Legal Assistant
The Cato Institute invites you to apply to work in support of our Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies (CCS) and Project on Criminal Justice (PCJ). This is an opportunity to assist projects ranging from amicus briefs to policy papers and op-eds to the Cato Supreme Court Review. You will also help with office management and court filings for CCS and PCJ and provide assorted other administrative and research support.
Employment will begin in January 2022. The legal assistant is expected to work out of Cato’s office in Washington, D.C., through our flex-work policy will allow some work from home. Compensation and benefits are competitive with public-interest positions of this type in the D.C. area.
Company Overview
The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization—a think tank—dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues. Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato’s Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution — individual liberty, limited government, and free markets – turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for a free people, it is the indispensable framework for the future.
The Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Responsibilities
- Filing of amicus briefs in the Supreme Court and lower courts, including interaction with printers and clerk’s offices.
- Assisting with scholars’ publications and presentations, ranging from op-eds and policy papers to other work products.
- Coordinating the production of the Cato Supreme Court Review, including interactions with authors, copy editors, and printer.
- General help with office management for CCS and PCJ, including administrative and research support.
Requirements
- Strong management, writing, and communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to learn the ins-and-outs of the administrative side of the legal process
- Some experience in the legal industry is preferred—as a paralegal, legal secretary, or equivalent position involving office management and administering court filings, and communicating with clerk’s offices
- This position does not require a law degree, though paralegal certification is a plus
To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and unofficial undergraduate transcript in pdf format through our online application process. Click here to apply.