The Appeals Bureau at the Nassau County District Attorney's Office is a dynamic place to be an appellate lawyer. The work is interesting and challenging, and the Bureau has a supportive and collegial atmosphere. With a staff of nearly 20 lawyers devoted to handling appeals and post-judgment motions by convicted defendants, the Bureau is at the forefront of “making law” and establishing legal precedents that influence the landscape of criminal law in New York. The Bureau handles all post-judgment litigation of the County’s criminal cases - in every level of the trial and appellate courts of New York and the United States. The Appeals Bureau also serves an important role in advising Assistant District Attorneys throughout the Office on legal issues that arise during the investigative and trial stages of a case.
Qualifications and Requirements
All lateral candidates must:
- Have a Juris Doctorate (JD) Degree from an ABA-accredited law school;
- Be a current New York State Bar member in good standing;
- Reside in New York State as of the effective date of employment with the NCDAO;
- Have 3+ years of practicing criminal law or conducting appellate work;
- Have a strong work ethic;
- Pay scrupulous attention to deadlines;
- Make a two-year commitment to employment at the NCDAO; and
- Prior experience as an appellate attorney or equivalent work experience is strongly preferred.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Researching, writing and arguing briefs in intermediate appellate courts and the NYS Court of Appeals addressing issues of criminal and constitutional law;
- Answering collateral post-conviction motions seeking vacatur of convictions under Article 440 of the Criminal Procedure Law; conducting evidentiary hearings related to these motions;
- Answering petitions for writs of habeas corpus filed in federal court, and briefing and arguing appeals arising from such cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit;
- Counseling ADAs throughout the Office on questions of law arising at pre-trial, trial, and sentencing stages;
- Reviewing adverse decisions for potential People’s appeals; researching, briefing, and arguing such appeals
- Conducting conviction integrity reviews of post-conviction cases whenever such treatment is warranted;
- Litigating specialized civil proceedings, including state habeas corpus and Article 78 petitions; and
- Engaging in motion practice related to all stages of the appellate process.
Job Benefits
- As an ADA, you will receive the following benefits (waiting periods may apply):
- 13 paid holidays each year
- Generous paid vacation, personal and sick days each year
- Contributory medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents
- New York State Employees Retirement Plan
- Optional Deferred Compensation Plan
- Flexible benefits plans (pre-tax) for medical and child-care expenses
- Childcare leave
- Nassau Financial Federal Credit Union optional financial services
