Senior Appellate Attorney – Criminal Defense

GRAND CANYON LAW GROUP LLC•Phoenix, AZ

5d•$135,000 - $155,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Grand Canyon Law Group is dedicated solely to criminal defense, helping individuals accused of crimes take control of their cases and secure their futures. 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 under Rules 32 and 33, special actions, petitions for review, and federal habeas corpus. This role involves identifying winning issues, crafting compelling briefs, and serving as an in-house appellate strategist for the trial team by assisting with issue framing, jury instructions, and record preservation. This is a lead-advocate position for an experienced criminal appellate lawyer seeking to build a practice within a firm that prioritizes appellate work.

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 (e.g., public defender or legal defender appellate unit, federal defender, or private criminal appellate 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 ineffective-assistance, newly-discovered-evidence, and significant-change-in-law claims, involving investigation, expert coordination, and evidentiary hearings.
Bring and defend petitions for special action for interlocutory relief on issues such as suppression, release conditions, discovery, speedy trial, and victims’ rights disputes.
Handle limited-jurisdiction appeals (municipal and justice court, including DUI) 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 (Rule 24 motions for new trial and to vacate judgment) with trial counsel.
Present oral argument before appellate panels and argue at PCR evidentiary hearings.
Order, organize, and master the full record: transcripts, exhibits, minute entries, and pleadings. Identify preserved, fundamental, and structural error, and choose the issues most likely to win.
Conduct deep legal research and track developments from the 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 for instructions, objections, and sentencing.
Review sentencing outcomes for appealable issues and make sure every client is advised of appeal and PCR rights and deadlines.
Manage a full appellate and PCR caseload from intake to mandate, ensuring all deadlines are calendared and met.
Lead and delegate to paralegals and legal assistants on record indexing, cite-checking, appendices, and filing. Review all work product before it goes out.
Participate in monthly case reviews with the Managing Attorney.
Give clients an honest, realistic assessment of appellate prospects and keep them informed regularly.
Communicate professionally with the 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, and by writing 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 your own professional network.