Work with us

Upper Seven Law is a Montana-based nonprofit law firm dedicated to holding the powerful accountable.  We believe that creativity and innovation in law is essential to advancing social justice and public interest objectives.  This firm takes smart risks and invests the time necessary to build foundations for long-term accountability work.

Position: Staff Attorney

Upper Seven Law seeks a motivated individual to join our team as Staff Attorney.  This role involves working alongside U7L’s Executive Director and Litigation Director in pursuing litigation, writing information requests, conducting legal research, interacting with the press, developing legal strategies, and engaging in other legal and administrative work as needed.

Ideal candidates will have prior litigation experience, as well as an entrepreneurial and action-oriented mindset with strong interpersonal skills; ability to work independently; excellent organization and prioritization skills; a rigorous attention to detail; a team-oriented attitude; and accomplished legal writing, research, and communication skills.  Enthusiasm for engaging creatively and dynamically with social justice problems and potential litigation opportunities is essential.

The position is based in Helena, Montana, and reports to the Executive Director and the Litigation Director.

Responsibilities & Opportunities:

·   Serving as lead or co-counsel in federal and state court proceedings on a broad range of public interest topics; see U7L’s website for a sample of ongoing litigation

·   Drafting and editing briefs, memos, press releases, and other documents related to ongoing litigation and new projects

·   Investigating potential cases and conducting legal research

·   Engaging extensively with U7L attorneys, support staff, and external partners and stakeholders

·   Proposing new litigation, ideas, and projects to advance U7L’s mission

Experience & Qualifications:

·   JD from an accredited law school

·   Active and in good standing membership with the Montana bar or the ability to be admitted in Montana

·   1+ year relevant legal experience

·   Demonstrated excellence in legal writing and legal research; policy or advocacy writing experience is a bonus

·   Enthusiasm for learning and willingness to ask questions and offer ideas

·   Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills

·   Interest in giving and receiving feedback openly and often

·   Rigorous attention to detail and deadlines

·   Strong organizational and time management skills

·   The highest standards for excellence in execution

·   Ability to perform nimbly in a rapid pace of work

·   Enthusiasm for working on a team and collaborating with others, particularly people who come from many backgrounds and perspectives

·   Passion for accountability, democracy, and the rule of law

Logistics:

·   Location.  Helena, MT

·       Compensation.  $80,000 annually plus health benefits

·   Commitment to a diverse workplace.  U7L is an equal opportunity employer.  We have committed our culture principles to writing and expressly emphasize the strength of diverse teams, which are more innovative, creative, and productive.  U7L enthusiastically encourages applications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

·   Growth opportunities.  Interested candidates who do not meet all listed criteria are nonetheless encouraged apply; U7L prioritizes mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.

Application instructions:  

Please send application materials as a single document to include: resume, cover letter, law school transcript, a writing sample, and contact information for three references.  If applicable, include hyperlinks to published writing.  In your cover email, please mention how you became aware of this position.  No phone calls, please. Submit by email to contact@uppersevenlaw.com with “[Your Last Name] – Staff Attorney application” in the subject line.  Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Position: Impact Associate

Upper Seven Law seeks a highly motivated individual to join our team as an Impact Associate.  In this role, you will work as a partner to Upper Seven Law attorneys in supporting litigation and accountability projects.  Assignments vary depending on individual cases and investigations; previous Impact Associate projects have included drawing new districting maps, tracking a defendant’s online activities, including threats against counsel, drafting declarations for incarcerated individuals, drafting deposition questions, and conducting initial review of discovery documents.  You will also provide administrative support, including organizing files, fact-checking and proofreading, preparing documents for filing, managing calendars, and maintaining Upper Seven Law’s website and other platforms.

The ideal candidate will be committed to learning quickly and will have: an entrepreneurial and action-oriented mindset; strong interpersonal skills; excellent organization and prioritization skills; rigorous attention to detail; a team-oriented attitude; and accomplished writing, research, and communication skills.  Enthusiasm for engaging creatively and dynamically with social justice problems and potential litigation opportunities is essential.

This position is excellent for individuals interested in applying to law school with two years of work experience.  Your work at Upper Seven Law will teach you about attorneys’ day-to-day tasks in a civil rights/plaintiffs’ firm, and you will have many opportunities to learn about the law.  Upper Seven greatly values mentorship for those beginning their careers in the law.

The ideal start date for this position is in June 2023.

The position will be based in Helena, MT, and reports to the Executive Director.

The Impact Associate will:

·       Pursue investigations and research projects proposed by the Executive Director and other attorneys;

·       Write memos synthesizing research conducted in connection with Upper Seven Law’s litigation, communications, and accountability work;

·       Design and implement work plans to advance strategic goals;

·       Build and maintain spreadsheets to track information;

·       Prepare, submit, and track information requests;

·       Support the process of building organizational infrastructure, to include everything from working through technical issues and glitches to drafting and/or proofreading workplace policies, onboarding materials, and related documents;

·       Send meeting invites, prepare and distribute meeting materials as appropriate, and take minutes;

·       Develop, design, maintain, and update the website and other platforms;

·       Draft engaging and accessible communication materials, to include press releases, op-eds, and tweets about litigation and other activities;

·       Assist with client intake, witness interviews, and hiring processes for staff and intern positions;

·       Engage with partners, clients, opposing counsel, and other external stakeholders;

·       Otherwise support litigation efforts, including assisting attorneys in preparing for court appearances, as well as coordinating court filings, and designing and maintaining a system for tracking legal proceedings; and

·       Propose new ideas and projects to advance Upper Seven Law’s mission.

The ideal candidate will have:

·       A bachelor’s degree or higher;

·       Enthusiasm for learning;

·       Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;

·       Strong administrative, organization, and time management skills;

·       Excellent writing, research, editing, and proofreading skills—policy or advocacy writing experience is a bonus;

·       Ability to track, prioritize, and balance a variety of ongoing responsibilities;

·       Comfort asking questions, offering ideas, and giving and receiving feedback;

·       Rigorous attention to detail and deadlines;

·       Demonstrated ability to manage projects;

·       Ability to perform nimbly and quickly when necessary;

·       Enthusiasm for teamwork and collaboration; and

·       Passion for accountability, democratic norms and values, and the rule of law.

Compensation: The salary for this position is $45,000 plus health benefits.

About Upper Seven Law

• Location. U7L is located in Helena, MT.  The Impact Associate’s work is integral to the office’s day-to-day functions and cannot be conducted remotely. 

• Commitment to a diverse workplace.  U7L is an equal opportunity employer.  We expressly emphasize the strength of diverse teams, which we know to be more innovative, creative, and productive.  U7L enthusiastically encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

• Competitive pay and benefits.  This position is full-time, offers a salary and benefits commensurate with experience, and is competitive with similar positions in the social justice and non-profit sector.  While we cannot match for-profit sector salaries, our staff generally make more than is typical in the nonprofit sector, especially locally.  We want to prevent financial considerations from interfering with employees’ ability to do meaningful work.  We also believe that paying for top talent will result in a thriving public interest legal community and further our mission more effectively.

• Growth opportunities. Candidates who do not meet all listed criteria should still apply, as U7L values providing mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.

Application instructions:  

Please apply by emailing your application as a single document that includes the following application materials: resume, cover letter, a writing sample of up to 10 pages, and contact information for three references.  If applicable, include hyperlinks to authored writing samples.  In your cover letter, please mention how you became aware of this position.  No phone calls, please. 

Submit by email to contact@uppersevenlaw.com with “[Your Last Name] – Impact Associate application” as the subject line.

The priority deadline for applications is February 17th for interviews the first week of March.

If you have questions and would like to ask the current Impact Associate, you may contact Jacob at jacob@uppersevenlaw.com.