Serving Clients in the Second Circuit and the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York

Appeals Attorneys

Job Announcement for: Appeals Attorney
Posted: March 10, 2026
Application Deadline: April 6, 2026
Salary Range: $106,689 to $197,100 annually

Federal Defenders of New York (FDNY) is seeking applicants for an Appeals Attorney position. This is a full-time, in-office position based in the Southern District of New York, located in our Manhattan office. The candidate selected for this role will occasionally travel to our other offices located in Brooklyn, White Plains, and Central Islip as required.

Our Organization
FDNY is a nonprofit, community defender organization that provides legal representation to indigent persons accused of federal crimes in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. We are not a government agency, and our employees are not government employees. Our mission is straightforward: although we provide our services free of cost, our clients should receive the finest legal representation available at any price. A large part of our caseload involves immigration-related offenses, drugs, fraud, bank robbery, firearms, and internet-related crimes. We are looking for someone who is committed to equal justice and willing to fight vigorously for those accused of committing crimes.

Duties and Responsibilities
As an Appeals Attorney, your primary responsibility will be representing clients in direct criminal appeals in the Second Circuit and Supreme Court of the United States. Other responsibilities include:

• Represent clients in post-conviction proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 or 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c) (motions for sentence reduction).
• Collaborate with trial attorneys to serve as co-counsel to represent clients in district court proceedings in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
• Contribute to the development of litigation strategies utilized by attorneys within the Appeals Unit.

Qualifications & Experience
 • Demonstrates an interest in and commitment to the mission of FDNY.
• Values camaraderie, collaboration, and zealous client advocacy.
• Demonstrates strong proficiency in legal research, analysis, legal writing, and oral advocacy.
• Is a self-starter who is comfortable working both independently and collaboratively, and able to navigate shifting demands when urgent legal needs arise.
• Has a thorough understanding of Microsoft Systems (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Lexis Nexis, Adobe Acrobat, and Westlaw.
• Has a minimum of two years of legal experience post J.D., with a focus in criminal defense with demonstrated experience researching and writing appellate briefs.
• Is a licensed and active member in good standing of the New York State Bar or, upon hire, gains admission to practice in New York State.

Preferred Qualifications
 • Demonstrates fluency or professional proficiency in Spanish.
• Has experience presenting appellate oral argument.
• Has held an appellate clerkship.

Benefits & Salary
The salary for this position is $106,689 to $197,100. This range is consistent with the federal pay-scale and is commensurate with the experience of the candidate.

Additionally, FDNY offers the following employer benefits:
• Paid Vacation & Sick Leave
• Federal paid holidays
• Health benefits, including medical/dental/vision coverage
• Group Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Commuter benefits & 403(b) retirement offerings
• Employee Assistance Program
• Legal training & workshops for CLE credit

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, as FDNY is dedicated to promoting a work environment that supports and respects all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, gender identity, national origin, religion, or disability. Our office is committed to building a workplace that embraces different identities, voices, and worldviews—valuing equity and the richness of varied lived experiences.

Interested Applicants
Qualified candidates who are interested in contributing to this work are encouraged to apply by submitting a single pdf document that includes their one-page cover letter, resume, and two writing samples.

Your writing samples should be appellate briefs or appellate-type filings, such as dispositive trial court motions, for which you had primary writing responsibility. For co-authored or significantly edited writing samples, please provide an explanation of 1-3 sentences describing your role in the brief writing and editing process.

Please address all materials to Tamara Giwa, Executive Director via Airtable in our application portal. The combined PDF file should be formatted as: FirstName LastName—Appeals Attorney Application Materials.

Hiring Timeline
We value transparency in our hiring process and want applicants to know what to expect. Below are estimates of our key dates:

• Application Deadline: April 6, 2026; Application review will occur on a rolling basis until the role is filled. The receipt of application materials will not be confirmed by FDNY.
• Interviews: Interviews will be conducted in-person or virtually via Zoom and/or Microsoft Teams. Please note that only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.