SORA Practice Attorney Postition

Appellate Advocates (www.appad.org) is a nonprofit public defender organization based in lower Manhattan, providing high-quality representation to individuals convicted of crimes in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Our clients, who cannot afford legal representation, are assigned Appellate Advocates as counsel by the courts. Many of our clients are among society’s most disenfranchised and reside in diverse and predominantly Black, Brown, and immigrant communities. Our attorneys, paralegals, and support staff are dedicated to ensuring that each of our clients receives the zealous representation that anyone accused of a crime is entitled to and deserves.

Our SORA Practice

New York’s Sex Offender Registration Act (“SORA”) requires individuals convicted of specified offenses to register as sex offenders, oftentimes for life. Registration, in addition to severely limiting one’s housing and employment options, carries a profound stigma that makes it difficult to truly re-enter society. Many SORA-subject individuals are required to meet with the police frequently and face felony charges for failing to update their information or check in with law enforcement, even decades after the underlying offense. Additionally, the names, photographs, home addresses, and offense details of most registered individuals are posted on the Internet registry.

For many years, Appellate Advocates has represented indigent SORA-subject clients at their original SORA hearings as well as on appeal. Additionally, we have pursued modification petitions on clients’ behalf to lower their SORA level, thereby reducing the length of time they are required to register. We have won numerous SORA hearings and appeals and have successfully petitioned for downward modifications for clients who have demonstrated rehabilitation after their initial SORA hearings.

Position Description: We are seeking to immediately hire a full-time attorney to defend our SORA-subject clients at hearings in trial court and on appeal of their hearings to the Appellate Division, Second Department, and the Court of Appeals.

Qualifications:

• Recent law graduate or attorney with one to seven years’ criminal defense experience;
• Strong commitment to public defense and serving marginalized communities, with an emphasis on protecting the rights of people convicted of sex offenses;
• Effective oral advocacy and interviewing skills;
• Strong research and legal writing abilities;
• Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with clients, supervisors, and interdisciplinary office teams;
• Strong work ethic;
• Capacity to self-manage an active caseload and meet multiple deadlines;
• Admitted to practice in New York, or ability to seek New York admission immediately.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience based on a collectively bargained scale, with a range from $83,585 to $101,500. Appellate Advocates offers a generous benefits package, including health and vision insurance, a 401(k), flexible spending and transit account, and paid sick and vacation time.

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references as a single PDF to apply@appad.org, referencing “SORA Attorney Position” in the subject line. Applicants with disabilities may contact Melissa Taveras via telephone (212-693-0085 ext. 252) or e-mail apply@appad.org to request and arrange for accommodations for submitting an application.

Appellate Advocates is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, age, veteran status, disability, or genetic information. Appellate Advocates is deeply committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce, and seeks to hire staff that reflect the full range of racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic identities of the communities we represent, particularly those communities disproportionately affected by the criminal legal system. We strongly encourage people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply.

Appellate Advocates offers a generous benefits package, including health and vision insurance, a 401(k), flexible spending and transit account, and paid sick and vacation time.

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