Description:

Job Summary:
The Queens District Attorney is seeking an experienced attorney (5+ years) to serve in the Rehabilitation Programs and Restorative Services Bureau. The Bureau is a fulfillment of the District Attorney's promise to ensure that the Queens District Attorney's Office administers justice with compassion. The Bureau consists of the Diversion and Alternative Sentencing Unit (DASU), which is dedicated to ensuring that individuals who have been arrested are offered opportunities for appropriate interventions and/or rehabilitative services, and the Crime Victims' Advocates Program (CVAP) that provides support to crime victims – including counseling services, assistance navigating the court system and obtaining reimbursement for crime-related expenses, and referrals to a wide number of other services.

The DASU ADAs staff specialized treatment court parts, including, but not limited to, Queens Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans Treatment Court, and Queens Diversion Part, as well as facilitate pleas for felonies and misdemeanors involving drug treatment and/or mental health treatment. DASU ADAs liaise with QDA Bureau managers, ADAs, defense attorneys, defendants, and community-based providers to discuss appropriate interventions and/or rehabilitative services. Unit ADAs also offer guidance and handle cases post-disposition on all misdemeanors and felonies where alternative programming may be appropriate, such as social services and community service.

Job Responsibilities:
Specific duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Receiving and discussing case referrals from ADAs throughout the Office and analyzing those cases to determine whether an alternative to incarceration is appropriate.
Ensuring all case information is properly entered into appropriate databases; preparing pleading documents and reports, and data analysis, as needed.
Maintaining a caseload of pre- and post-deposition cases. Ensuring compliance is maintained until case completion and troubleshooting any issues that may arise, including drafting, filing, and arguing motion responses before the court.
Staffing felony and/or misdemeanor treatment court parts, including, but not limited to QMTC, QMHC, QTC, QVC, QDWI, QDP, and QDDC.
Appearing regularly in courtrooms throughout the courthouse to facilitate case dispositions with fellow ADAs.
Speaking with defendants and their attorneys regarding programming, meeting with complainants (especially in cases involving familial relationships), and cultivating relationships with stakeholders, including the Office of Court Administration, Department of Probation, Department of Corrections, community-based providers, and community members.

Collaborating with DASU staff to ensure that the needs of each case are met. In addition to informal conferences, attending weekly supervision/case conferencing meetings with supervisory staff.

Attending trainings and meetings to keep abreast of changes in the alternatives to incarceration, treatment, and research and the mental health fields.
Maintaining a caseload of misdemeanor and/or felony cases from intake through final disposition, as per the needs of the Office.
Staffing case conferences meetings with Bureaus throughout the Office, as needed.
Ability to present training materials to lawyers, stakeholders, community members, as assigned.
Attending offsite events with stakeholders, including site visits, as needed. Some event may occur during evening hours.

Preferred Education and Experience/Qualifications:

A Juris Doctorate degree and minimum of 5 years' criminal law experience; prosecutorial experience strongly preferred.
Strong knowledge of, and experience with, the New York State Penal Law and Criminal Procedure Law.
Demonstrated commitment to seeking alternatives to incarceration.
Ability to multi-task.
Ability to exercise good judgment and strong ethics, including decision-making skills and creativity in sentencing options.
Preference will be given to those with experience handling cases resulting in an alternative to incarceration and/or familiar with treatment courts.
The ideal candidate must be a skilled communicator able to work in multidisciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations.