Staff Attorney - State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI)

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Job Profile:

Job Summary:

Working with the State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI), the Staff Attorney's precise portfolio can be tailored to their interests and experience. Pay will be commensurate with experience, and we encourage applications from attorneys at varied career stages.

Likely responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Conducting cutting-edge legal research involving state-level democracy, state constitutions, and state institutions;

Sharing research findings and legal analysis in multiple mediums, including through scholarly publications, writing for popular audiences, media briefings, and webinars or CLE presentations;

Identifying democracy-related litigation of interest around the country, and contributing amicus curiae efforts to represent the views of scholars who have studied issues relevant to those cases;

Supervising student research;

Briefing or advising a variety of stakeholders on questions of state-level democracy and public law;

Conceiving of and overseeing conferences and other gatherings to improve public understanding of topics related to our mission.

Additional Information:

The State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School, https://statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/, seeks a Staff Attorney to join our growing team. In this role, you will advance our multi-faceted, nonpartisan efforts to foster research and dialogue on pressing questions of public law and democracy in states across the nation.

The Initiative’s work is rooted in the idea that to preserve democracy, we must first understand it. Currently, scholarly and popular discourse on U.S. democracy focuses disproportionately on federal laws and institutions. States often get short shrift, even though they are central to our democratic system. Accordingly, the Initiative aims to foster knowledge of and engagement with state-level institutions throughout the country, including exploring avenues for states to check federal overreach.

The Staff Attorney will divide their time between legal research and writing on the Initiative’s research projects; research and drafting amicus briefs on behalf of scholars in relevant cases across the country; analyzing the legal dimensions of current events for varied audiences; and conducting educational programming for both the public and our students.

Because the Initiative has a national focus, the Staff Attorney position is not limited to candidates who practice law in or reside in Wisconsin. We also seek applications from candidates with strong ties to other states. For candidates based in Wisconsin, we envision an in-person working arrangement with the potential for hybrid work. For candidates based elsewhere, we can accommodate fully remote work. Remote work requires an approved remote work agreement (RWA) agreement. An RWA requires successful candidates to possess their own high-speed internet and phone to perform the work on a university provided computer.

The ideal candidate will be an outstanding attorney with experience drafting appellate briefs and analyzing complex legal questions at the state level; an excellent writer with comfort writing not just briefs, but also white papers, academic essays, blog posts, or op-eds; and a team player with enthusiasm for working with peers and students alike. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates with varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Assists in developing grant applications and proposals to secure research funding

• Reviews and edits protocols to ensure accuracy, thoroughness, and consistency

• Develops and implements increasingly complex research methodologies, procedures, and criteria

• Trains individuals and groups on equipment operations, research protocols, and techniques within a specialized laboratory or research area

• Conducts literature reviews, prepares reports and materials, co-authors publications, and disseminates information to appropriate entities

• Collects and analyzes increasingly complex research data, conducts experiments and interviews, and documents results according to established policies and procedures

Department:

University of Wisconsin Law School, State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI)

Compensation:

Minimum salary $70,000. Pay will be commensurate with experience and we encourage applications from attorneys at varied career stages.

Required Qualifications:

Two or more years of post-law school legal experience;

Familiarity with and interest in state law, state government institutions, and/or state constitutions, within a state or across states;

Preferred Qualifications:

Ability to conduct high-level legal research and/or manage complex legal research projects;

Ability to write excellent appellate-level briefs;

Ability to write clearly for a variety of audiences within and outside the legal profession;

Ability to interact with a wide range of stakeholders in a fair-minded way that encourages collaboration and inclusion and fosters the exchange of ideas;

Education:

JD required.

How to Apply:

Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume through the Jobs at UW website (www.jobs.wisc.edu) applying by the consideration date, Thursday, May 14, 2026.

Contact Information:

Bree Wilde, SDRI Executive Director: bgwilde@wisc.edu 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
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