STAFF ATTORNEY
AUTHORS ALLIANCE 

Location: Berkeley, CA (remote applicants will be considered)
Hours: Full time (salaried)
Applications considered on a rolling basis beginning February 3, 2020
Start date: Candidate’s earliest availability

ABOUT AUTHORS ALLIANCE

Authors Alliance is a Berkeley-based non-profit organization launched in 2014. Our mission is to advance the interests of authors who want to serve the public good by sharing their creations broadly. We create resources to help authors understand and enjoy their rights and promote policies that make knowledge and culture available and discoverable. In short, we work for authors who write to be read—today and for generations to come.

STAFF ATTORNEY RESPONSIBILITIES

We seek a Staff Attorney who believes in our mission and will expand our capacity to develop resources, participate in policy conversations, and engage our membership. The Staff Attorney must be a passionate advocate for the positive role that authors can play in advancing access to knowledge and culture. The Staff Attorney will work closely with the Executive Director and will work primarily in the following areas:

  • Resource Development: The Staff Attorney will develop tools and informational resources that help authors understand and enjoy their rights. These include author-facing materials (e.g., guides, templates, blog posts, Q&As), as well as materials designed for our institutional partners (e.g., curricular material, issue briefs, and webinars).
  • Advocacy: The Staff Attorney will conduct in-depth legal research and analysis to develop recommendations related to copyright and other law and policy issues of concern to our members. The Staff Attorney will advance these arguments in written comments, briefs, and other policy interventions.
  • Strategy: The Staff Attorney will assist the Executive Director in monitoring key issues affecting our membership, identifying project priorities, and developing advocacy and communications strategies in light of our mission, funding, and stakeholder interests.
  • Communications and Member Development: The Staff Attorney will support our communications initiatives by developing content for blog posts, member newsletters, and social media outlets. The Staff Attorney will also represent Authors Alliance at author events, roundtables, and conferences and organize events designed to bring our work to the attention of authors who value our mission.
  • Fundraising and Grant Writing: The Staff Attorney will support efforts to secure funding for the organization from a wide variety of sources, including individual donations and foundation grants.
  • Operations: The Staff Attorney will provide operational support by, for example, helping to maintain membership records, administer grants, and manage events.

STAFF ATTORNEY REQUIREMENTS AND DESIRED SKILLS

Applicants must:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
  • Understand the Authors Alliance mission and share our vision
  • Have a demonstrated ability to craft clear, persuasive, and tailored written communications
  • Be able to manage projects and independently organize workflow to meet deadlines
  • Be willing to undertake moderate travel

The ideal candidate will:

  • Have a J.D.
  • Have substantial and demonstrated expertise in copyright law
  • Be familiar with publishing industry policies and practices
  • Have a history of mission-related advocacy, scholarship, and/or service
  • Have experience with nonprofit grant writing, fundraising, and donor engagement
  • Have a working knowledge of WordPress, MailChimp, and Adobe Creative Suite

SALARY

The Staff Attorney position pays between $70,000 and $75,000, depending on skills and experience. Health and dental benefits are provided. 401(k) savings plan available.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Send a résumé, writing sample(s), and contact information for two references to jobs@authorsalliance.org. Writing samples should evidence your ability to communicate clearly and effectively to different audiences. Use your judgment and provide us with no more than 15 pages drawn from any original material you think appropriate.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, or disability.