ABOUT US

The Center for Appellate Litigation (CAL) is a leading legal services organization dedicated to providing high-quality post-conviction 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. Our team of dedicated attorneys, client advocates, and staff work tirelessly to advocate for our clients’ rights and uphold the principles of justice.

Client Advocates (CAs) play an essential role in delivering a wealth of important services to our clients. CAs work directly with clients and are typically the first point of contact.

CAL’S CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT AND YEARS PROJECTS

CAL’s Conditions of Confinement Project advocates on behalf of CAL’s clients who are incarcerated in the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) facilities. Many of our clients have concerns related to their health, safety, and overall wellness. We work to address these challenges through advocacy related to access to medical and mental healthcare; protection from harassment and violence; preventing illegal and unjust solitary confinement; and obtaining basic necessities.

CAL’s Youth & Emergent Adult Resentencing (YEARS) Project is an innovative post-conviction advocacy initiative geared towards helping individuals who were sentenced as children and young adults to spend the rest of their lives in prison, but who have spent decades proving their capacity for change, remorse, and rehabilitation as matured adults. The YEARS Project addresses a critical gap in the criminal legal system: the continued incarceration of people whose original sentences failed to account for developmental immaturity, trauma, and the now well-established science of adolescent and young adult brain development.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Client Advocates are responsible for communicating with clients, gathering records, performing data analysis, and supporting the overall functioning of the projects to which they are assigned. This Client Advocate (CA) – Conditions of Confinement/YEARS Project position will primarily support both projects and, subject to their primary responsibilities for Conditions of Confinement and YEARS, assist attorneys, when necessary, with gathering records for Clemency petitions. The Client Advocate position will include the following responsibilities:

• Managing a client caseload within the Conditions Project, and serving for both the Conditions and YEARS Projects as a primary point of contact for incarcerated clients and prospective clients through legal mail, legal calls, in-person visits, and community-based outreach.
• Advocating for clients impacted by the criminal legal system by navigating and communicating with correctional institutions, including DOCCS, government agencies, community organizations, family members, and other support networks.
• Gathering, organizing, reviewing, and maintaining case-related records, including medical, correctional, court, and other relevant documents, while ensuring accurate and up-to-date case databases and tracking systems. Making and following up on FOIL requests to DOCCS and other government agencies to obtain data supporting comparative sentence-based arguments.
• Conducting research and fact-gathering to support client advocacy, mitigation efforts, litigation, policy initiatives, and project development. Assisting in the preparation of letters of support through outreach, witness interviewing and letter drafting; organizing and digesting records for attorney and mitigation specialist review; and conducting policy and social science research.
• Utilizing databases, public records, and investigative tools to locate witnesses and obtain information relevant to client representation and advocacy.
• Supporting YEARS Project growth and sustainability through activities such as resource development, grant research, community outreach, fundraising support, and relationship-building with external partners.
• Supporting Conditions of Confinement Project growth and sustainability through activities such as resource development, community outreach, liaising with correctional professionals at relevant educational events, fundraising support (particularly for the Client Support Fund), and relationship-building with external partners, including civil attorneys.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and objectives of the YEARS Project and Conditions of Confinement Project.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or high school diploma/GED with at least 2-4 years of relevant experience working with people from marginalized communities, and/or people who have been involved in the youth justice or criminal legal systems, or equivalent lived experience in a related area.
• A commitment to and passion for working with and on behalf of individuals who have been convicted of crimes, some of whom are facing immigration consequences.
• Willingness and ability to travel to correctional facilities throughout New York State, including prisons and jails, and to work directly with incarcerated individuals. Experience working with incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals and correctional staff is preferred.
• Spanish fluency preferred.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Computer proficiency required. Experience with Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office Suite, and Westlaw is preferred but not required. Candidates must demonstrate the ability and willingness to learn and effectively utilize these and similar technologies.
• Familiarity working with data and organizing spreadsheets around the data and subsets of data is also preferred.
• Ability to think creatively and strategically, manage a dynamic caseload, and be a team player.
• Demonstrated understanding of the ways in which the criminal legal system and other governmental institutions can disproportionately impact marginalized and historically underserved communities, including communities of color, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, people who are undocumented, and people experiencing poverty.
• An ability to remain calm, professional, and effective when working with clients experiencing crisis, trauma, or other highly stressful circumstances.
• Lived experience with incarceration, the youth justice system, or the criminal legal system—either personally or through close family or community connections—is highly valued. Candidates with such experience are encouraged to apply.

LOCATION

The position is based at CAL’s New York City office. CAL has a hybrid remote office policy and CAs are permitted to work remotely 8-12 days per month.

SALARY

Salary for applicants with a bachelor’s degree will be based on experience and will range from $61,710 for new college graduates, and up to $69,072 for applicants with three years of experience.

BENEFITS

Benefits offered at CAL include medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending and health savings accounts; retirement savings plans; life and disability insurance; and generous paid time off, including vacation and sick leave, as well as other paid and unpaid leave programs.

ANTICIPATED START DATE

The position is anticipated to begin on July 6, 2026.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a resume and cover letter as one pdf file. To apply, click on the APPLY HERE link or go to https://bit.ly/clientadvocate2 and fill out the form, which asks for some basic information, and submit your resume and cover letter in a single pdf. Applications will be accepted through 6/19/2026.

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 race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, reproductive health decision-making, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status where protected by law, arrest or conviction record where protected by law, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.