Senior Appellate Attorney – Criminal Defense

Grand Canyon Law Group•Phoenix, AZ

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Grand Canyon Law Group is a criminal defense firm dedicated to helping individuals accused of crimes. The Senior Appellate Attorney will lead the firm’s post-conviction practice, managing all matters from sentencing to the issuance of the mandate, including direct appeals, post-conviction relief (Rule 32 and Rule 33), special actions, petitions for review, and federal habeas corpus. This role involves identifying winning issues, writing compelling briefs, and serving as an in-house appellate strategist for the trial team. The attorney will assist trial lawyers in framing issues, drafting jury instructions, and preserving the record to ensure cases are appeal-ready. This is a lead-advocate position for an experienced criminal appellate lawyer.

Requirements

Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school.
Active member in good standing of the State Bar of Arizona.
Admitted, or eligible for admission, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona and the Ninth Circuit.
7+ years of appellate brief-writing experience.
5+ years of criminal defense appellate or post-conviction practice.
A substantial portfolio of criminal appellate briefs as lead or primary author, including opening and reply briefs.
Oral argument experience before a state appellate court or federal circuit court.
Working command of the Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure (especially Rules 24, 31, 32, and 33), the Rules of Procedure for Special Actions, and AEDPA.

Nice To Haves

Judicial clerkship with the Arizona Court of Appeals, the Arizona Supreme Court, or a federal court.
Experience with serious felony appeals (homicide, sex offenses, dangerous and repetitive sentencing) or capital post-conviction work.
Ninth Circuit briefing or argument experience.
State Bar of Arizona Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law.
Reversals, remands, or published opinions obtained as lead counsel.
Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

Handle direct appeals of felony and misdemeanor convictions and sentences to the Arizona Court of Appeals and petitions for review to the Arizona Supreme Court.
Litigate post-conviction relief under Ariz. R. Crim. P. Rule 32 and Rule 33, including investigation, expert coordination, and evidentiary hearings.
Bring and defend petitions for special action for interlocutory relief.
Handle limited-jurisdiction appeals to superior court.
Pursue federal habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 and appeals to the Ninth Circuit, managing AEDPA limitations, exhaustion, and procedural-default issues.
Draft and argue post-trial motions with trial counsel.
Present oral argument before appellate panels and argue at PCR evidentiary hearings.
Order, organize, and master the full appellate record.
Identify preserved, fundamental, and structural error, and choose the issues most likely to win.
Conduct deep legal research and track developments from Arizona appellate courts, the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Brief the attorney team on decisions that affect active cases.
Serve as the firm’s appellate consultant on suppression and dispositive motions, jury instructions, objections, offers of proof, and Rule 20 motions.
Attend high-stakes trials when needed to protect the record.
Deliver quarterly issue-preservation training to attorneys and maintain firm checklists.
Review sentencing outcomes for appealable issues and ensure clients are advised of appeal and PCR rights and deadlines.
Manage a full appellate and PCR caseload from intake to mandate, ensuring all deadlines are met.
Lead and delegate to paralegals and legal assistants on record indexing, cite-checking, appendices, and filing.
Review all work product before it is submitted.
Participate in monthly case reviews with the Managing Attorney.
Communicate with clients (often in custody) and their families regarding appellate prospects and case status.
Communicate professionally with courts, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, county attorneys, clerks, and trial counsel.
Support Sales/CRT on appellate and PCR consultations by evaluating viability, scope, and fee structure.
Write clear case-evaluation memos.
Build GCLG’s reputation in appellate work through CLE presentations, bar involvement, and content for firm marketing.
Bring appellate and post-conviction clients to the firm through professional networks.