Appellate Attorney Jobs
Appellate Attorney jobs are open across private law firms, government agencies, public interest organizations, and corporate legal departments, covering specializations in civil appellate litigation, criminal appeals, and constitutional law, from associate to senior appellate counsel. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 57+ Appellate Attorney jobs
Job Description
As a staff level or senior level attorney, the incumbent is expected to handle legal assignments that have an impact on cases within the Criminal Appellate and Parole Appeals Division and will routinely handle assignments of varying legal complexity. The incumbent, under the supervision of the Division Chief, First Assistant, and the Section Head, drafts briefs, motions, and appellate briefs in federal courts, conducts evidentiary hearings, as well as appears for oral arguments relating to federal habeas corpus litigation. As a corollary to the duties above, the incumbent coordinates with the local State prosecutors, the Michigan Department of Corrections, State trial courts, and the federal courts, regarding case and prisoner status. The incumbent also drafts briefs in State criminal appeals in the Michigan Court of Appeals or Michigan Supreme Court and handles oral arguments in those courts. The incumbent may also handle parole appeals in the trial circuit courts as deemed necessary. When called upon, the incumbent assists in researching legal issues or assisting the Criminal Trials Division attorneys at the direction of the Division Chief, the First Assistant, Section Head, or members of the Executive Division.
Position Description
Experience and Education
Education
Possession of a Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law.
Experience
Attorney-Staff P15
No specific type or amount is required.
Attorney-Senior 16
Four years of post-bar admission legal experience.
You must attach a Cover Letter, Resume and Transcripts to the Attachments Section of your application to be considered for this position.
Additional Requirements and Information
Special Requirements, Licenses, and Certifications
Membership in good standing in the Michigan State Bar
View the job specification at: https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/mdcs/JOBSPECS/A/Attorney.pdf
Accommodations
If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or selection processes, please contact the ADA coordinator for the agency that posted this position vacancy.
Job Description
As a staff level or senior level attorney, the incumbent is expected to handle legal assignments that have an impact on cases within the Criminal Appellate and Parole Appeals Division and will routinely handle assignments of varying legal complexity. The incumbent, under the supervision of the Division Chief, First Assistant, and the Section Head, drafts briefs, motions, and appellate briefs in federal courts, conducts evidentiary hearings, as well as appears for oral arguments relating to federal habeas corpus litigation. As a corollary to the duties above, the incumbent coordinates with the local State prosecutors, the Michigan Department of Corrections, State trial courts, and the federal courts, regarding case and prisoner status. The incumbent also drafts briefs in State criminal appeals in the Michigan Court of Appeals or Michigan Supreme Court and handles oral arguments in those courts. The incumbent may also handle parole appeals in the trial circuit courts as deemed necessary. When called upon, the incumbent assists in researching legal issues or assisting the Criminal Trials Division attorneys at the direction of the Division Chief, the First Assistant, Section Head, or members of the Executive Division.
Position Description
Experience and Education
Education
Possession of a Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law.
Experience
Attorney-Staff P15
No specific type or amount is required.
Attorney-Senior 16
Four years of post-bar admission legal experience.
You must attach a Cover Letter, Resume and Transcripts to the Attachments Section of your application to be considered for this position.
Additional Requirements and Information
Special Requirements, Licenses, and Certifications
Membership in good standing in the Michigan State Bar
View the job specification at: https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/mdcs/JOBSPECS/A/Attorney.pdf
Accommodations
If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or selection processes, please contact the ADA coordinator for the agency that posted this position vacancy.
See All 57 Appellate Attorney Jobs
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Find Appellate Attorney JobsAppellate Attorney Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Kahana & Feld LLP11
- Judicial Council of California4
- United States Department of Justice4
- US Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys4
- Bowman and Brooke LLP3
Top Industries Hiring
- Government & Public Sector
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in appellate attorney jobs.
- Juris Doctor degree and active bar admission in the relevant jurisdiction
- Demonstrated appellate brief writing experience at the federal or state level
- Prior appellate clerkship with a federal circuit, state supreme, or intermediate court
- Strong legal research skills using primary legal research platforms
- Experience presenting oral arguments before appellate panels
- Ability to manage multiple briefing deadlines simultaneously under court-imposed schedules
Tips for Your Appellate Attorney Job Search
Tailor your writing samples strategically
Appellate employers weight writing samples heavily, often more than interviews. Submit a brief or memo that shows tight legal reasoning and clean citation form. If your best sample is under seal, prepare a sanitized version in advance so you're never caught without one.
Distinguish your clerkship experience clearly
If you clerked for a federal or state appellate court, name the court, judge, and circuit in your resume header or a dedicated line. Hiring attorneys read dozens of applications and may miss it buried in a job description. Surface it where it's impossible to overlook.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists appellate attorney openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings by jurisdiction and court level
Filter openings by the specific court tier you want to practice in, whether state intermediate courts, state supreme courts, or federal circuits. Firms and agencies hiring for certiorari-level work often look for different experience than those focused on routine state appeals.
Prepare for moot-court-style oral argument rounds
Many appellate interviews include a live advocacy exercise where you argue a hypothetical issue under questioning. Review the employer's recent filed briefs beforehand so you can speak to their style and positions. Practice answering cold bench questions without losing your argument thread.
Negotiate start dates around pending briefing deadlines
If you're mid-brief at a current position, disclose that honestly during offer conversations. Appellate employers understand briefing cycles and will often accommodate a delayed start rather than lose a strong candidate. Raising it proactively signals professionalism, not hesitation.
Appellate Attorney Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most appellate attorneys?
The most active employers for appellate attorneys right now are Kahana & Feld LLP, Judicial Council of California, and United States Department of Justice, and the most openings are in California, Texas, and New York, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is especially consistent at large regional law firms with dedicated appellate practices and state attorney general offices.
How many appellate attorney jobs are remote?
About 80% of appellate attorney openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the brief-heavy nature of appellate work that lends itself to remote research and writing. Roles requiring regular oral argument appearances or in-person court filings are more likely to require on-site presence at least part of the week.
How do you become an appellate attorney?
You earn a law degree, pass the bar in your target jurisdiction, and then build experience specifically in brief writing and appellate procedure. The most direct path is clerking for an appellate judge immediately after law school, which provides exposure to how courts evaluate arguments. From there, joining a firm or agency with an active appellate docket lets you develop your own advocacy practice over time.
How do you get hired as an appellate attorney with little experience?
Focus on roles at state attorney general offices, public defender appellate divisions, or nonprofit legal organizations that often hire junior attorneys for high-volume appeals work. A strong moot court record or law review note on a procedural topic can substitute for direct appellate experience. Lead with your best writing sample and frame any trial-level brief writing as foundational to appellate skills.
What does the appellate attorney interview process look like?
Most processes begin with a screening call focused on your clerkship background and brief writing history. A substantive in-person or video round typically follows, where you discuss past matters and may work through a hypothetical argument on the spot. Final rounds often include a written exercise, such as drafting a short argument section or analyzing a recent decision from the court the employer regularly appears before.
Where can I find and apply to appellate attorney jobs?
You can find and apply to appellate attorney jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from law firms, government agencies, and public interest organizations across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that fit your practice area and court-level experience, then apply directly to each one that matches.
See All 57 Appellate Attorney Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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