County Public Defender

About the role

The County Public Defender is a Board appointed position responsible for overseeing and developing the County's indigent defense program. The incumbent must manage departmental personnel and resources to meet caseload demands while providing high-quality legal defense services.

Responsibilities

• Administers and directs legal counseling and representation for accused individuals, juveniles, and those undergoing involuntary commitment proceedings.
• Develops standards, policies, training, procedures, and data collection for the Public Defender’s Office.
• Maintains contracts with contracted public defenders and oversees their performance.
• Hires, evaluates, and mentors professional and support staff.
• Schedules and manages court appearances as defense counsel.
• Manages the budget and seeks grants for the Public Defender’s Office.
• Communicates with various stakeholders and collaborates on cross-departmental projects.
• Represents the Public Defender’s Office in meetings with judges, community organizations, and law enforcement agencies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
• Seven (7) years of experience as a practicing attorney, including four (4) years of supervisory/administrative experience in a Public Defender Office or similar legal setting.
• Current membership in the California State Bar Association.
• Valid Driver’s license.
• Possession and maintenance of a valid Driver’s license.
• Appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of practice of indigent defense and criminal law.
• Experience in legal research and writing, motions and trial practice.
• Understanding of ethical duties of indigent defense counsel.
• Ability to plan, organize, and supervise assigned programs and staff.
• Skills in developing, writing, implementing, and interpreting policies and procedures.
• Ability to analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action, often in stressful situations.
• Communication skills, including counseling and advising other attorneys.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with various stakeholders.

Skills

• Effective supervision techniques.
• Budget effectiveness and efficiency.
• Modern case management applications or systems.

Benefits

• Vacation: Paid annual leave based on years of continuous service.
• Sick Leave: 1 day of sick leave with pay for each month of service.
• Holidays: 13 working days each year.
• Floating Holidays: 3 working days each fiscal year.
• Retirement: Member of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) integrated with Social Security.
• Group Insurance: County contributions for employee and dependent medical insurance with no-cost add-on dental coverage, County-paid vision coverage, basic life insurance, emergency ground and air program services, Employee Assistance Program, and Health and Wellness Program.
• Personal and Professional Development: Training and certification programs, career advancement opportunities.

Pay

Annual salary range: $142,771 - $200,893 DOE (Salary commensurate with experience).

Schedule

Flexible scheduling for work-life balance.