Careers
OAD is the second oldest institutional provider of appellate representation in New York City. For 35 years, OAD has stood as a beacon of hope for people at the intersection of poverty and injustice. Our clients have been convicted of felony offenses in Manhattan and/or the Bronx and have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment and post-release supervision. Despite the circumstances of our clients’ offenses, convictions, and sentences, we believe in the humanity and dignity of every human being which informs our client-centered, trauma-informed advocacy. We are a beloved community of colleagues who are dedicated to public defense, access to justice, and racial equity.
Current Law Students
The Office of the Appellate Defender has employment opportunities for current law students. These include:
- 2024 Summer Honors Internship
- Spring Semester Internship
- Fall Semester Internship
Recent Law Graduates & Admitted Attorneys
The Office of the Appellate Defender has employment opportunities for recent Law Graduates and Admitted Attorneys. These include:
Role: 2024 Summer Honors Internship
Location: New York
Hours: 35 hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm)
Overview of the Role
The Office of Appellate Defender (OAD) will accept applications from current law students interested in working as an unpaid intern in either direct appeals or one of our projects. We can only accommodate 3 interns during the summer, who will work in one of the following areas, direct appeals and the Reinvestigation Project.
Direct Appeals
An OAD Summer Honors Program Intern in direct appeals will:
- Work on a direct appeal under the supervision of an experienced attorney. Under their guidance you will read the entire appellate record, identify appellate issues, and develop a theory of the case;
- Work on discrete research projects in cutting-edge areas of criminal law and procedure;
- Possibly draft a legal brief and present the case at oral argument before the Appellate Division, First Department; and
- Possibly assist our clients in collateral advocacy if it is available.
The Reinvestigation Project
OAD’s Reinvestigation Project identifies and investigates potential wrongful convictions. The Project searches for such wrongful conviction flags as questionable eyewitness identification, possible false confessions, the use of unreliable evidence, police and/or prosecutorial misconduct, and ineffective assistance of counsel. An intern with the reinvestigation unit would:
- Conduct witness investigations;
- Consult with experts;
- Help identify and digest cases with potential claims of wrongful convictions; and
- Assist attorneys with research, writing and litigation of postconviction motions.
Who You Are
OAD looks for individuals who:
- Have a profound commitment to public service and understand what it means to work with and for people, whose backgrounds and lived experiences are different from their own, with sensitivity and humility.
- Are enthusiastic about challenging the inequities of the criminal justice system and want to contribute to a work environment that values teamwork, inclusion, and respect.
- Are from a variety of backgrounds which bring different perspectives to best serve our clients, who are predominantly Black and Brown people.
- Have experience in moot court, trial advocacy, debate, public speaking, and clinics or internships.
Duration
The internship program is a ten-week program which commences on Monday, June 1, 2024, and ends Friday, August 9, 2024. A student may enroll for less than 10 weeks with the approval of OAD.
Paid Internship
We believe in compensating interns for their work. Yet, as a nonprofit with limited resources, we strongly encourage students to seek funding through their law school’s public interest resources. If a student is unable to obtain funding from school, OAD will provide a stipend at a rate of $20 per hour. If a student receives funding from school and that funding is less than the total amount OAD would pay over the internship program, OAD will pay the difference. OAD’s contribution will not exceed $7000 and will be paid biweekly through OAD’s regular payroll system and subject to taxes.
Your Application
Please apply with a cover letter, resume, transcript and writing sample (no more than 10 pages) here. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Your cover letter must address: (1) why you are interested in working at OAD in direct appeals or the Reinvestigation Project; and (2) what skills or experiences make you a strong candidate.
We will be accepting applications until the positions are filled. Applications should be addressed to:
Fayola Alibey
Director of People, Culture, Equity & Inclusion
Office of the Appellate Defender
11 Park Place
New York, NY 10007
Applications are not accepted by regular mail or e-mail. Questions may be sent to: jobs@oadnyc.org.
Role: Staff Attorney Fellowship
Location: New York
Hours: Full-time, Hybrid
Term: 5 years
Salary: $74,908.80 - $86,353.20
Overview of the role
A Staff Attorney will be responsible for representing people who cannot afford legal representation and who have been convicted of felonies in Manhattan and the Bronx on direct appeals. Staff attorneys are closely supervised by Supervising Attorneys through a process called “double teaming.” Our “double teaming” method strives to improve the quality of appellate advocacy by training staff attorneys to hone in on the best issues for appeal, tell our client’s stories effectively, and to identify and pursue other forms of advocacy that are most effective for each client’s unique circumstance.
Under the “double teaming” method, the Supervisor assigned to the case reads the appellate record and works closely with the Staff Attorney to identify issues and develop a theory of the case. The Supervisor also edits drafts of the briefs and helps to prepare the Staff Attorney for oral argument. Each oral argument is mooted by the Supervisor and a team of colleagues.
After five years of this intensive, hands-on training, OAD Staff Attorneys depart, prepared to provide zealous representation to clients at all stages of the criminal judicial process.
Who You Are
- Experienced. You are a member, in good standing, of a bar in any jurisdiction and possess or can obtain NY licensure within a reasonable time. Prior criminal defense experience, particularly at the appellate level, is highly preferred. This includes pro bono work, participation in law school clinics and internships.
- Culturally Aware and Sensitive. You understand what it means to work with and for individuals whose backgrounds and lived experiences are different from your own with sensitivity and humility. You are willing to learn more about the impacted and marginalized identities of people served by the organization and bring your awareness to all the work you do.
- Clear Communicator. You can communicate clearly and concisely. You provide useful feedback to the people working with you. You adopt an organizational voice to ensure written or oral communications are consistent with the inclusive culture we strive to maintain and build upon.
- Collaborative. You work effectively across roles to create a holistic environment to best address client needs.
- Passionate. You care deeply about people served by OAD and are enthusiastic about challenging the inequities of the criminal justice system.
- Agile. You have demonstrated success navigating gray areas in the law and working with competing priorities. You maintain composure and positivity in stressful situations. You are willing to take on new projects as the needs of the office or practice change.
What You Will Do
- Represent people who cannot afford legal representation convicted of felonies in Manhattan and the Bronx on direct appeal in the Appellate Division and the New York Court of Appeals; in post-conviction motions and hearings; in hearings to determine classification level pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA); and in federal habeas corpus challenges to state court convictions.
- Extensive research and writing of appellate briefs.
- Case conferencing, strategy development, client communication, and legal visits.
- Advising clients of potential appellate options, including withdrawal of appeals where appropriate.
- Collaborating with the Client Services Director and Client Services Coordinators to address prison condition issues and to assist clients with parole proceedings and re-entry preparation.
Benefits
- Generous vacation time and 14 paid holidays, including Summer Fridays where the office closes early.
- 401(k) with a defined contribution of 3% from OAD regardless of participation.
- Personal, Bereavement and sick days given on the first day of employment.
- Comprehensive health, dental, vision and life benefits, flexible spending, and health reimbursement account.
- Free access to the Practicing Law Institute for CLE credits and professional development.
Your Application
To join our community, please apply with a cover letter, resume and writing sample here. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Your cover letter must: (1) explain your alignment with OAD’s mission, values and/or advocacy approach; and (2) what skills or experiences make you a strong candidate.
Please note that OAD requires all staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID and provide a vaccination record at the start of employment.