Chief Rapid City Trial Counsel - Rapid City, SD

About the role

The Federal Public Defender for the Districts of South Dakota and North Dakota seeks an experienced attorney to serve as Chief Rapid City Trial Counsel. This role is equivalent to a Third Level Supervisor within the federal defender system and reports directly to the Federal Public Defender.

Responsibilities

• Provide zealous, ethical, and professional representation in federal criminal cases, including courtroom advocacy at all stages of litigation.
• Supervise Assistant Federal Public Defenders and legal staff to ensure prompt, courteous, and effective representation of clients.
• Mentor, provide case-strategy guidance, and offer regular performance feedback to attorneys.
• Work with the attorney leadership team to ensure consistent representation across branch offices.
• Ensure attorneys have access to adequate support staff, investigative resources, and expert services.
• Recommend actions and make decisions affecting the legal operations and professional standards of the branch office.
• Identify, communicate, and resolve internal problems that could negatively impact the defender organization's operation.
• Manage attorney caseloads to distribute resources equitably and assign cases accordingly.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited law school.
• Admission in good standing before the highest court of a state, territory, or the District of Columbia.
• Eligibility to practice before the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota upon appointment (Attorneys not currently admitted may begin practice while completing South Dakota bar admission requirements).
• United States citizenship or authorization to work in the United States.
• Significant professional experience in criminal law.
• Excellent research, writing, litigation, and trial-advocacy skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Previous experience supervising attorneys preferred but not required.

Qualifications

Applicants should submit a single PDF containing:

• A letter of interest
• Resume
• Three references
• A recent writing sample

Skills

Not specified.

Benefits

Not specified.

Pay

Not specified.

Schedule

Not specified.

Contact Information

E-mail the PDF to [email protected] with the subject line, “Chief Rapid City Trial Counsel – Position Announcement 26-10”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

The Federal Public Defender for the Districts of South Dakota and North Dakota is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities encouraged to apply.