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About the Role

The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice seeks an experienced, committed, and talented lawyer to join a team of skilled advocates as a Supervising Attorney in the Prisoners’ Rights Project (PRP). The Prisoners’ Rights Project works to protect the legal rights of people incarcerated in New York City jails and New York State prisons through impact litigation, legislative and oversight advocacy, policy change, and administrative advocacy.

Responsibilities

Maintain an active caseload of pending and new litigation to advance PRP’s goals.
Oversee integration of individual client intake and advocacy into policy and litigation.
Substantively direct legislative and administratively policy initiatives, frequently in close collaboration with other units of Legal Aid and external stakeholders.
Engage directly in all aspects of litigation and collaborate with other attorneys in setting litigation strategy and priorities and managing cases.
Work collaboratively and collegially with pro bono counsel and colleagues in other parts of Legal Aid; community groups; legislators, and other stakeholders.
Conduct and participate in community education, training, media, and outreach.
Assist the Director of PRP in the daily operations and direct supervision of the legal work of the unit.
Schedule employee hours, assign work, approve time off and remote work schedule requests.
Attend management meetings, participate in management trainings, and utilize current employment policies, practices and guidance.
Conduct management and supervision practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace.
Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback, coaching/counseling, and issue disciplinary action as needed.
Identify and provide training and development opportunities and ensure mandatory trainings are completed.
Perform general managerial duties, administrative tasks, and data collection.
Identify and implement unit management and accountability practices to improve performance.
Resolve employee conflict, complaints, and address union concerns, with guidance from Human Resources.
Hire and supervise interns and volunteers.
Participate in continuous professional development.
Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Admission to the New York bar, or eligibility to waive into New York bar.
Minimum 8 years of litigation experience, with a strong preference for experience in civil rights, prisoners’ rights litigation, New York correctional agencies, or law reform litigation.
Demonstrated strong commitment to racial equity and civil rights.
Demonstrated ability to engage in and communicate complex legal analysis.
Excellent writing, litigation and advocacy skills.
Collegiality and ability to work in and value diverse teams.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
Experience litigating class cases and enforcing consent decrees.
Experience with policy advocacy.
Experience supervising lawyers and legal staff.
Deep substantive knowledge of civil litigation techniques.
Demonstrated excellent legal analysis.
Demonstrated strong writing skills.
Ability to foster and encourage teamwork and communication.
Ability to consciously create and enhance a diverse workplace culture that is supportive, collaborative and affirming to clients and colleagues.
Ability to monitor and maintain a high standard of professionalism, representation and client service.
Ability to schedule, assign, and manage work and resolve problems 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.
Reinforce and maintain staff accountability and morale.
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.
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit.

Skills

Litigation
Civil rights
Prisoners' rights litigation
Law reform litigation
Legal analysis
Writing
Advocacy
Interpersonal communication
Organizational skills
Teamwork
Policy advocacy
Supervision
Class action litigation
Consent decree enforcement

Location

New York City
New York State

Work Type

Full-time
Hybrid

Experience Level

8+ years of litigation experience
Supervisory experience

Education Level

Admission to the New York bar

Salary/Compensations

$102,120-$172,675

Benefits

Health insurance
Paid vacation
Disability insurance
Life insurance
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
State and Federal loan forgiveness programs
New York state assistance with loan repayments (potential)

About the Company

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.
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.

Equal 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, gender expression, 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.