JOB DESCRIPTION
The Law Reform Unit of the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice is seeking an attorney to join the Women’s Pretrial Release Initiative, a specialized initiative within the unit’s Decarceration Project.
The Women’s Pretrial Release Initiative secures the release of cis and trans women who are detained pretrial in New York City and connects them to gender-specific alternatives to detention. The Initiative offers early intervention, trial and appellate release advocacy, structuralized social services, and comprehensive support. Service connections include mental health services, substance abuse services, housing and employment resources, and a host of other community support services. The Initiative is housed within the Law Reform unit’s Decarceration Project, which fights to make pre-trial detention obsolete by working alongside CDP attorneys in all five boroughs to provide litigation support on bail applications and appeals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Work closely with project social worker to complete service plans and bail packages to advocate for the release of women who are being detained pretrial in New York City jails
Challenge adverse bail decisions using bail review hearings, writs of habeas corpus, appeals, and other strategic litigation
Engage in post-release advocacy with various alternative to incarceration service providers
Conduct trainings and outreach focused on women’s pretrial detention and care coordination for CDP attorneys
Inform discussions with system stakeholders regarding issues facing incarcerated women
Collect data to inform strategic litigation priorities and to fulfill reporting requirements to private funders
Represent the Legal Aid Society in coalitions and develop and maintain relationships with coalition partners
Other duties as assigned
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
LOCATION
Manhattan – Criminal Defense Practice Office
REQUIREMENTS
Admission to the New York State Bar
Minimum 3 years’ experience in criminal, juvenile, family, or immigration defense
A demonstrated interest in working with marginalized women and their families involved in the criminal legal system
History of trauma-informed practice on behalf of clients with physical disabilities, mental illness, intellectual and developmental delays and/or histories of substance use
Experience in detention advocacy, with a working knowledge of multiple systems of detention preferred
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Excellent organizational skills
Ability to interface professionally and effectively with judges, district attorneys and correctional personnel in a formal setting
Ability to work collaboratively with attorneys and other social work professionals in a team model
Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment toward shared team goals
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: $76,407 to $132,914
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.
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.
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.