Deputy Public Defender (Public Defender IV) - Position #K0243263

About the role

The Deputy Public Defender (Public Defender IV) position is located in the Sedgwick County Public Defender Office in Wichita, Kansas. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States; BIDS does not sponsor employment visas. The role is reserved for attorneys holding a formal supervisory position and serving as part of the office’s management team. The Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS) represents adults charged with felonies who cannot hire an attorney, supporting and elevating public defense in Kansas to provide relentless, collaborative, holistic advocacy for client‑centered outcomes. BIDS is remaking its public defense model with an interdisciplinary, team‑based approach that leverages community connections and resources to represent the whole client, not just the case. The Sedgwick County office seeks dynamic, client‑centered advocates passionate about public defense who wish to aid in rebuilding the system and transforming the Wichita office into a model of collaborative public defense practice.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the evaluation of employee performance within the office and perform administrative tasks as assigned by the Chief Public Defender.
• Assign work to attorneys and staff, assist in personnel matters, schedule and lead office and project meetings as needed, and conduct trainings when called upon.
• Assist the Chief Public Defender in addressing office matters and larger criminal justice issues in the jurisdiction.
• Represent adults charged with criminal felonies in the local district court jurisdiction who are indigent and unable to afford an attorney.
• Carry a slightly reduced caseload to allow for duties providing active supervision of other attorneys and support staff, as directed by the Chief Public Defender.
• Be readily and regularly accessible to employees in the office.
• Help