Assistant Attorney General - Criminal Appeals
About the role
The Criminal Appeals Unit represents the state in the criminal appeals process to ensure that the lawful decisions rendered by judges and juries are upheld in the appellate courts.
Responsibilities
- Agree to participate and cooperate in the Criminal Appeals Unit’s multiple-level review process, which includes review by the capital director, unit deputy, and (for all capital matters) the Solicitor General
- Make edits as directed during the review process
- Meet all internal deadlines for peer review—specifically, briefs and other pleadings should be submitted to the capital director at least one week prior to the deadline
- Correctly analyze, interpret, and apply case law
- Write briefs coherently and at the standard required by the Criminal Appeals Unit leadership
- Meet or exceed the unit’s average productivity level—for non-capital matters, three briefs or one special assignment (such as an oral argument) per month; for capital matters, one brief or one special assignment (such as an oral argument or clemency packet) per month.
- Assignments are within the sole discretion of the unit deputy, and the employee must be willing to accept and work on a variety of types of case assignments with a positive attitude
- Represent the State in criminal appellate cases before the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
- Represent prison wardens in federal habeas actions
- Complete other special projects as assigned
Requirements
Must be, or be eligible to become, a licensed attorney in the State of Oklahoma. Strong writing, research, and oral advocacy skills are required. 2026 graduates are permitted to apply but any offer will be contingent on passing the July 2026 bar examination. All applicants must agree in writing to complete, and satisfactorily pass, a background investigation.
Qualifications
All applicants must agree in writing to complete, and satisfactorily pass, a background investigation.
Skills
Strong writing, research, and oral advocacy skills are required.
Benefits
N/A
Pay
Commensurate with experience and qualifications
Schedule
Full-time