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About the Role

The Legal Aid Society's Criminal Defense Practice is seeking dedicated and passionate entry-level Staff Attorneys for trial offices in the five boroughs of New York City. Staff Attorneys will provide zealous advocacy and handle all aspects of criminal defense, from arraignment through trial, sentencing, and beyond.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the full holistic representation of clients on misdemeanor Criminal matters, including client counseling, preparing motions, plea negotiations, directing and participating in investigations, reviewing discovery materials and compliance, interviewing witnesses, advising clients of collateral consequences, referring cases for social work intervention and mitigation, preparing for and conducting hearings and trials.
Engage in frequent court appearances and litigation, including arraignments, bail reviews and writs of habeas corpus, preliminary conferences & examinations, legal arguments, hearings & trials, and sentencings.
Interview clients and their families in person and through virtual means, conduct legal research; and write pre-pleading letters, motions, and pre-sentencing memoranda on behalf of clients.
Coordinate work performed by defense team members such as investigators, social workers, paralegals, and others.
Work with cross-practice colleagues (immigration defense/civil defense/family defense) to obtain comprehensive legal outcomes for clients.
File motions, briefs, and other related documents on a frequent, timely basis.
Handle ancillary proceedings related to the criminal cases.
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Be admitted to the New York State Bar or law school graduate eligible to practice under The Legal Aid Society's Practice Order.
Have knowledge of the law of evidence, criminal and constitutional law, statutory interpretation, and ethical principles contained in the Rules of Professional Conduct.
A demonstrated commitment to serving racially and socioeconomically marginalized communities and an understanding of the racial disparities affecting client communities.
The ability to work collegially and collaboratively with others.
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit.
For citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.

Location

New York City

Work Type

Full-time

Experience Level

Entry-level (0-3 years of experience in criminal defense)

Salary/Compensations

$86,520 - $157,075

Benefits

Health insurance
Paid vacation
Disability insurance
Life insurance
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
State and Federal loan forgiveness programs
Assistance from New York state for loan repayments (for NY residents, depending on years of practice)

About the Company

The Criminal Defense Practice is the primary public defender in New York City, providing holistic, client-centered representation to people facing misdemeanor, felony, and homicide charges.
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 (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), 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.