Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Attorney

at Equip for Equality

🏢 About Equip for Equality

Equip for Equality is Illinois' designated Protection & Advocacy system with a 40-year legacy of advancing disability rights through monitoring facilities and addressing abuse, neglect, and civil rights violations. What makes this organization unique is its specific mandate to protect institutionalized individuals and its dual focus on both individual advocacy and systemic litigation to create lasting change for marginalized populations.

About This Role

This Senior Attorney role focuses specifically on advancing the rights of people with disabilities impacted by criminal systems through civil rights advocacy, including managing system litigation matters and consent decree enforcement. The position is impactful because it combines direct client advocacy for incarcerated individuals with strategic litigation to address systemic injustices within Illinois' criminal and institutional systems.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve reviewing intake cases from incarcerated individuals with disabilities, preparing for system litigation hearings or consent decree compliance meetings, conducting client interviews at correctional facilities, and providing guidance to staff attorneys on complex advocacy matters. The role balances direct client service with strategic legal work aimed at systemic reform of Illinois' criminal justice and institutional systems.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Equip for Equality

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Equip for Equality Is Looking For

  • An attorney with 7+ years of civil legal practice, specifically in civil rights, disability law, or institutional reform litigation
  • Someone with demonstrated experience working directly with incarcerated or institutionalized populations, including crisis intervention and facility-based advocacy
  • A professional who has managed complex litigation dockets and has experience with consent decree enforcement and systemic reform strategies
  • A mentor who can guide staff attorneys and paralegals while handling a diverse workload ranging from client interviews to formal investigations and negotiations

📝 Tips for Applying to Equip for Equality

1

Highlight specific experience with Illinois disability law or the Protection & Advocacy system, as this is a state-specific mandate role

2

Detail your experience working inside correctional or institutional facilities, not just with criminalized populations generally

3

Provide concrete examples of managing system litigation matters or consent decree enforcement in your resume

4

Demonstrate your ability to balance individual client advocacy with systemic reform work in your application materials

5

If not currently licensed in Illinois, outline your specific plan for admission within one year of employment

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your direct experience advocating for incarcerated or institutionalized individuals with disabilities', 'Specific examples of managing system litigation or consent decree enforcement work', 'Your approach to mentoring legal staff while maintaining a complex caseload', "Why you're specifically drawn to Equip for Equality's 40-year mission as Illinois' Protection & Advocacy system"]

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Equip for Equality's recent litigation and consent decree enforcement cases, particularly those involving criminal systems
  • → Illinois' Protection & Advocacy system structure and how it differs from other states' systems
  • → The organization's 40-year history and specific achievements in disability rights advocacy
  • → Current issues facing incarcerated individuals with disabilities in Illinois facilities
Visit Equip for Equality's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe your experience working inside correctional facilities or institutions with clients in crisis
2 How would you approach enforcing a consent decree related to disability rights in a prison system?
3 Tell us about a time you balanced individual client advocacy with systemic reform litigation
4 What strategies would you use to mentor junior attorneys on intake and self-assistance advocacy work?
5 How do you stay current on Illinois-specific disability law and Protection & Advocacy system developments?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on criminal defense experience without connecting it to disability rights or civil rights advocacy
  • Presenting generic civil litigation experience without highlighting work with marginalized or institutionalized populations
  • Failing to address the Illinois-specific nature of the role (licensing requirements, state law knowledge, local systems)

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Equip for Equality!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →