Criminal Defense Practice Staff Attorney – Entry Level Fall 2025

Job Description

The Legal Aid Society, the nation's oldest and largest social justice legal services organization, is seeking dedicated and passionate entry-level Staff Attorneys in the Criminal Defense Practice for our trial offices in the five boroughs of New York City.

The Criminal Defense Practice is the primary public defender in New York City, providing holistic, client-centered representation to people facing misdemeanor, felony, and homicide charges. Staff Attorneys will provide zealous advocacy and handle all aspects of criminal defense from arraignment through trial, sentencing and beyond. Entry level staff attorneys are defined as those that have 0-3 years of experience in criminal defense, are admitted to practice in the State of New York or can practice Pro Hac Vice pursuant to New York State rules.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for the full holistic representation of clients on misdemeanor Criminal matters, which include, client counseling, preparing motions, plea negotiations, directing and participating in investigations, reviewing discovery materials and compliance, interviewing witnesses, advising clients of collateral consequences, referring cases for social work intervention and mitigation, preparing for and conducting hearings and trials
• Engage in frequent court appearances and litigation, including arraignments, bail reviews and writs of habeas corpus, preliminary conferences & examinations, legal arguments, hearings & trials, and sentencings
• Interview clients and their families in person and through virtual means, conduct legal research; and write pre-pleading letters, motions, and pre-sentencing memoranda on behalf of clients
• Coordinate work performed by defense team members such as investigators, social workers, paralegals, and others
• Work with cross-practice colleagues (immigration defense/civil defense/family defense) to obtain comprehensive legal outcomes for clients
• File motions, briefs, and other related documents on a frequent, timely basis
• Handle ancillary proceedings related to the criminal cases
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Be admitted to the New York State Bar or law school graduate eligible to practice under The Legal Aid Society's Practice Order
• Have knowledge of the law of evidence, criminal and constitutional law, statutory interpretation, and ethical principles contained in the Rules of Professional Conduct
• A demonstrated commitment to serving racially and socioeconomically marginalized communities and an understanding of the racial disparities affecting client communities
• The ability to work collegially and collaboratively with others

SALARY AND BENEFITS

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: $81,425- $82,573

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.

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.

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 .

INTERVIEW PROCESS/TIMELINE

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Interviews will be scheduled throughout the fall season. If selected for an interview, you will receive an email notification during the fall. The process will include:

• On Campus Interview (OCI), if applicable, serving as a screening
• Two rounds of interviews
• Reference checks

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.