The New Mexico Supreme Court is recruiting for a full-time, At-Will, Appellate Attorney - Supervisor position #00000012-21600 for the Supreme Court in Santa Fe, New Mexico. IDEAL CANDIDATE: The ideal candidate will join our team ready to support the Court’s central mission of ensuring equal justice under law. The candidate will have strong organizational, interpersonal, and managerial skills, with the ability to collaborate with a group of highly-skilled professionals. The candidate will have significant experience with the appellate writing process, including experience analyzing legal briefs and arguments, reviewing complex trial records, performing comprehensive legal research, and drafting legal recommendations and dispositions. The candidate will be able to complete tasks within fixed deadlines and with minimal supervision. All candidates selected for an interview will need to complete a short writing assignment that
must be submitted within two weeks. This writing assignment will require the candidate to analyze a discrete legal issue under a limited set of facts and authorities and will be used to assess the candidate’s ability to create a clear, concise, and well-reasoned legal recommendation. GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: Acting under administrative direction of a Justice or Judge, Chief Appellate Court Clerk, or Chief Appellate Attorney, supervises/manages a legal staff of two or more court employees, provides legal advice, performs legal research and analysis, drafts proposed appellate dispositions, and makes recommendations to the court.
EXAMPLES OF JOB DUTIES:
The Appellate Attorney Supervisor is responsible for reviewing and/or leading the review on cases, performing legal research and identifying, analyzing, and assessing the impact of applicable law.
Trains, supervises, mentors, and evaluates a legal staff of two (2) or more to include law clerks, paralegals, paraprofessionals and other support staff.
Reviews, supervises, and recommends appropriate courses of action and disposition.
Develops employee performance plans and evaluations, discipline, and approval of time.
Plans, organizes, and develops work and training programs.
Leads interview panel for vacant positions and makes recruitment recommendations.
Assists the Court with the exercise of its constitutional rulemaking authority and provides staff support for their rulemaking committees, boards, and commissions.
Oversees the drafting of recommendations and proposed dispositions for assigned cases.
Screens pro se petitions for jurisdiction and procedural prerequisites.
Responds on behalf of the Court to correspondence, e-mails and telephone calls from pro-se litigants, inmates, attorneys, and members of the public.
Assists the Court to resolve pending appeals by reviewing motions, docketing statements and briefs.
Supervises the review and disposition of Driving while Intoxicated, Domestic Violence, and Landlord/Tenant cases on appeal from Metropolitan Court and reviews cases on appeal from Motor Vehicle Department license revocation hearings.
Recommends appropriate courses of action and dispositions.
Oversees the drafting of memoranda of law, proposed opinions and orders for administrative appeals of record and de novo appeals.
Analyzes briefs, records, and legal authorities cited and serves as a reference to others to provide judicial insight.
Creates proposed orders addressing petitions for extraordinary writs and motions in civil and criminal matters.
Evaluates court processes and formulate, recommend and implement policies and procedures to ensure uniform compliance with statutory and constitutional provisions, case law and Supreme Court Rules.
May assist management on personnel issues and ensures compliance with applicable employment laws, rules, regulations, court and AOC policies and procedures.
May develop judicial procedures and documentation for conducting stream adjudication and provide legal direction to judges and courts related to stream adjudication cases.
Prepares and makes oral presentations, training or continuing education at national, state and local conferences.
Attends trials and hearings, advices and meets with court administration and staff on legal or court matters.
Researches proposed legislation, provides testimony and participates in developing strategies for passage of legislation.
May oversee and assess the appropriateness of mediation or a dispute resolution process for a case and conduct mediation or a dispute resolution process subject to the applicable standards of confidentiality.
May lead joint discussions with all parties, and conduct private discussions with each party, identifies issues, contentions, and interests and develops a constructive working environment that generates discussion of options for resolution.
May oversee and encourage negotiations extending beyond the initial conference through subsequent conversations or additional conferences.
May facilitate settlements until an agreement is reached or until settlement does not appear to be possible.
May oversee court mandated programs, pilot programs, and Court sponsored activities.
Communicates, supports, and develops working relationships with associated parties.
Prepares curriculum or workshop materials for training and educational programs.
Ensures compliance with statuary deadlines and budgetary limitations.
Creates, evaluates, maintains and analyzes statistics and drafts, in addition to publishing periodic or annual reports.
Assists in tracking, reviewing, analyzing the judicial entity on proposed litigation.
May serve on statewide or local committees.
May review and revises court forms for distribution.
May ensure information pertaining to court services on the court website is updated and correct.
May assists with requests for proposals and invitations to bid, and contracts
Other duties as assigned.
COMPETENCIES/QUALIFICATIONS:
The successful applicant should demonstrate knowledge of the United States and New Mexico constitutions, federal law, New Mexico case law, statutes, rules, policies and procedures; rules of Criminal and Civil procedures, rules of appellate Procedure, rules of evidence, the Code of Judicial Conduct, and rules of Professional Conduct. Court jurisdiction and operations; legal research; judiciary processes and policies, administrative, civil and criminal law and procedures.
Principles of legal analysis and writing, legal proofreading and editing; court case management systems; supervisory techniques, mediating and managing conflict. Employment law; and conflict resolution principles and techniques. Ability to balance practical and legal considerations, develop procedures, comprehend and explain complex issues and solve problems.
WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The following functions are representative, but not all-inclusive of the work environment and physical demands an employee may expect to encounter in performing tasks assigned to this job. Work is performed in an office or court setting. A valid driver's license and travel may be required. The assigned work schedule may include nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime. The employee must regularly interact positively and professionally with co-workers, clients, the public, judges, and justices.
BENEFITS:
Medical/Dental/Vision/Rx, Short, and Long-Term Disability Insurance Programs, employee assistance program (EAP) [http://www.mybenefitsnm.com/]
State paid life insurance, supplemental and dependent life insurance
Optional flexible spending accounts for medical, day-care, and travel expenses
Paid time off, up to eight (8) weeks accrued annually
Paid time off and retirement buyback
Eleven (11) paid holidays annually
Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave
Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan
Lifetime Defined Benefits Retirement Plan [http://www.nmpera.org/]
Flexible work schedules and alternative work locations*
Free health care, Rx, and lab work at the facility (Stay Well Health Center) in Santa Fe, NM
Bilingual compensation*
Training and career development opportunities
Higher education opportunities, educational leave, and tuition reimbursement
May qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
May receive overtime holiday or shift differential pay*
May receive physical fitness leave*
*These benefits vary by job classification or need*
