Staff Attorney-Criminal Defense/Felony Experience

Min 3 yrs required

Full-time

No

H1: Staff Attorney-Criminal Defense/Felony Experience #23-113
H2: Join the Legal Aid Society as a Staff Attorney in the Criminal Defense Practice with Felony Experience

Organization: The Legal Aid Society
Location: New York City, NY
Job Title: Staff Attorney-Criminal Defense/Felony Experience
Department: Criminal Defense Practice

Job Description:

The Legal Aid Society, the nation's oldest and largest social justice legal services organization, is seeking dedicated and passionate Staff Attorneys with felony trial experience to join our Criminal Defense Practice in various locations throughout New York City. As the primary public defender in the city, the Criminal Defense Practice provides comprehensive, client-centered representation to over 200,000 individuals facing misdemeanor, felony, and homicide charges.

As a Felony Criminal Defense Attorney, you will provide zealous advocacy in all phases of a client's criminal legal matter, from arraignments to hearings and trials. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to serving marginalized communities, extensive criminal court experience, and a passion for elevating client-centered advocacy through a lens of race, gender equity, and social and economic justice. This role requires a team player who can work collaboratively with other defense professionals to shape defense and litigation strategies.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

- Provide comprehensive representation from arraignments through trial, disposition, or dismissal
- Advocate for clients at arraignments, including interviewing clients, connecting with family and other resources for bail advocacy, and presenting bail arguments
- Prepare cases for litigation, including submitting referrals for investigation and social work services and gathering information and researching law for effective representation
- Conduct bail review hearings and writs of habeas corpus to secure clients' liberty post-arraignment
- Coordinate with specialty units for advocacy, such as the DNA Unit, Digital Forensics, Decarceration, and Immigration teams
- Consult and coordinate with supervising attorneys for case reviews
- Review discovery materials and prepare for litigation, including challenging certificates of discovery compliance and contesting statements of readiness
- Conduct preliminary hearings, suppression hearings, and other pretrial hearings, as well as trials
- Prepare mitigation materials for diversion court or sentencing advocacy
- Advise and enter appropriate pleas in consultation with clients, addressing any collateral consequences
- File notices of appeal and coordinate with appellate counsel
- Perform other duties as assigned

Required Documents:

Please submit the following documents as a single PDF through our online portal: cover letter, resume, and writing sample. Additionally, include a list of trials where you served as first chair and specify if they were misdemeanors or felonies.

Requirements:

- Minimum of 3 years of demonstrated commitment to public defense, racial equity, and social justice, with experience handling felony matters in NYS or other jurisdictions
- Proven ability to strategically guide casework, projects, and relationships with good judgement and determination to achieve goals
- Strong oral and written advocacy skills and ability to meet multiple competing deadlines
- New York State bar admission or ability to waive into NYS from another jurisdiction

Salary Transparency:

The salary range for this position is $79,591 - $130,308. The specific salary offer will be based on the candidate's qualifications and experience, as well as any collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary and Benefits:

The Legal Aid Society values and invests in its employees, offering a generous benefits package that includes health insurance, paid vacation, disability and life insurance, and more. Salaries for unionized positions are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. More information can be found on our Careers page. Salary and benefits information will be provided to applicants upon offer.

Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness:

The Legal Aid Society qualifies as an employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows employees to take advantage of PSLF and other state and federal loan forgiveness programs. New York residents may also be eligible for assistance with loan repayments, depending on years of practice.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

At The Legal Aid Society, we are committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice, and excellent representation. We strive to build strong professional relationships with our clients, understanding their diverse circumstances and meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all team members.

COVID Vaccination Information:

The Legal Aid Society is taking precautions and implementing safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and comply with NYC requirements. All members of our community have a shared responsibility to support and comply with policies and protocols for the health and safety of everyone. For more information, please visit our website.

How to Apply:

All applications must be submitted online. Paper submissions will not be accepted. Visit our Careers page for current job postings and application instructions. For technical difficulties or questions about this posting, please email .

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The Legal Aid Society is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, and we prohibit discriminatory employment actions and treatment of employees and applicants based on race, color, size, religion, alienage or citizenship status, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, marital status, family structure, genetic information, 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.

Not specified

Health insurance, paid vacation, disability, life insurance

Not specified

Zealous advocacy, legal research, trial experience, client-centered representation, oral and written advocacy, organizational skills

Not specified

Complete online application, submit required documents as a single PDF

Qualification and Experience NYS bar admission

Legal