Paralegal II, Managing Attorney Office

The Legal Aid Society•New York, NY

About The Position

The Criminal Appeals Bureau (CAB) of The Legal Aid Society is the largest post-conviction public defender in New York City, annually providing holistic, client-centered representation to over 1,000 people with misdemeanor, felony, and homicide convictions. We represent low-income people in all five boroughs who are challenging their criminal convictions on appeal or in other post-conviction proceedings. Our practice includes direct appeals of judgment convictions as well as collateral litigation such as 440 motions, Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act resentencing applications, and Sex Offender Registration Act hearings and appeals. CAB is seeking a dedicated and passionate Paralegal II to support our Quick Resolution Project (QRP). QRP is a small collaborative team of attorneys and paralegals that seek to resolve cases where we are unable to raise any issues on appeal. The successful candidate should have excellent judgment and be highly organized, detail-oriented, able to interact effectively with clients and court personnel, and be willing to work closely with a team of attorneys, paralegals, and other support staff to assist CAB. Expected start date will be July/August 2026.

Requirements

An associate degree (or additional higher education)
A paralegal certificate from an ABA accredited paralegal program
A high school diploma / GED and 4+ years of related work experience, at least 2 of which are as a paralegal
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Excellent computer and word processing skills, particularly Microsoft Word and a PDF program
Excellent organizational skills with ability to manage a large workload and meet deadlines
Ability to pay strong attention to detail and think critically
Highly motivated with a willingness to work as a team and adapt to the changing needs of the practice
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
Ability to interact effectively with courts and related criminal justice agencies, as well as with Legal Aid attorneys, paralegals, and other support staff
Interest in criminal law and social justice issues
Experience in and/or commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income individuals and people of color a must
Ability to make a minimum two-year commitment to The Legal Aid Society

Nice To Haves

A bachelor’s degree
Some knowledge of New York criminal law and criminal procedure a plus but not required
Proficiency in a language other than English is a plus but not required

Responsibilities

Locating clients and communicating the status of their appeal both verbally and in writing
Tracking communication attempts where clients are difficult to locate
Assisting clients in signing stipulations to withdraw their appeal
Drafting motions to resolve the appeal
Filing stipulations and motions
Updating and organizing physical files and case management system, including preparing files for final review after case has been resolved
In conjunction with attorney, analyzing the record to confirm that no issues can be raised on appeal
Resolving other client issues as needed
Collaborating closely with CAB management and staff to increase CAB’s efficiency and effectiveness
Other responsibilities as assigned