projects at once. 

• Excellent communication skills, particularly when interacting with a broad range of people with different socio-economic status, education levels, and English-language proficiency. 

• A welcoming and friendly demeanor on the phone while being able to obtain relevant information. 

• Knowledge of research databases (Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, etc.), court docket software (PACER, ECF, state equivalents), and public records requests. 

• Ability to act upon directives with minimal supervision. 

• Familiarity with modern task-management systems—for example, spreadsheets, Microsoft Teams, Google Tasks.  

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Fluency in Spanish 

• Appellate experience or analysis is a bonus 

• Familiarity with arrest records, court dockets, code or law enforcement 

• Ability to travel 

Benefits: 

• Hybrid work schedule (in the office 3 days week, remote up to 2 days) 

• Flexible work hours with our core business hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

• Smart casual dress code; casual Fridays 

• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance (IJ covers 100% of individual premiums)  

• Free Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life insurance plans  

• HSA employer contributions  

• 401(k) with employer matches  

• Generous PTO including a paid personal day and 12 paid holidays  

Institute for Justice: 

IJ, the national law firm for liberty, is the country’s leading public-interest law firm in the areas of economic liberty, free speech, private property rights and educational choice. Our litigation attorneys work on cutting-edge constitutional cases, fight to end government abuses in key areas such as civil forfeiture and qualified immunity, and champion individual rights.  

Additional information on the Projects: 

The Institute for Justice’s Project on Immunity and Accountability is devoted to a simple idea: If we the people must follow the law, our government must follow the Constitution. Qualified immunity and other legal doctrines let government workers violate constitutional rights with impunity. IJ works to eliminate these barriers to accountability. One example is the recent case, Box v. Broward County, et al, when a woman was wrongly arrested and thrown in jail over the Christmas, all because police and jail personnel refused to check their paperwork to ensure they had the right person.  

The Institute for Justice’s Project on the Fourth Amendment strives to protect one of America’s foundational property rights: The right to be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures. As government has grown in size and scope, judges have invented one exception after another, and now every American is at risk of government searches, seizures, and surveillance. IJ defends vital rights to privacy and security. Click here to learn about a recent 4th amendment case, Pennsylvania Fish Cops. 

IJ is an equal opportunity employer.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At IJ we value a diverse workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

To learn more about our culture and benefits, visit our Working at IJ page.

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