Wrongful Conviction Practice
Position Description: We are seeking to hire immediately an experienced criminal defense attorney to work on actual innocence and wrongful conviction investigations and briefing as well as criminal appeals from trial convictions.
Qualifications:
· A minimum of three years of indigent criminal defense experience, with experience in New York preferred. Criminal trial appellate experience strongly preferred.
· A demonstrated commitment to criminal defense and social justice
· Strong research, writing, and oral advocacy skills
· Strong analytical skills
· A self-directed ability to prepare an investigation plan and manage an active caseload
· New York State bar admission required
Salary and benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience based on a collective bargained scale, with a range from $83,585-$142,250. Appellate Advocates offers a generous benefits package, including health insurance, 401(k), flexible spending and transit account, and paid sick and vacation time.
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and list of references as a single PDF to [email protected], referencing “Staff Attorney Position-Wrongful Conviction” in the subject line by March 25, 2026. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis. Applicants with disabilities may contact Melissa Taveras via telephone (212-693-0085 ext.252) or e-mail [email protected] to request and arrange for accommodations for submitting an application.
Appellate Advocates is not currently soliciting applications.
Appellate Advocates is not currently soliciting applications.
Appellate Advocates is accepting applications for the position of Director of Integrated Client Services (“ICS”). This position reports directly to the Attorney-in-Charge and is responsible for overseeing, managing, and supervising the Prison-Based Services, Social Work, and Reentry programs at Appellate Advocates, in conjunction with the Supervisor of ICS. This is a senior leadership role requiring deep clinical, forensic, programmatic, and managerial expertise.
Responsibilities
Program Leadership & Strategy
• Oversee the Social Work, Prison-Based Services, and Reentry programs
• Develop and implement programmatic goals, policies, and workflows
• Ensure program protocols, referral processes, and tracking systems are current and effective
• Identify service gaps and implement improvements across ICS programming
• Collaborate with leadership on strategic planning and program development
Staff Supervision & Team Development
• Supervise Social Workers, Client Advocates, and Reentry Program Associates, in collaboration with the current ICS Supervisor, whom the Director will oversee
• Provide clinical supervision to LMSW staff
• Conduct annual performance evaluations and provide ongoing feedback
• Support staff professional development and training
• Facilitate regular team meetings
Clinical & Forensic Practice Leadership
• Provide consultation to attorneys on mental health, diagnoses, and external evaluations
• Review and edit clinical and mitigation-related written work (biopsychosocials, advocacy letters, reentry plans, parole submissions)
• Draft psychiatric evaluations as needed
• Conduct clinical assessments and provide guidance on complex cases
• Testify in resentencing hearings as necessary
Operations & Program Management
• Manage intake and assignment of referrals across ICS programs
• Oversee case tracking systems and reporting for internal and external needs
• Manage reentry program budget and inventory
• Ensure coordination across program areas to support client needs
• Provide crisis management support as necessary
Data, Reporting & Administrative Oversight
• Compile and analyze case tracking data for reporting, budgeting, and grant requirements
• Maintain accurate records of program activity and outcomes
• Support program evaluation and continuous quality improvement
Qualifications
• LCSW or License in Psychology required.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in forensic social work or forensic psychology preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work closely within an interdisciplinary office.
• Extensive knowledge regarding jail and prison operations, hierarchy, and structure.
• Experience working with individuals who have complex trauma and have been impacted by the criminal legal system.
• Expertise in drafting and editing mitigation reports, pre-sentencing, and biopsychosocial reports.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Experience and ability to author psychiatric evaluations.
• Excellent clinical assessment and clinical diagnostic and clinical engagement skills.
• Knowledge of the reentry landscape, service providers, and referral resources in NYC.
• Ability to travel to conduct prison visits as necessary.
• Experience in a courtroom setting and comfortability with providing testimony in resentencing hearings as necessary.
• Commitment to trauma-informed, client-centered, and anti-oppressive practice.
This position is required to be in the office five days a week for at least the first year, with the possibility of gaining at most one (1) teleworking day per week thereafter.
Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time, non-exempt, salaried position. Salary is commensurate with experience with a range from $120,000 – $150,000. Appellate Advocates offers a generous benefits package, including health and dental insurance, a 401(k), flexible spending and transit account, and paid sick and vacation time.
Application Deadline: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and list of references to attention: Patricia Pazner, as a single PDF to [email protected], referencing “Director of Integrated Client Services” in the subject line. Applicants with disabilities may e-mail [email protected] or call Melissa Taveras, Executive Assistant, at (212) 693-0085, ext. 252, to request and arrange accommodation for submitting an application.
Position Description: We are seeking to immediately hire at least one paralegal to support our attorneys and clients by undertaking administrative and clerical tasks necessary to our work. Paralegal responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Preparing court filings by, among other things, drafting the cover, table of contents, and affirmation of service; creating the table of authorities; formatting documents; compiling the exhibits/records; and assembling the PDFs for electronic filing;
• Electronically filing motions, briefs, stipulations, and other documents to the courts;
• Coordinating with the mailroom to print and serve filings on the District Attorney’s Office, our clients, and the courts;
• Requesting transcripts, records, and other documents from courts, prison facilities, and state/city agencies;
• Scheduling legal calls or visits on behalf of attorneys and social workers;
• Proofreading and redacting documents;
• Contacting courts, prison facilities, and other organizations/agencies;
• Closing case files;
• Corresponding with clients;
• Other administrative tasks as needed.
