Appellate Brief Writing Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Legal Aid Society, the nation's oldest and largest social justice legal services organization, has openings for Appellate Resource Attorneys in its Brooklyn and Manhattan Criminal Defense Trial Offices. The Appellate Resource Attorney will provide essential support to Trial Office members on trial, appellate and post-conviction issues. The Resource Attorney will also contribute to the Criminal Defense Resources SharePoint Database - the largest public defender resource site in the nation - by editing existing practice memoranda and litigation treatises, and by developing new advisories and treatises on major litigation issues. The position will be a two-year rotation, after which the attorney may re-apply or return to their current position.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide advice and support to Trial Attorneys
• Collaborate with other resource attorneys and training managers on drafting practice advisories, treatises and memoranda and updating current advisories and memos
• Work with other members of the Training Unit to strategize best practices and long-term litigation strategies
• Prepare drafts of template motions
• Write amicus briefs in select cases
• Develop local and citywide trainings on legal issues, including preservation issues
• Draft substantive pre-trial motions and memoranda of law, including motions in limine and requests to charge
• Provide guidance on complex litigation issues and consult with attorneys on their cases
• Participate in pre-trial hearings and trials, especially where novel issues are litigated
• Facilitate the commencement of the appellate process when needed.
• Must stay up to date on new developments in criminal law, both in terms of new statutory revisions and evolving case law
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS
Required qualifications:

• Admission to New York State bar
• 7 years of litigation experience as of March 2026, including at least 5 years of post-conviction experience
• Comprehensive knowledge of relevant New York State and federal law including evidence laws, criminal and constitutional laws, statutory interpretation, and ethical principles contained in the Rules of Professional Conduct
• Up-to-date Knowledge of Supreme Court precedent and willingness to assist attorneys in drafting arguments using this precedent

Preferred qualifications:

• Desire to write and edit practice advisories and legal treatises
• Desire to brainstorm new legal arguments in consultation with the Training Unit and other relevant specialized units
• Excellent research, writing, brief-writing, and oral advocacy skills
• Some teaching and/or mentoring experience
• Ability to challenge others to seek innovative and creative approaches to advocacy
• Capacity to work with computer, electronic data and file sharing software, e-discovery platforms and processes, Adobe Pro, and Microsoft Suite
• Ability to work collaboratively with the Training Unit, and other relevant specialized Units, regarding litigation strategies

SALARY AND BENEFITS
The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.
Salary Range: $84,000 - $152,500
The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits.
Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness
The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.
studentaid.gov
hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs
WORK AUTHORIZATION
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)
HOW TO APPLY
All applications must be completed online via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Writing Sample

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email TalentAcquisition@legal-aid.org.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT 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.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
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. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us and our ability to build strong relationships with our colleagues. 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