Join the Roster
Rachel Wolfe
2:05
About the MAACS Roster
MAACS maintains a high-quality statewide roster of attorneys eligible and willing to accept appellate defense assignments from Michigan’s trial courts in criminal and youth cases. In partnership with SADO, MAACS helps to ensure that every indigent person in Michigan who needs an appellate lawyer has one.
MAACS seeks conscientious lawyers with diverse backgrounds and experiences who are committed to client-centered, high-quality representation and who want to be part of a unified appellate defense system focused on fighting injustice through access, advocacy, compassion, and education.
Admission to the MAACS roster is competitive and requires submission of a completed application and supporting materials. Attorneys admitted to the MAACS roster participate in the paid MAACS Onboarding Program, a year-long training and mentorship experience designed to help attorneys build a confident, sustainable appellate practice.
The program includes (1) a one-day orientation, (2) weekly instructional sessions focused on appellate law, strategy, and client-centered representation, and (3) small-group clinical sessions led by Litigation Support Counsel where attorneys workshop real issues from their own cases. It is structured, practical, collaborative, and designed to support attorneys while they actively represent clients.
Because MAACS invests significant time, training, and support into roster attorneys, it asks new attorneys to commit to accepting a meaningful number of assignments so this investment translates into real representation for people who are waiting for appellate counsel. Regular roster attorneys commit to accepting at least 12 plea appeals or 6 trial appeals per year (or a comparable mix); this ensures timely, high-quality advocacy for clients, while allowing attorneys to build a financially viable appellate practice.
Upon completion of orientation, new MAACS criminal roster attorneys are presumptively eligible to handle direct appeals from plea convictions and probation violation proceedings, with ongoing support from Litigation Support Counsel. Attorneys with sufficient relevant experience may be approved to handle direct appeals from trial convictions, resentencings, postconviction proceedings under MCR 6.500, parole appeals, youth life-without-parole matters, and other complex cases. Attorneys admitted to the youth roster are presumptively eligible to handle any appeal arising from a juvenile court.
Roster attorneys maintain meaningful control over their practices. Appeals are assigned locally, but attorneys may choose the geographic regions in which they wish to receive appointments and may tailor their caseload by selecting the regional assignment lists that align with their preferences and availability. The frequency and volume of assignments vary by region and local need.
Participation on the MAACS roster offers a powerful way for attorneys to build an independent practice with meaningful support, paid training, mentorship, and fair compensation – and the opportunity to change the course of people’s lives. More information is available at the links below.
Benefits of Joining the Roster
Join the Roster (Application)
