The Law Office of Thomas Hoffman is hiring a full-time legal assistant / paralegal to work with our firm’s two attorneys on wrongful conviction cases. This job is ideal for a recent college graduate with a passion for social justice and interest in attending law school. It comes with a $70,000 per year salary, plus benefits.
Our firm works to free wrongfully convicted people who are in prison. Much of our work is investigative, i.e. interviewing witnesses, obtaining and reviewing case records, and collaborating with forensic experts. Once we have built a strong case, we either present it to a district attorney’s conviction integrity unit or file a motion in court to vacate the conviction. We currently have seven wrongful conviction cases in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Poughkeepsie.
Beyond working to free innocent people, we sue police and prosecutors on behalf of people we have helped to exonerate. Currently, we have three active civil rights lawsuits in state or federal court.
Our firm has only two full-time attorneys but often partners with attorneys at public defender organizations and other civil rights law firms. The firm’s managing partner is Tom Hoffman, who has specialized in wrongful convictions for 20 years. He has helped to exonerate seven wrongfully convicted men who each spent between 14-27 years in prison. The firm’s other attorney is Jonathan Hiles, a Harvard Law School graduate who has worked with Mr. Hoffman and other experienced civil rights attorneys over the past eight years. Jonathan will supervise the firm’s new legal assistant.
Over the next few months, we will be creating a firm website and shifting to a modern case management system.
The legal assistant’s job responsibilities will include, among other things, reviewing and summarizing case records and transcripts; organizing files; editing legal documents; preparing for and assisting with witness interviews and depositions; drafting email correspondence; and transcribing recorded statements.
The job will mostly be in person in a Brooklyn co-working environment. There will also be some opportunity for on-the-ground investigative work as well as remote work, with details subject to further discussion.
Candidate Qualifications:
· Bachelor’s Degree (including 2024 college graduates)
· Experience or interest in wrongful convictions and/or criminal law
· Passion for social justice
· Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
· Strong writing skills
· Tech savvy
· Preference will be given to candidates who can make a two-year commitment to the position
Compensation and Start Date:
Compensation: $70,000, plus benefits.
Start date: May 2024 – September 2024, depending on candidate availability.
Application:
To apply, please submit a resume, transcript and 1-2 paragraph cover letter or email explaining your interest and qualifications for the position. Applicants can apply via Simplicity or by emailing jhiles@jd15.law.harvard.edu. Interviews will occur via Zoom on a rolling basis.
