Public Defender 5 (40350)

About the role

Provide professional legal services representing juvenile and adult indigent clients, handle highly complex appeals, or serve as lead counsel for serious violent felony cases, appeals, and other highly complex litigation.

Responsibilities

• Handle all levels of criminal cases and legal matters, including the most complex felonies and high-profile cases such as capital cases
• Act independently with little guidance; manage an appellate caseload
• Prepare appellate briefs and argue cases before the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court
• Serve as a recognized expert in one or more areas of criminal law
• Provide lead-work supervision to attorneys at lower levels and conduct in-house training
• Recognize and resolve complex issues related to the caseload
• Provide input to performance reviews and development of junior attorneys
• Contribute to development of policies and procedures for the assigned unit or program
• Train, coordinate, and advise less experienced public defender attorneys, including co-counseling
• Conduct legal research and analysis of laws, precedents, legal issues, and procedural rules in preparation of cases
• Review and investigate client cases to determine legal position and propose legal strategy
• Prepare for litigation and appeal through initiation of legal documents, review of case information, obtaining evidence, conducting interviews, and preparing witnesses
• Research changes in laws, legislation, rules, court decisions, and case precedents to anticipate legal problems and propose resolutions
• Draft, review, and prepare reports, memoranda in opposition, briefs, legal documents, motions, correspondence, and appeals
• Counsel and advise clients on pleadings, arraignments, trials, and appeals
• Represent clients in motions, hearings, litigation, and appeals
• Explain, interpret, and keep clients informed on changes in law, court decisions, legal issues, and problems
• Attend seminars, training classes, and review professional literature to maintain and develop skills
• Conduct plea bargaining with District Attorneys and other parties to resolve cases
• Follow through on cases by ensuring client release and client payments
• Depending on location: assist with the CLIP program or coordinate volunteer, intern, and extern programs
• Perform related work as required

Qualifications

• Demonstrated competence across all Public Defender levels (PD2 through PD5)
• Ability to perform at the PD5 level or duties of lower classifications without additional compensation
• Expertise in one or more areas of criminal law
• Experience preparing appellate briefs and arguing before appellate courts
• Capability to supervise and train junior attorneys
• Ability to work independently on highly complex felony and capital cases