Managing Attorney

Georgia Innocence Project (GIP) is an independent, non-profit legal organization dedicated to correcting and preventing the wrongful conviction of innocent people in Georgia.  We represent people with claims of innocence and use litigation, education, and policy efforts to create systemic change in the criminal legal system. We endeavor to approach our work through an anti-racist lens, and use consensus-based decision making wherever possible. 

The Managing Attorney will maintain a limited caseload of clients, while supervising the Georgia litigation team (2 - 3 GIP attorneys working primarily on representation-stage cases, investigator/s, case analyst/s, and legal interns), manage case assignments, and oversee Georgia representation-stage cases. The Managing Attorney reports to GIP’s Executive Director and is responsible for the following:

CASEWORK: 

• Investigate and litigate post-conviction claims of innocence in the service of primarily incarcerated individuals as described in GIP’s Staff Attorney job description.

MANAGEMENT:

• Supervise the employees on the Georgia litigation team.
• Provide guidance and support to empower legal staff to excel at their jobs, in conjunction with Executive Director and Operations Director as appropriate. 
• Conduct routine subject matter check ins and performance evaluations.  
• The Executive Director will make employment decisions about legal staff based upon consideration of the Managing Attorney’s input and advice.
• Manage the overall representation-stage case assignment list, ensuring that the list is balanced and current.  Collaborate with the legal team to  make final determinations regarding which screening-stage cases proceed to the representation stage.
• Oversee, direct, and evaluate the direction and strategy of each representation-stage case, including: 
• conduct and participate in regularly scheduled case-related strategy discussions with the Georgia litigation team, 
• oversee external written work product and collaborate as necessary, 
• oversee hearing preparations providing assistance as necessary,
• oversee work with experts and collaboration with co-counsel. 
• Oversee or delegate training and supervision of legal interns.
• Oversee setting and accomplishment of litigation-related organizational goals. 
• Participate in mid- and upper-level management meetings and strategy sessions to advance the organization's mission and goals. 
• Help implement and maintain GIP’s organizational priorities of:
• frequent and easy feedback loops, 
• continuous improvement, 
• best practices in litigation, case management, and legal ethics, including creation and implementation of policies and procedures that reflect the same,
• ensuring consistent record keeping, time keeping, standardization, and project management through applicable databases and systems, and
• maintenance of resource libraries in conjunction with GIP staff.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Admission to the Georgia State Bar required
• 8+ years litigation experience required, including at least 6 years criminal trial, appellate, and / or post-conviction litigation experience
• Supervisory / management experience required
• Ability to respectfully and freely give and receive constructive feedback required
• Ability to travel extensively throughout Georgia required (when we are not in a pandemic)
• DNA / forensic science background a plus

KEY COMPETENCIES

• A passion for and dedication to indigent defense, anti-racism, and GIP’s mission
• Desire to identify opportunities for improvement and a willingness to be part of the solution
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Self-starter, curious, brave and dogged
• Detail and process oriented
• Humble and confident – no job is too small or too big