About the Staff Attorney's Office
The Eleventh Circuit’s Staff Attorney’s Office serves the Court as a central legal staff, assisting it in the disposition of federal appeals through the preparation of legal memoranda. The Staff Attorney’s Office is currently made up of attorneys, including career staff attorneys and staff attorneys who serve staggered two-year terms, as well as administrative professionals who perform administrative, operational, and supervisory functions. Staff attorneys review case records and filings, conduct legal research, and draft bench memoranda and proposed opinions to assist the judges in the consideration and resolution of a wide variety of cases on appeal. Staff Attorneys develop expertise in civil and criminal procedure and in various areas of substantive law, including criminal, sentencing, immigration, employment discrimination, civil rights, habeas corpus, and Social Security. Additionally, a specialized team within the office assists the Court in the initial review of all appeals for the purpose of determining appellate jurisdiction. Another specialized team presents substantive motions to the Court, including motions for in forma pauperis status, certificates of appealability, transcripts at government expense, and withdrawal/substitution of counsel. Finally, our special appellate matters unit handles special projects from the Court and tracks legal issues as they develop in the U.S. Supreme Court and the Eleventh Circuit.
