Appellate Advocates Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description

Legal Aid DC, a nonprofit organization with an approximately $18 million annual budget and a staff of approximately 125 employees, is seeking an Appellate Advocacy Fellow to begin in the Fall of 2027. This is an internally funded position.  The Fellowship will be for one year, extendable to two years by mutual agreement of the Fellow and Legal Aid.

Since 1932, Legal Aid has provided civil legal assistance to clients in individual cases and engaged in systemic reform. Currently, we provide individual representation in consumer law, domestic violence/family law, housing, public benefits, and immigration matters. We also help people with the collateral consequences of their involvement with the criminal justice system. From the experiences of our clients, we identify opportunities for law reform, public policy advocacy, and systemic impact and appellate litigation. Legal Aid also administers the DC Resource Bridge, a single access point for legal services in the District.  Legal Aid believes that meaningful pursuit of our anti-poverty mission requires an unwavering commitment to racial justice and equity. We aspire both to reflect the rich racial diversity of the communities we serve and to value, respect, and empower our staff and clients to be effective agents of change. For more information about Legal Aid please visit our website, www.LegalAidDC.org.

Our work is supported through public and private grants and private fundraising from individuals, law firms, and other contributors.

Legal Aid's nationally recognized Barbara McDowell Appellate Advocacy Project is named after its first Director, an acclaimed appellate and U.S. Supreme Court advocate.  The Project litigates precedent-setting appeals on behalf of Legal Aid clients and files "friend of the court" briefs in cases involving matters of importance to people living in poverty.  Beyond litigation, the Project provides appellate instruction, consultation, and advice to the larger D.C. legal services community.  Although most of the Project's work involves cases before the D.C. Court of Appeals, the Project also participates in administrative appeals and in cases before the D.C. Superior Court and the federal courts.

About the Role 

The Fellow and the Project Director make up the entire Appellate Project staff.  As a result, the Fellow works with the Project Director on a daily basis and is involved, as a staff attorney would be, in every facet of the Project's work.

The largest share of the Project's work is briefing and arguing cases before the D.C. Court of Appeals.  The fellow is involved in all stages of this work, including legal strategy; interactions with other Legal Aid attorneys, clients, allies, and opposing counsel; drafting; editing; and oral argument.  All prior Fellows have had primary responsibility for drafting multiple briefs, and, as a result, most have had the opportunity - after an extensive moot court process - to present oral argument before the D.C. Court of Appeals.  Prior fellows interested in trial experience have also handled cases in trial court and before administrative tribunals, working closely with Legal Aid trial attorneys.

The Fellow is also primarily responsible for Legal Aid's appellate "docket-mining" process, through which the Project finds a significant number of its cases.  The Fellow reviews court filings, spots appropriate issues, and makes recommendations to the Project Director regarding Legal Aid participation.  This process often requires meeting with a potential client to conduct an intake interview or gather more information.

The Fellow provides advice to Legal Aid trial attorneys across units on legal research, writing, and trial strategy for potential appeals and other important or unusual cases.  This may include editing the writing of other attorneys and mooting various hearings and depositions.  The Appellate Project's unique role as a source of appellate expertise across the District's legal services providers means that the Fellow will also assist in advising outside organizations at all stages of the appellate process, including organizing moot courts.

The Fellow is responsible for the smooth operation of the Project in a variety of ways, including supervising a law student intern during the summer and sometimes fall or spring semesters, maintaining the Project's organizational systems, tracking filing and other deadlines, and identifying and alleviating bottlenecks limiting productivity.

Qualifications

• Exceptional legal research and writing skills (experience with appellate writing a plus);
• Excellent organizational and communication skills and attention to detail;
• Strong litigation skills, including working across teams varying in size;
• An ability to multitask, prioritize, meet quick deadlines, and be self-directed on large assignments with long timeframes;
• A demonstrated commitment to social, economic, and racial justice;
• An ability to work with Legal Aid's diverse client community; and
• Proficiency or fluency in Spanish or another language in addition to English preferred but not required.

Eligibility for membership in the D.C. Bar is required, membership preferred.  Individuals who are not already members of the D.C. Bar must have graduated from an accredited law school (or anticipate doing so) before the fellowship commences.

Salary and Benefits  

The Fellow will be paid in accordance with Legal Aid DC's salary scale based on years of full-time legal experience. Lateral hires will receive credit for years of relevant work experience. We anticipate a 2.5% increase in our pay scale before the individual selected for this position begins employment. Current starting salaries are as follows:

• Entry-level attorney just passing the bar: $72,830
• Attorney with 1 year full-time legal work experience: $75,431
• Attorney with 2 years full-time legal work experience: $77,646
• Attorney with 3 years full-time legal work experience: $80,234

Legal Aid generally provides two salary increases per year, depending on funding availability: a cost-of-living increase at the beginning of the year and a step increase in July.

Legal Aid offers a generous benefits package, including eligibility for fully paid health insurance, annual retirement match, 13 paid holidays, 20 days of annual leave per year, and 15 days of sick leave per year.

Click here for full salary scale and additional benefits information.

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. New hires start with a 90-day probationary period before they are considered full-time, regular employees.

To Apply

Legal Aid values an inclusive, diverse workplace and encourages applications from interested persons from diverse backgrounds of any race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.  We strongly encourage applications from people with personal experience with the criminal justice system and/or with lived experiences in the communities we serve.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, list of three references with at least one professional reference, and writing sample (including brief description of the involvement of others, if any) here. The application will close at 5pm EST on Friday, September 4, 2026. Legal Aid DC anticipates making an offer in early November.