Description:
Summary:Under general direction of the Chief Public Defender, is responsible for providing support services to clients of the Public Defender's Office who are non-citizens and charged with a crime. Primary duty includes gathering information on a client's immigration status, background, criminal history and current charge(s) and advising client on the immigration consequences of various resolutions to the pending criminal charges; preparing and trying criminal cases; supervises support staff and conduct legal research; providing high-quality holistic defense representation and other support to indigent people accused of criminal offenses in Bexar County. Flexibility to achieve performance excellence in a telework arrangement.
This Position is Excluded from Civil Service.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serves as subject matter expert, individually motivated and operating with a sense of urgency and personal accountability
- Advises non-citizens regarding the full range of immigration consequences associated with their criminal cases, and works with the defense team to mitigate any negative immigration consequences of open criminal cases.
- Create and implement processes to increase efficiency in delivery of Padilla services.
- Provides client-centered representation to indigent clients.
- Conduct jail visits and communicate with client support system.
- Prepares pre-plea and post-plea memos for clients and attorneys regarding immigration consequences of pending criminal charges, possible case resolutions and their impact on a client's immigration status and availability of relief from removal or adjustment of their status in the United States.
- Negotiates cases with Assistant District Attorneys and other relevant entities.
- Works as a part of a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic representation.
- Performs case law and special legal issues research to obtain information applicable to case or issue under consideration.
- Conducts training seminars for Assistant Public Defenders and court-appointed attorneys regarding immigration issues.
- Prioritizes, plans and organizes work to meet numerous deadlines.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Doctorate of Jurisprudence, and four (4) years of immigration experience in State and Federal court; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Extensive knowledge and experience working with non-citizens, including experience in representing individuals in Immigration Court before an Immigration Judge and experience with family-based petitions and representation before USCIS and other government agencies.
- Good knowledge of the immigration laws of the United States including, but not limited to, family-based immigration petitions, cancellation of removal under 42A and 42B, asylum, withholding of removal, acquired and derivative citizenship, bars to a finding of “good moral character” and all other potential forms of relief available to a non-citizen of the United States; excellent understanding of the current state of the Immigration Laws of the United States
- Skill in supervising employees; skill in legal research; skill in negotiation; skill in making presentations; skill to communicate effectively with justice involved individuals.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; ability to operate personal computer; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, County employees, outside agencies and the public
- Must be licensed to practice in the State of Texas and in good standing with the State Bar of Texas.
- Must be capable of working under strict deadlines, working independently and have a strong sense of personal accountability. Must have experience managing a large caseload.
- Must be able to work independently and collaboratively, and must be comfortable working with culturally diverse, indigent clients.
- Must secure and maintain a favorable background investigation and clearance
- Must clear a pre-employment physical
- May be required to work more than 40 hours during the workweek
