The Legal Aid Society is inviting applications from eligible candidates for the position of Attorney in Charge in New York.
About The Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice is seeking a dynamic leader and strategic thinker to lead their Law Reform team as Attorney in Charge. The Legal Aid Society is the largest and oldest provider of social justice legal services in the nation. The Law Reform team of the Criminal Defense Practice includes Legal Aid’s Special Litigation Unit, Prisoners’ Rights Project, Community Justice Unit, and Decarceration Project.
About the Opportunity
The Legal Aid Society is inviting applications from eligible candidates for the position of Attorney in Charge in New York.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership, direction, and management to the Special Litigation Unit, the Prisoners’ Rights Project, the Community Justice Unit, and other units assigned to the Criminal Defense Practice (CDP) Law Reform division
- Ensure strategic rigor and consistency in CDP’s law reform work; ground that works in the needs and interests of CDP’s public defense clients; and develop mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the impact
- Direct CDP’s impact litigation docket and policy reform agenda, including by leading the development of and cultivating others to develop new initiatives and providing strategic input on existing initiatives
- Set and achieve high standards for legal and policy work as well as collaborative coalition and community engagement work across the CDP Law Reform division
- Center Legal Aid’s core values as well as principles of accessibility, equity, inclusion, and belonging in CDP’s law reform work and organizational practices and processes
- Provide proactive, compassionate line management to direct reports within the Law Reform division
- Ensure consistent internal coordination and communication about law reform initiatives within CDP and among CDP and Legal Aid’s Civil and Juvenile Rights practices and senior leadership
- Act as a primary spokesperson for The Legal Aid Society in the media and public appearances
Essential Requirements
- Admission to New York State Bar
- Minimum of 12 years experience as an attorney, including demonstrable experience with law reform litigation, policy advocacy, and criminal trial or appellate work
- Minimum 5 years experience in a supervisory and leadership role, including direct experience line managing staff and contributing to the professional development of others
- Experience working in a nonprofit with a focus on improving the lives of low-income people
- Experience in strategic planning, including managing planning processes; implementing plans and managing change; and monitoring and evaluating progress
- Experience with media advocacy and strategic communications
- Excellent collaboration skills, including an ability to foster constructive, respectful working relationships with colleagues and coalition partners and an understanding of the importance of attention to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in collaborative relationships
- A nuanced understanding of state and federal constitutional and civil rights law and principles, particularly in their application to the criminal legal system
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to convey complex legal concepts clearly and with precision
- Demonstrated commitment to advancing racial equity in the criminal legal system
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity and building an equitable and inclusive work environment
Benefits
Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if, an offer is made.
Location
New York City
How to Apply?
Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Writing Sample
