Plea Project Senior Staff Attorney

POSITION SUMMARY:

As a Plea Project Senior Staff Attorney at OAD, you will report to a supervisory team but will collaborate with various Supervising Attorneys on case assignments. A Plea Project Senior Staff Attorney is expected to work independently with minimal supervision on a significant caseload of appeals from guilty plea convictions. As a Plea Project Senior Staff Attorney, you will primarily represent on direct appeal people who cannot afford legal representation and who have been convicted by guilty plea of felonies in Manhattan and the Bronx, and may occasionally work on post-conviction motions and/or hearings, hearings to determinate classification level pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA), or in related litigation. You have in-depth knowledge and a proven track record of significant experience with criminal cases which may include appeals and post-conviction litigation. As a Plea Project Senior Staff Attorney, you have a demonstrated commitment to representing people who are indigent and convicted of crimes and will be energized by the opportunity to leverage your knowledge and experience for OAD’s continued success and sustainability.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Carry a significant caseload consisting of direct appeals from guilty plea convictions, which may also include post-conviction motions, SORA hearings, or related litigation, and parole proceedings and re-entry preparation.
• Advise clients on all potential appellate options, including withdrawal of guilty pleas, where appropriate.
• Develop attorney-client relationships by visiting incarcerated clients and communicating with them through a trauma-informed lens.
• Set and meet quarterly case filing goals as well as adhering to organization and administrative protocols and policies.
• Develop leadership and supervision skills by working with legal interns on all aspects of client representation by conferencing issues, developing strategy, reviewing, and revising briefs.
• Participate with all legal staff to prepare and moot for oral arguments.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• You are a member, in good standing, of a bar in any jurisdiction and possess or can obtain NY licensure within a reasonable time. You graduated from law school in 2018 - 2020 and possess 5-7 years of relevant experience in criminal law trial and/or appellate litigation, excellent research, writing and oral argument skills, and a demonstrated commitment to public defense.
• You possess a people-centric and inclusive approach to managing relationships in the workplace. You do not fear change and are solution-oriented when differences arise and consider innovative and creative approaches to work.
• You understand what it means to work with and for individuals whose backgrounds and lived experiences are different from your own with sensitivity and humility. You are willing to learn more about the impacted and marginalized identities of people served by the organization and bring your awareness to all the work you do.
• You communicate clearly and concisely. You provide useful feedback to the people working with you. You adopt an organizational voice to ensure written or oral communications are consistent with the inclusive culture we strive to maintain and build upon.
• You work effectively across roles to create a holistic environment to best address client needs.
• You care deeply about people served by OAD and are enthusiastic about challenging the inequities of the criminal justice system.
• You have strong organizational and case management skills and have demonstrated success navigating gray areas in the law and working with competing priorities. You maintain composure and positivity in stressful situations. You are willing to take on new projects as the needs of the office or practice change.
• You possess excellent research, writing and oral argument skills.