Description:

Rise Criminal Defense, a Criminal Defense firm in Northwest Arkansas handling criminal, traffic, and DWI cases, anticipates having an open attorney position in the Fall of 2026. We are looking for newly-licensed attorneys or recent Law School graduates who have just completed or will soon complete the Bar Exam this Summer to join our team after the exam to transition to a full-time associate attorney role once licensed.

Rise Criminal Defense is a fast-growing law firm committed to representing people who may have made mistakes but do not deserve to have those mistakes ruin their future. We operate a little differently than other law firms- we take a holistic approach to court involved challenges by working to provide resources and outcomes that allow people to change their lives instead of limiting our influence to just resolving pending criminal charges.

Ideal candidates will be genuine, hard-working, empathetic self-starters and model the Firm's Core Values which are:

Integrity and Accountability
Stewardship of Influence
Diligence
Reflection and Growth

What's in it for you:

Desirable pay structure- Base pay + potential performance bonuses
Hands on experience day one
On the job training from experienced attorneys skilled in Criminal Defense (former Prosecutors and PD experience)
Rewarding and meaningful responsibilities working to change peoples' lives
Purpose in your work and career (not just billable hours)
No consultations, no running down business, just legal work (and your hobbies)
Hybrid in office/remote work model available
Excellent and supportive work culture with great people

Required (or at least really good) experience:

Graduate of Spring 2026 Law School class or newly-licensed attorney;
Experience handling matters pursuant to Rule 15 Certification or in court-like setting a plus;
Experience in a prosecutor's or public defender's office a plus but not required.

Required (actually required) personality traits:

Character that models the Firm's Core Values;
Great sense of humor (dark-ish humor ok);
Thick skin to handle stresses of criminal defense and pseudo criminal work (because it's what we do, we don't dabble);
Ability to compartmentalize difficult subjects and evidence;
Willingness for hands on learning in real life setting (you will start getting advice right away);
Thorough, detail oriented, and willing to have hard conversations empathetically;
Tenacity and ability (minimum willingness to learn) to perform Jedi mind tricks on Prosecutors.