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;
• Well-developed interpersonal communication skills;
• Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Access; Wordperfect; and Adobe Acrobat;
• Bi-lingual capabilities valued.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary is commensurate with experience, with a range from $62,500 to $91,942.81. 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: June 3, 2026
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references as a single PDF to [email protected], referencing “Paralegal Position – Attorney-Facing 2026” in the subject line.
Appellate Advocates has four different internship opportunities for law students, with each focused on a different practice area: (1) cases arising out of the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act; (2) direct criminal appeals; (3) cases pertaining to the Sex Offender Registration Act; and (4) wrongful convictions. Each is referred to below.
If you are interested in applying to Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, direct appeals, or the Sex Offender Registration Act internships, please send your cover letter and resume to Assistant Managing Attorney Courtney Crosby at [email protected], indicating your interested internship in the subject line. If you are interested in applying to wrongful convictions, please send your cover letter and resume to [email protected] and indicate Wrongful Convictions Internship Program in the subject line.
Please note that our internships are unpaid. Students are are strongly encouraged to apply for grants from schools or other sources.
Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) Internship/Externship Programs
The Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA), enacted in May 2019, reflects the Legislature’s commitment to shortening the prison sentences of domestic violence victims. It has two components. First, for individuals not yet sentenced, the DVSJA permits far more compassionate sentencing than its predecessor statute. Second, the DVSJA created a “look back” provision, to allow for resentencings for those already incarcerated. The DVSJA practice of Appellate Advocates handles all stages of resentencing applications as well as appeals of unsuccessful DVSJA resentencing motions and trial level DVSJA sentencings.
We are currently soliciting law students who will have completed their second year of law school by May 2026. During a ten-week program in the summer, interns will work closely with the DVSJA team on various assignments, including, but not limited to, drafting components of DVSJA motions and clemency petitions for survivors of domestic violence, in addition to aiding with investigating DVSJA claims and hearing preparation. In this role, interns will have the opportunity to visit incarcerated clients, attend hearings, and gain extensive writing experience.
Appellate Advocates is deeply committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. Law students who have a strong interest in appellate criminal defense work and/or experience working with survivors of domestic violence are encouraged to apply. Excellent research and writing skills are essentials.
We fill positions on a rolling basis and begin considering applications in September for the following summer.
We also welcome extern applications throughout the year.
Direct Appeal Summer Internship Program
We are no longer soliciting direct appeal internship applications for the summer of 2026. We will begin accepting applications in August 2026 for the summer of 2027.
Sex Offender Registration Act Program
New York’s Sex Offender Registration Act (“SORA”) requires individuals convicted of specified offenses to register as sex offenders, oftentimes for life. Registration, in addition to severely limiting one’s housing and employment options, carries a profound stigma that makes it difficult to ever truly re-enter society.
Many SORA-subject individuals are required to meet with the police frequently and face felony charges for failing to update their information or check in with law enforcement, even decades after the underlying offense. Additionally, the names, photographs, home addresses, and offense details of most registered individuals are posted on the Internet registry.
There are thousands of people registering as Level 2 (moderate risk) or Level 3 (high risk) offenders in New York City. Some of these individuals have been on the registry for decades without re-offending, have completed long-term therapy, are gainfully employed, and in stable relationships. Without an attorney to file a modification petition to lower their level, however, they will remain on the Internet registry for life.
The law student intern will investigate and prepare modification petitions for individuals seeking to lower their SORA levels. The SORA intern will work closely with attorneys in every aspect of the modification process, including meeting with clients, interviewing relevant witnesses, reviewing court paperwork, drafting affirmations and motions, and orally arguing at the final hearing in Supreme Court.
The internship will begin on June 1, 2026, and conclude on August 3, 2026. Interns are expected to work 40 hours per week. Applicants must have a strong interest in criminal defense with an emphasis on protecting the rights of people convicted of serious sex offenses, excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to research and write independently.
Wrongful Convictions
Public trust and confidence in the legitimacy of the criminal justice system depend on the accuracy and fairness of the process culminating in convictions. Despite various institutional safeguards in the criminal justice system, wrongful convictions occur due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, witness misidentification and perjury, investigative errors, forensic errors, and prosecutorial misconduct, resulting in serious personal loss to the wrongfully convicted and damage to the criminal justice institution. The wrongfully convicted often spend years in prison before any measure of justice is achieved.
The wrongful conviction practice at Appellate Advocates seeks to identify and investigate cases where our client is factually innocent. To reverse these miscarriages of justice, the actual innocence practice conducts a thorough investigation of each client’s innocence claim, culminating in a written motion to vacate and dismiss the judgment, or submission of a petition to one of the post-conviction review bureaus created by the District Attorneys in each borough in New York City to investigate credible claims of actual innocence.
Appellate Advocates is presently soliciting law students who have completed their second year of law school and share our drive to achieve justice for those people who have been wrongfully accused and convicted. During a ten-week summer internship program, interns will work closely with the wrongful conviction team of attorneys and in-house investigator to review record evidence, uncover evidence not previously known, meet and interview the client and witnesses, and draft either a motion to vacate the judgment or petition to the appropriate post-conviction review board. Successful applicants will have superior analytical and writing skills.
We are also seeking externs who are interested in working with the wrongful conviction team throughout the school year. If you are interested in working with us, please send your resume to [email protected] and indicate “Wrongful Conviction Externship Program” on the subject line.
Appellate Advocates is not currently soliciting applications.
