Closing Date: 7th April, 2024
Description:
Job Summary:The A Government Entity Public Defender's Office (PDO) is a comprehensive public defender office envisioned to be client-centered, independent, and innovative to the needs of A Government Entity residents. Consistent with nationally recognized best practices, the PDO provides high-quality holistic defense representation and other support to people accused of criminal offenses in A Government Entity.
The Attorney II-III is a key member of the PDO team with responsibilities in providing zealous representation and advocacy to indigent people in A Government Entity.
The position may be filled before the closing date. Applications will be reviewed and selected candidates will be contacted on a rolling basis. *
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Attorney II: This is the second in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision.
Attorney III: This is the third in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision and handles cases and matters that are moderately complex and may result in moderately severe consequences with supervision.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provides client-centered criminal defense representation to indigent clients.
- Works as a part of a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic representation.
- Performs legal research. Searches resources and studies legal records and documents to obtain information applicable to case or issue under consideration.
- Drafts briefs, motions, orders, subpoenas, contracts and other legal documents, as well as correspondence and reports.
- Oversees the creation and issuance of legal documents, including subpoenas, motions, orders, writs and warrants.
- Prepares cases for trial. Collects, organizes and prepares evidence, information and other legal materials.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
Education and Experience:
- Attorney II: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 18 months licensed attorney work experience.
- Attorney III: J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school and 3 years licensed attorney work experience.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas. May consider deferred start date for highly qualified candidates immediately eligible to waive into the Texas Bar using the Admission without Examination (AWOX) process or Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) transfer process (offer contingent on successful admission).
Please attach resume to application.
Preferred:
- Applications with a cover letter detailing interest in the position, including why you want to work for the A Government Entity Public Defender's Office.
- Recent legal writing sample.
- Hearing and trial experience consistent with years of practice.
- Ability to fluently speak and write in Spanish.
- Mission-aligned experience (work or lived) advocating on behalf of people/communities directly impacted by the criminal/immigration/indigent civil legal systems.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
- Enmeshed penalties and collateral consequences triggered by criminal-legal system contact.
- Best practices in socially and culturally competent representation of marginalized people.
- Jurisprudence, criminal and civil law and procedures, including constitutional and statutory law.
- Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines.
- Effective techniques for presentation of cases in court or to effectively present facts and precedents verbally and in writing in law related matters.
- Policies, practices, procedures, and legal terminology related to court system.
- Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and a variety of software packages.
- Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
- May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.
Skill in:
- Problem-solving and decision-making.
- Analyzing and appraising facts, policies, procedures and legal precedents in area of specialty.
- Both verbal and written communication, including presentations.
Ability to:
- Exercise sound judgment.
- Communicate effectively across lines of difference with others.
- Conduct legal research and analysis, both manually and electronically.
- Present facts, precedents and arguments verbally and in writing and apply negotiation skills.
- Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Manage time well and perform multiple tasks and organize diverse activities.
- Work well under pressure and exercise tact in trying situations.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.
