The Criminal Defense Practice of The Legal Aid Society has an opening for a Staff Attorney in its DNA Unit. The Staff Attorney will provide support to attorneys handling DNA matters, advance policy initiatives, and litigate systemic issues as needed. This position will also involve developing litigation strategies to assist attorneys and clients in litigating forensic feature comparison methods such as fingerprints and firearms/toolmark comparisons.

Staff Attorneys in the DNA Unit are the Society’s in-house experts in forensic science matters and provide support for Criminal Defense Practice attorneys and other defense attorneys. They maintain caseloads pertaining to matters where DNA evidence or other forensic feature comparison methods are involved and provide support, including expert assistance and second-seating cases handled by other Society attorneys.

The DNA Unit provides citywide support on DNA issues. Staff Attorneys are either assigned to a borough office or to headquarters at 199 Water Street and then deployed to any of the five boroughs as the need arises. When needed, Staff Attorneys assigned to a particular borough may also be called to provide assistance and client services in other boroughs. All members of this citywide unit work together to develop, implement, and coordinate Society policy and litigation strategy concerning DNA matters.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Writing motions, appellate briefs, and amicus briefs
• Represent clients in criminal proceedings involving DNA and other forensic feature comparisons
• Develop litigation strategies surrounding fingerprints, firearms/toolmark comparisons, and other forensic feature comparisons
• Provide support and assistance for other Society attorneys handling forensic feature comparison cases
• Provide in-house and external training on forensic feature comparison issues
• Provide back-up support for other defense attorneys in New York City
• Advocate for policy changes, as needed

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.

• Cover Letter
• Resume

• Admission to New York State Bar
• Demonstrated aptitude for evaluating scientific evidence, such as on DNA.
• Substantial background in forensics, or the demonstrated aptitude and willingness to acquire such knowledge and to maintain expertise, particularly in such areas as forensic biology and statistics
• Excellent oral advocacy skills
• Excellent research and writing skills
• Excellent ability to train other staff
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a citywide team

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: $74,909 to $130,308

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.

Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid Society

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. To learn more, click the links below.

studentaid.gov

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

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.

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

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 

jo**************@le*******.org











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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.