Assistant Appellate Defender Office

Position Description

Join Michigan’s State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) as an Assistant Appellate Defender working statewide to represent people on direct appeal of their felony convictions. We welcome applications from experienced attorneys who can start in the near future, as well as law clerks and recent graduates ready to start around September 2027. The position pays from $81,891 to $153,676, depending on experience. Our office follows a hybrid workplace model that mixes in-office and remote work to offer flexibility and support to staff.

We have a number of positions available from different funding sources. Some available positions are ongoing and some are "limited term," which requires us to advocate for continued funding each year. Because this program is a core priority, we expect all hired positions to be ongoing, regardless of the funding source, and we hope to support long-term careers here at SADO. All positions offer identical salary ranges, comprehensive health benefits, retirement plans, and professional growth opportunities. If you are not interested in being considered for the "limited term" position, please indicate that in your cover letter.

Assistant Appellate Defenders Represent People On Their Direct Appeals Or Other Post-conviction Proceedings. Appeals Involve Challenges To Convictions And Sentences Following Trials And Pleas. SADO Assistant Defenders Do Many Different Things As Part Of An Appeal, Including

• Travel to Michigan’s prisons and jails to meet clients and to begin working together on appellate strategy
• Read transcripts and lower court records to identify legal issues
• Research legal issues and write appellate pleadings, which could include pleadings in the trial court, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court, and occasionally federal courts
• Present oral argument in the trial and appellate courts, including the Michigan Supreme Court
• In conjunction with investigation team, interview witnesses, investigate and develop new evidence, and conduct evidentiary hearings in the trial courts, including direct and cross examination of witnesses
• In conjunction with mitigation team, mitigate for resentencing hearings in the trial courts
• Negotiate with prosecutors
• Communicate with our clients’ family, friends, and loved ones
• Work together with colleagues on brainstorms, case rounds, and moot arguments, and contribute to an environment of collaboration and collegiality
• Look for ways to creatively and strategically change the law in Michigan to protect the rights of Michiganders in the criminal legal system
• Successfully manage an active and robust caseload with ongoing assignments at regular intervals