Closing Date: 18th October, 2026
Description:
Job Description:Are you ready to make a meaningful impact through public service? The Iowa State Public Defender's Office is seeking a highly motivated, skilled, and enthusiastic attorney to serve as a Public Defender 3 (Immigration) in our Des Moines Adult office located in Polk County, Iowa.
Who We Are:
The mission of the Office of the State Public Defender is to ensure that all indigent persons in Iowa are provided high quality legal representation in criminal, juvenile, and other eligible proceedings in the most efficient and fiscally responsible manner.
What You'll Do:
As a Public Defender attorney in this position, you will:
Assists a supervisor by performing professional legal work related to the representation of indigent clients and immigration consequences in cases where the local Public Defender has been appointed as counsel and provides training, guidance, and direction to staff assigned in local Public Defender offices; performs related work as required.
Responsibilities:
- Advocates for indigent clients in assigned cases at every state of the criminal justice system in most serious and complex cases. Appears and advocates in court at pre-trial hearings, bench or jury trials, sentencings, and other court hearings in these cases. Negotiates plea bargains, dismissals, or other disposition of assigned cases with prosecuting attorneys.
- Supervise advanced level interns in conjunction with agreements with law schools. Including but not limited to Drake University and the University of Iowa.
- Investigates facts and prepares defense for assigned cases to determine the merits of cases and appropriate court of action in most serious and complex cases. Interviews, confers and advises clients on merits of appropriate course of actions, including seeking a dismissal, plea, or trial. Locates and interviews witnesses. Conducts discovery, including depositions. Plans case strategy and prepares for trial. Maintains appropriate communications with client about the status of their case and answers client questions. May direct work of investigators consistent with internal office policies.
- Consult with public defenders and contract attorneys on cases involving immigrant clients. Assist in obtaining the necessary information, analyzing the potential immigration consequences of the case, engaging in immigration-informed plea bargaining, and advising clients before case- critical decisions.
- Develop and update tools, briefs, and other reference materials to be used by public defendersand contract attorneys in analyzing the immigration consequences of their client's cases and advocating for their clients. Offer CLEs as appropriate to ensure that all public defenders and contract attorneys have the information and skills necessary to both avoid ineffective assistance of counsel and provide quality advocacy for immigrant clients.
- Identifies potential legal issues to advance client's case, research applicable law, and draft appropriate motions and brief in most serious and complex cases.
- Prepares by typing and printing various legal documents, including written arraignments, written guilty pleas, motions, briefs, letters and other documents in these cases. Maintain client case files, prepare public defender time reports to the court and close files consistent with office policies.
- Stay abreast of developments in immigration practice and ensure that information relevant to criminal defense of immigrants is passed on to other public defenders and contract attorneys.
What we offer:
When you join the SPD, you become a part of a strong team culture that is committed to serving the community. In addition to providing a respect for work-life balance, we have a competitive total compensation package for all of our full-time employees, including:
- Robust benefits, including excellent health, dental, life and vision insurance.
- Generous paid time off, including vacation, paid holidays, and sick leave accrual.
- Opportunities for professional development.
- Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care.
- Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package.
- Retirement Investors Club (Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan).
- Employee Assistance Program for support when you need it most.
- Employee Discount Programs from a variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, and more)
- Access to an on-site employee fitness center (6200 Park Avenue location only).
E-Verify and Right to Work
The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees' rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.
Embark on a rewarding career dedicated to public service and make a difference with us!
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
- Graduation from an accredited law school, possession of a current license to practice law in the State of Iowa, and experience equal to five years of full time work in professional legal criminal trial advocacy or prosecution.
- Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes three years of fulltime work as a Public Defender 2.