The Legal Aid Society, the nation's oldest and largest social justice legal services organization, has immediate openings for dedicated, passionate entry-level Staff Attorneys in the Criminal Defense Practice throughout the city. The Criminal Defense Practice is the primary public defender in New York City, providing holistic, client-centered representation and advocacy to over 200,000 people facing misdemeanor, felony, and homicide charges. The CDP entry-level Staff Attorneys will provide zealous advocacy and handle all aspects of criminal defense from arraignment through trial.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

* Responsible for all aspects of client representation and advocacy including, but not limited to: client counseling, preparing motions, plea negotiations, directing investigations, interviewing witnesses, advising clients of collateral consequences, referring cases for social work intervention and mitigation, preparing for and conducting hearings and trials, and handling all representation and proceedings in Criminal Court and Supreme Court related to their clients' criminal cases. 
* Handle ancillary proceedings related to the criminal cases.
* Other duties as assigned.

TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

* Applicants should be law graduates who will sit for the New York State Bar Exam in July, or admitted to practice in New York, with a minimum of 1-3 years of litigation experience.
* Experience in and commitment to housing justice issues highly desirable.
* Applicants must be creative, flexible, independent, and highly motivated.
* Excellent organizational skills, writing ability, and communication skills are essential.
* Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to public interest law and must be fierce, committed advocates to our client base.
* Relevant clinical program, internship or work experience preferred. 
* Knowledge of the law of evidence, criminal and constitutional law, statutory interpretation, and ethical principles contained in the Rules of Professional Conduct.
* Demonstrated commitment to social justice and public defense 
* Demonstrated commitment to, and interest in, serving racially- and socioeconomically- oppressed communities. 
* Ability to work collegially and collaboratively with all members of the staff.

THE HIRING PROCESS

On Campus Interviews (OCI's) are screening interviews for entry-level Staff Attorney jobs. The 4 phases of the Criminal Defense Practice's (CDP) hiring process are:

PHASE I Resumes received by the deadline are screened by the CDP Hiring Committee. Evaluations from OCI interviews are also reviewed by this same Committee. Applicants are then selected for first round interviews.
PHASE II First round interviews are conducted by managers and staff attorneys at one of our offices in the five boroughs of New York City.
PHASE III The Hiring Committee reviews first round evaluations and then determines which applicants will receive final round interviews with the CDP Attorney-in-Charge. 
PHASE IV Final round interviews are conducted and job offers are made by The Legal Aid Society. Offers are made contingent on funding from the City and/or State.

Applicants will be notified via email about whether they have/have not been selected for an interview.

BAR EXAMINATION AND EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS

You must sit for the first New York State bar examination scheduled after your graduation date. Thus, to remain eligible for our Fall 2019 class, you must sit for the February 2019 New York State bar exam if your graduation date is September 2018, December 2018, or January 2019. You must sit for the July 2019 New York State bar exam if your graduation date is May or June 2019. If you have not already taken the MPRE examination before your graduation, you must also sit for the next available MPRE examination after your graduation date. If you do not pass either examination on the first sitting, you must sign up for and take the next available exam. At the time you are hired, you must be eligible to work lawfully in the United States.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The leadership of 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, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

HOW TO APPLY

You must apply online at the LAS Recruitment Portal. A failure to submit the proper documents or follow instructions will be deemed as an incomplete application. Incomplete applications will not be considered by the Hiring Committee. We strongly encourage all applicants to apply before the deadline.

The Legal Aid Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer -- Women, People of Color, Members of the LGBTQ+ communities, Veterans, and People with Disabilities are encouraged to apply.

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org opens an email client application.