Supervising Attorney, Criminal Appeals Bureau

The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice has two openings for Supervising Attorneys in the Criminal Appeals Bureau (CAB) unit.

CAB provides legal representation for people who have been convicted of a crime and cannot afford to pay an attorney. CAB is the largest post-conviction public defender in New York City, annually serving over 1,000 people with misdemeanor and felony convictions. Through our appellate practice, CAB advocates against the unjust and illegal judgments in the criminal legal system. CAB’s model of litigation provides well-researched and rigorous legal advocacy while centering our clients and their stories in the process.

Additionally, CAB’s holistic practice, in partnership with the many other units of The Legal Aid Society, addresses both the direct and the collateral consequences that profoundly impact a person after their conviction.

The Supervising Attorney is on the front lines providing high-quality, zealous representation to the clients of the organization. They work alongside staff attorneys to provide direct representation to clients as well as to assist the organization in creating structures and policies that better the lives of clients and the sustainability of the work of our attorneys. The Supervising Attorney is someone who wants to invest both in the substantive work of appellate representation and in the continued development, training, and mentoring of staff.

• Review and revise briefs in preparation for filing.
• Screen cases for potential issues to raise on appeal or in other post-conviction litigation.
• Meet with and conference cases with staff attorneys to discuss legal and strategic choices for representing clients on appeal.
• Facilitate team meetings to brainstorm case and theory development.
• Counsel and advise staff attorneys and paralegals on the practice of working with people who are incarcerated and/or on supervision.
• Carry a small caseload consisting of direct appeals, CPL Sec. 440.10 and 440.20 motions, Sex Offender Registration Hearings and Sex Offender Risk-Level Modification Petitions, clemency petitions, and other post-conviction relief.
• Participate in managing a project area by developing expertise in the subject-matter, reviewing and creating structures to support attorney work, and developing and maintaining policies, templates, and practice advisories.
• Provide training and guidance to CAB staff on related topics and serve as subject matter expert.
• Ensure internal databases are updated as necessary.
• Troubleshoot issues that arise and proactively work to identify and implement necessary process improvements.
• Engage in strategic planning to increase the efficiency of CAB and ensure that clients continue to receive the highest quality representation.

• Provide supervision and support to staff attorneys, including regular check-ins and day-to-day support as needed.
• Lead dedicated and dynamic teams of attorneys, who—along with paralegals, social workers and other staff—represent the clients of the Criminal Appeals Bureau
• Directly mentor, train, and supervise staff to foster professional development and growth
• Schedule employee hours, assign work, approve time off and remote work schedule requests following the guidance of LAS policy and procedures.
• Attend management meetings, participate in management trainings, and utilize current employment policies, practices and guidance as provided by management and Human Resources.
• Conduct management and supervision practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback as well as coaching/counseling, and issue disciplinary action as needed.
• Identify and provide training and development opportunities and ensure mandatory trainings are completed.

• Participate in continuous professional development.
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment.
• Other duties as assigned.