ACLU of Nebraska Welcomes Jennifer Houlden as Acting Legal Director

LINCOLN, Neb. – An experienced public defender will oversee the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska’s statewide legal program as its acting legal director.

Jennifer Houlden began her new role last week. She comes to the ACLU of Nebraska from a leadership position in the Lancaster County Public Defender’s Office. Houlden served in the office for nearly two decades, most recently managing a team of attorneys in its juvenile and misdemeanor divisions. Before her work as a public defender, she litigated civil cases at Iowa Legal Aid.

As acting legal director, Houlden will manage the team’s attorneys and legal work while the ACLU of Nebraska conducts a national search for its next legal director. The civil rights organization works on a broad range of constitutional issues, prioritizing work connected to the criminal legal system, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants’ rights, voting rights, and racial and Indigenous justice.

The role marks a return to the ACLU of Nebraska for Houlden. She worked as an ACLU of Nebraska law clerk while in law school — her first job in the legal field.

ACLU of Nebraska Executive Director Mindy Rush Chipman made this statement:

“Jen is a sharp thinker and a steady hand whose career has been defined by fast-paced, high-stakes work,” Rush Chipman said. “That work extends well beyond the courthouse through her advocacy with the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association. Especially as we look to grow our impact under our Campaign for Smart Justice, I am thrilled to welcome Jen and looking forward to seeing what the team will accomplish with her support during the search for our next legal director.”

Houlden made this statement:

“It is a profound privilege to join this team that has worked to defend the rights and freedoms of Nebraskans on so many fronts,” Houlden said.“As someone whose own rights and marriage have been up for debate, I have experienced the impact that the ACLU of Nebraska makes on people’s lives. I know what it means to take on sizable challenges and represent people in some of their hardest moments, and I am excited to continue that work with the ACLU of Nebraska.”

Houlden holds a J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law and a B.A. from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.