Center for Appellate Litigation/Appellate Advocates/Appellate Defender Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hey all,

Eying throwing a few applications at these NYC appellate defender offices (I'm at a not-for-profit that isn't long for the world and am looking to make a move). I know that the main difference is that AA is Second Department, CAL First Department, and OAD mostly (entirely?) First. Any wisdom on quality of work/people/office culture/pay/what they're looking for in applicants/etc.? There's surprisingly little discussion of these offices on here.

[encore1101]

PM me.

[Anonymous User]

encore1101, thanks for the help.

anybody else have input on these offices?

[hicrhodus]

I can also offer input. Feel free to PM me.

[Anonymous User]

Bumping this. Anyone willing to share input here, or still around to answer PMs?

[Anonymous User]

Bumping this. Any intel on these offices and how they compare in terms of culture/work/pay/etc.?

[Anonymous User]

I have friends at all three.

OAD has a reputation of being more client-centric, along with Legal Aid's Criminal Appeals Bureau. AA and CAL seem to be two sides of a similar coin, although CAL seems to be more out front and high-profile, maybe because Manhattan?

Pay seems lower than at DA's offices, with no state-employee goodies. One online review complained about lack of transparency in pay.

My friends at all three have occasional complaints, and I know that AA has lost a lot of people recently. But they seem like decent places to work, with a much nicer lifestyle than the trial bureaus.

[Anonymous User]

I have heard from a colleague that at least two of these organizations (CAL and AA) are struggling financially, due to funding changes and issues but also due to problems with management. AA also swapped management under mysterious circumstances, suddenly going to an "acting" attorney in charge, and seems to have lost several people. Do not know whether this is also affecting trial PD offices (Legal Aid seems fine), but NYC people should keep it in mind.

[Anonymous User]

Any word on whether these places are interviewing/hiring? CAL and OAD posted openings in the fall.

[Anonymous User]

AA is not. OAD may have made offers to an entry level class recently. Don't know about CAL.

[Anonymous User]

AA is not. OAD may have made offers to an entry level class recently. Don't know about CAL.

None of the NYC appellate shops received the funding they were expecting from the city, so I would be very surprised if at least CAL or AA hires (both continue to struggle and have lost many attorneys).