Sex Offender Registration Act - SORA- Practice Attorney

Sex Offender Registration Act - SORA- Practice Attorney

Sex Offender Registration Act - SORA- Practice Attorney

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ABOUT US

The Center for Appellate Litigation (CAL) is a leading holistic legal services organization dedicated to providing high-quality appellate representation to low-income New Yorkers. We are committed to ensuring that every individual has access to fair and just legal representation in the appellate courts and in a full panoply of post-conviction litigation grounded in our client's humanity. Our team of dedicated attorneys, paralegals, and staff work tirelessly to advocate for our clients' rights and uphold the principles of justice.

POSITION OVERVIEW

CAL is seeking to hire an attorney for its Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) Practice. The attorney will be a member of the bargaining unit.

Members of CAL's SORA team represent individuals on the "sex offender" registry in proceedings related to the duration of their registration and level of community notification. CAL's SORA attorneys appear frequently in trial courts in the Bronx and Manhattan, in addition to representing clients in occasional appellate cases. Effective representation entails dynamic oral advocacy at adversarial hearings, as well as the submission of comprehensive motions that combine legal research with mitigation writing to counter the dehumanizing effect of the registration and carceral systems. Each SORA attorney works closely with clients and the rest of the SORA team, developing an expertise in a burgeoning field at the intersection of criminal and civil law.

At CAL, we pride ourselves on adopting dynamic approaches to serve our clients and challenge the status quo. Outside of the courtroom, we work tirelessly to center and protect our clients' well-being through the work of our Anti-Racism Working Group, Legislative Advocacy Committee, and array of Client Support Service projects. Our clients are among society's most disenfranchised-people who have been convicted and imprisoned--and we work hard to live up to the trust our clients place in us. Our mission is to fight injustice through exceptional advocacy and enduring compassion for each client. We envision a post-conviction process grounded in our clients' humanity.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Current admission in good standing with the New York bar;
• At least one year of relevant legal experience, preferably as a public defender or in public interest law;
• A demonstrated commitment to public criminal defense
• Excellent legal research, analytic, writing, and oral advocacy abilities;
• Ability to think creatively, manage a dynamic caseload, and work well on a team;
• Strong organizational skills and a diligent work ethic;
• Empathy and respect for people who have been convicted of serious offenses and a commitment to advocating on their behalf;
• Strong interpersonal skills, especially in the face of crisis or disagreement;
• Experience serving and/or advocating for disenfranchised communities;
• A willingness and ability to work within the dehumanizing environments of prisons, jails, and detention facilities.

Spanish fluency is highly desired, but not required.

LOCATION

The position is based at CAL's New York City office. CAL has a hybrid remote office policy and attorneys are permitted to work remotely 8-14 days per month.

SALARY

Starting salary will be between $90,047 for a 2025 graduate and $110,160 for a 2017 graduate, with an additional $3,000 differential for candidates fluent in a foreign language regularly used in the practice. CAL offers comprehensive medical benefits, a retirement account, and generous vacation time, holidays, personal, and sick days.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply at https://bit.ly/SORA2026 or click the "APPLY HERE" link. Please include resume and cover letter as one pdf file. Resumes will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

EQUITY AND INCLUSION

At CAL, we embrace and value our staff's diversity, recognizing that our differences strengthen our community and advance our mission. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, orientations, experiences, and communities to apply. CAL is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, arrest or conviction record, caregiver status, citizenship status, color, credit history, creed, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, marital status, partnership status, pregnancy, race, religion, salary history, sexual and reproductive health decisions, sexual orientation, status as a covered veteran or active military service member, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, and sex offenses in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Center for Appellate Litigation is a non-profit public defense law firm dedicated to the pursuit of equal justice under the law for indigent New Yorkers in their criminal appeals and other post-conviction proceedings.

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120 Wall Street, 28th Floor

New York, NY 10005

P: 212-577-2523

F: 212-577-2535

CAL takes cases only through assignment by the courts of New York and does not accept any fee-paying clients.

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