Culture

At Center For Appellate Litigation we recognize the importance of a collegial, supportive, and inclusive environment. We are at our best collectively when each member of our staff is at their best individually.

Whether through our mentorship program or our weekly team meetings, we take pride in developing new generations of appellate defenders. Additionally, our in-house CLE seminars ensure that everyone, no matter their experience level, can stay abreast of new legal trends. We also recognize the significance of lived experience, both to the practice and to the well-being of our staff. To that end, our Better Days Program offers a client or former client the opportunity to gain valuable experience and enhance their resume with a one-year paid fellowship in our office. Our Color Collective is another facet of our commitment to inclusivity, providing a nurturing and safe space for socializing, community-building, and dialogue.

Creativity & Ownership

Bonded by the shared goal of providing the best post-conviction legal representation and holistic services to our clients, CAL encourages all its staff to problem solve creatively. Look no further than the ever-expanding list of CAL’s Special Projects and Services to Clients and their Families as proof of our commitment to this goal. Every program is a result of a CAL staff member’s recognition that the needs of one or more clients could be better served by the focused allocation of resources. CAL distinguishes itself by empowering every staff member—no matter their title—to take responsibility for each client and create new paths to relief and assistance for them.

Training

CAL’s new-attorney training is second to none. CAL recognizes that, whether a new attorney joins us directly out of law school or as a lateral with years of experience, they’ll benefit from the collective expertise of our staff. New York criminal appellate litigation requires highly specialized knowledge, and the stakes for our clients could not be higher. At CAL, comprehensive professional development is no afterthought. Through formalized classroom-style interactive trainings on New York Criminal Law, appellate procedure, and written and oral advocacy, as well as intensive one-on-one supervision during an attorney’s first year, CAL ensures that our attorneys have the knowledge and support to excel. Training is ongoing as well: a New York accredited CLE provider, CAL provides ongoing training to attorneys on emerging topics throughout the year.

TEAMS

At CAL, we encourage independence while simultaneously recognizing the benefit of collaboration. Our interdisciplinary team structure was designed to strike an ideal balance. Every incoming staff attorney, client advocate, and intern is assigned to one of our six teams. Each team is comprised of staff members from various practice areas and with a range of experience levels.

During weekly team meetings, members can solicit feedback on legal issues, litigation strategies, and a myriad of other matters that arise in the course of the representation. We encourage all staff members--and especially newer ones--to utilize team as both a sounding board and a learning space in their continued practice.

Mentorship Program

Whether arriving immediately after law school, or after years of practice, incoming attorneys are assigned a mentor to offer support and guidance as they begin their careers at CAL. Mentors serve as an additional resource beyond the formal supervision and training structure, assisting new staff attorneys as they navigate the office and its practice. After completing their first year on staff, attorneys become eligible to mentor members of incoming classes. While the program is purposely kept informal to accomodate the varied interests and preferences of our newest staff attorneys, the fundamental objective is to build relationships and networks that extend far beyond the first year of practice at CAL.

Color Collective

At CAL, we acknowledge the unique challenges and experiences that accompany being a person of color in the world, in the legal profession, and in the public defender community. To that end, our Color Collective, the brainchild of a group of staff attorneys and client advocates, was created in 2017 to provide a supportive, inclusive, and nurturing space for its members.

Through social events, mentorship, and educational programming, the Color Collective fosters community consciousness and solidarity through a transformative justice framework. As a collective, we leverage the insights of the Combahee River Collective and define our practice “based upon the fact that the major systems of oppression are interlocking.” The group has grown exponentially since its inception and strives to ensure that all members of the CAL community feel valued, supported, and empowered.

Better Days Program

Far too often, individuals with criminal records have trouble gaining traction in the labor market. Regardless of the skills possessed, convincing resistant employers to take a chance on them frequently proves to be an uphill and frustrating battle.

Enter our first-of-its-kind “Better Days” program. Through the program, we hire one client or former client annually, for a one year position, to help with administrative aspect of our practice. Over the course of their time on staff, our Better Days fellow works closely with our social worker to develop a pathway to long-term success and security. Meant to be a stepping stone into permanent employment, the Better Days program reflects our deep-seeded commitment to our clients beyond the limitations of the appellate process.

From law offices to the medical field, our Better Days alumni have gone on to begin rewarding careers in a variety of settings. These alumni are exemplars of the power of second chances, and we are both incredibly fortunate and honored to be able to offer them.

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