Supervising Attorney, Criminal Appeals Bureau

The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice has two openings for Supervising Attorneys in the Criminal Appeals Bureau (CAB) unit.

CAB provides legal representation for people who have been convicted of a crime and cannot afford to pay an attorney. CAB is the largest post-conviction public defender in New York City, annually serving over 1,000 people with misdemeanor and felony convictions. Through our appellate practice, CAB advocates against the unjust and illegal judgments in the criminal legal system. CAB’s model of litigation provides well-researched and rigorous legal advocacy while centering our clients and their stories in the process. Additionally, CAB’s holistic practice, in partnership with the many other units of The Legal Aid Society, addresses both the direct and the collateral consequences that profoundly impact a person after their conviction.

The Supervising Attorney is on the front lines providing high-quality, zealous representation to the clients of the organization. They work alongside staff attorneys to provide direct representation to clients as well as to assist the organization in creating structures and policies that better the lives of clients and the sustainability of the work of our attorneys. The Supervising Attorney is someone who wants to invest both in the substantive work of appellate representation and in the continued development, training, and mentoring of staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervision of Criminal Appellate Practice

• Review and revise briefs in preparation for filing.
• Screen cases for potential issues to raise on appeal or in other post-conviction litigation.
• Meet with and conference cases with staff attorneys to discuss legal and strategic choices for representing clients on appeal.
• Facilitate team meetings to brainstorm case and theory development.
• Counsel and advise staff attorneys and paralegals on the practice of working with people who are incarcerated and/or on supervision.
• Carry a small caseload consisting of direct appeals, CPL Sec. 440.10 and 440.20 motions, Sex Offender Registration Hearings and Sex Offender Risk-Level Modification Petitions, clemency petitions, and other post-conviction relief.
• Participate in managing a project area by developing expertise in the subject-matter, reviewing and creating structures to support attorney work, and developing and maintaining policies, templates, and practice advisories.
• Provide training and guidance to CAB staff on related topics and serve as subject matter expert.
• Ensure internal databases are updated as necessary.
• Troubleshoot issues that arise and proactively work to identify and implement necessary process improvements.
• Engage in strategic planning to increase the efficiency of CAB and ensure that clients continue to receive the highest quality representation.

Team Development and Supervision

• Provide supervision and support to staff attorneys, including regular check-ins and day-to-day support as needed.
• Lead dedicated and dynamic teams of attorneys, who—along with paralegals, social workers and other staff—represent the clients of the Criminal Appeals Bureau
• Directly mentor, train, and supervise staff to foster professional development and growth
• Schedule employee hours, assign work, approve time off and remote work schedule requests following the guidance of LAS policy and procedures.
• Attend management meetings, participate in management trainings, and utilize current employment policies, practices and guidance as provided by management and Human Resources.
• Conduct management and supervision practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback as well as coaching/counseling, and issue disciplinary action as needed.
• Identify and provide training and development opportunities and ensure mandatory trainings are completed.

Professional Development and Other Duties as Assigned

• Participate in continuous professional development.
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications:

• Admitted to the New York State Bar (or ability to waive in from another jurisdiction)
• Five years or more of demonstrated commitment to public defense, social and racial justice, and equity preferred
• Significant experience in all aspects of criminal post-conviction representation
• At least five years of criminal appellate experience or equivalent post-conviction experience, with demonstrated commitment to public defense, social and racial justice, and equity
• Comprehensive knowledge of relevant New York State and federal law including evidence laws, criminal and constitutional laws, statutory interpretation, and ethical principles contained in the Rules of Professional Conduct

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Position Based Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent research, brief writing, editing, and oral argument skills
• Ability to challenge others to seek innovative and creative approaches to advocacy and to encourage ongoing development by providing effective performance feedback and evaluation
• Ability to work collaboratively and collegially with all members of the staff
• Ability to work independently with personal initiative and organization
• Experience in decision-making and strategic planning on an organizational level

Supervision Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated interest and ability to provide individualized support and encouragement
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a team of attorneys with varying experience levels
• Ability to schedule, assign, and manage work and resolve problems as needed
• Ability to manage the work including: assessment of work process and outcomes, gathering relevant information about the work, recommending alternatives, or elevate issues as needed
• Ability to clearly identify roles, responsibilities, delegate tasks and hold people accountable
• Ability to create and implement effective communication plans
• Ability to provide meaningful performance feedback for professional development including having difficult conversations and resolving sensitive employee issues
• Pursue continuous learning on forms of systemic oppression of marginalized identities and establish team norms and management practices using an equity mindset and informed by inclusive practices

Organizational Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Commitment to Legal Aid Society’s mission to secure equal justice before the law for all New Yorkers.
• Interpersonal and communication skills that enable healthy and productive working relationships.
• Ability to perform duties with the highest regard for confidentiality, integrity, and respect.
• Commitment to Legal Aid Society’s mission and values.

Physical, environment, travel, and other duties required:

• Mostly sedentary, significant time using a computer and monitor; communicating and meeting using video.
• Requires occasional or frequent physical movement to perform essential job functions which may include, bending, reaching, pulling, pushing, standing or walking for long periods of time, accessing small spaces.
• May or will require travel within NYC, across the five-borough region.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range: $99,444 - $163,507

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits.

Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.

studentaid.gov

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Writing Sample

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email [email protected].

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients (people), to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us and our ability to build strong relationships with our colleagues. Every member of our community is expected to continuously learn about the dynamic, evolving, and emerging field of knowledge of identity, bias, and systemic forms of oppression and participate in productive efforts to dismantling bias in all forms.