Deadline is 3:00 PM EST for Date Listed
2024-10-28
Location
Manhattan – Criminal Defense Practice Office
Job Description
The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice Special Litigation Unit is seeking a highly experienced civil litigator and organizational leader to manage a team of legal professionals focused on developing creative and innovative legal advocacy and systemic law reform strategies across a range of criminal justice matters.
The Special Litigation Unit of The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice (SLU) engages in civil litigation and policy advocacy to address systemic injustices affecting the Legal Aid Society’s criminal defense clients and their families. Examples of past work include federal litigation challenging the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk practices, state litigation compelling arraignments within 24 hours, and constitutional challenges to mandatory detention of people accused of parole violations. SLU sits within the Law Reform Team of the Criminal Defense Practice, alongside Legal Aid’s Prisoner Rights Project, Community Justice Unit, Policy Team and other specialized projects.
The Director of Special Litigation will work closely with and report to the Attorney-in-Charge of Criminal Law Reform. The Director of Special Litigation will direct and implement SLU’s litigation strategy across a range of issues, including but not limited to combatting racial discrimination in the criminal legal system, ending mass incarceration, and challenging abusive policing practices. The Director will supervise, lead and inspire the work of other attorneys, paralegals and other staff working in SLU; initiate new litigation strategies and act as lead counsel in complex litigation; collaborate with public defenders and specialized attorneys across Legal Aid to identify and address systemic legal issues affecting our clients; support policy advocacy through expert analysis and coalition building; and act as a representative of the Legal Aid Society in coalitions, with external stakeholders, and in the media.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
- Supervision and Litigation Development
- Provide proactive, compassionate line management to staff attorneys, paralegals and other staff within the Special Litigation Unit
- Working closely with the Attorney-in-Charge, direct and implement the strategy of the Special Litigation Unit, oversee systems to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the Unit, and provide leadership within the team
- Identify opportunities for new litigation strategies
- Initiate and lead complex civil litigation in state and federal court
- Implement SLU’s Advocacy and Policy Priorities
- Direct research and advocacy to support policy reform at the city and state levels, working closely with the Director of Policy
- Represent the Legal Aid Society in coalitions and develop and maintain relationships with coalition and other external partners
- Support SLU’s Internal Relationships and Other Duties as Assigned
- Manage the Special Litigation Unit’s relationships across the various practice areas within the Legal Aid Society
- Other duties as assigned
SALARY TRANSPARENCY
The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.
Salary Range/ Salary: $140,000 – $161,000
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if an offer is made.
Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid Society
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.
hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, 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
All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.
Required Documents
Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.
- Cover letter
- Resume
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.