Job Description

Appellate Advocates is a nonprofit public defender organization, based in New York City, providing high-quality representation of individuals who have been convicted of crimes in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island and cannot afford private lawyers. We are a group of attorneys from diverse backgrounds who are experienced in criminal law and believe in fighting for every person’s constitutional right to a fair trial and in working to overturn unjust convictions and sentences and provide other post-conviction services.

Appellate Advocates is deeply committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. To this end, we seek to:

• Hire staff that reflect the full range of racial, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic identities of the communities we represent, particularly those communities disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system;

• Ensure a workplace where diversity and inclusion is fostered and different perspectives are valued and freely exchanged; and

• Ensure that all staff members feel welcome, respected, and have equal opportunities to thrive and advance within the organization.

Position Description: We are seeking to immediately hire a paralegal to conduct intake and screen cases. Paralegal responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to:

• Providing back-up coverage when receptionist is unavailable by, among other things, answering telephone calls, registering visitors in the building’s online log, greeting clients and visitors, and checking and forwarding voicemails;

• Creating, organizing, and maintaining the physical and electronic files for newly assigned clients;

• Updating information in our case management system and excel spreadsheets, as well as other data entry tasks;

• Requesting transcripts, court files, and other documents from courts, the District Attorney’s Office, and other state/city agencies;

• Coordinating with mailroom staff to pick up transcripts and files from NY state courts and to print out files;

• Digital filing and upkeep for all case files, which includes downloading, labeling, and saving documents to electronic files;

• Bookmarking transcripts and court files;

• Filing physical documents and client correspondence;

• Maintaining organization in the intake file room;

• Maintaining an excel spreadsheet or list of the earliest release dates for incarcerated clients;

• Screening cases as needed, by reviewing the client’s court file and transcripts to ensure completeness; and

• Other administrative and clerical duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• An interest in criminal defense and social justice;

• Strong organizational skills and rigorous attention to detail;

• A self-directed ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks;

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively;

• Familiarity with Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access;

• Bi-lingual capabilities valued.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience based on a collectively-bargained step salary scale, with a range from $53,711.93 to $76,150.46. Appellate Advocates offers a generous benefits package, including health and vision insurance, a 401(k), flexible spending and transit account, and paid sick and vacation time.

Application Deadline: March 31, 2025

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references as a single PDF document to apply@appad.org, referencing “Intake Paralegal Position 2025” in the subject line.

All employees at Appellate Advocates are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Official documentation of vaccination status must be provided to the Human Resources Department prior to the first day of work.

Appellate Advocates is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, age, veteran status, disability, or genetic information. Appellate Advocates is deeply committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce, and seeks to hire staff that reflect the full range of racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic identities of the communities we represent, particularly those communities disproportionately affected by the criminal legal system. We strongly encourage people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply.

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