Assistant Public Defender
About The Position
The District 6 Office of the Public Defender represents indigent clients in criminal District and Superior Court, juvenile delinquency matters, civil contempt matters, treatment courts, first appearances and clients involved in abuse, neglect, and dependency matters. Defenders are cross-trained and capable of handling all casework required to provide quality legal services for indigent clients. Defenders must be capable of handling difficult cases and clients. Defenders are expected to maintain positive professional relationships with clients, coworkers, prosecutors, judges, clerks, and the public. Defenders will have clients who may be struggling with mental health and/or substance misuse disorders. Defenders are expected to visit clients at the jail and in prison facilities. There will be occasional travel out county for training. Defenders will be expected to assist in coverage in the Pender County Office. All applicants must have a strong desire and commitment to indigent defense and client advocacy while allotting time in their workday to return phone calls and emails, appropriately notate cases in the management system, complete daily disposition data and other procedural matters. The needs of the District 6 Office of the Public Defender are for an experienced Superior Court criminal defense attorney. Defenders are expected to be skilled in Federal, State, common and constitutional law; judicial procedures, local procedures and rules of evidence. These are all necessary to competently defend criminal and juvenile cases. Defenders must be able to analyze facts, laws, rules, regulations, interpretations, and all related written documents and apply the law to those facts. It is necessary to conduct legal research; plan, develop and execute an effective litigation strategy; prepare, organize and conduct witness examinations; deliver opening statements, closing arguments, appropriate evidential objections; and express complex legal concepts and related facts in a concise manner. All this must be done while maintaining a high-volume caseload in a professional and efficient manner and accurately notate the case management system in accordance with District 6 office policy and North Carolina State Bar file retention standards.
Requirements
- Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school
- Active license to practice law in North Carolina
- Skilled in Federal, State, common and constitutional law
- Skilled in judicial procedures, local procedures and rules of evidence
- Ability to analyze facts, laws, rules, regulations, interpretations, and related written documents and apply applicable law to those facts
- Ability to conduct legal research
- Ability to plan, develop and execute an effective litigation strategy to achieve desired results
- Ability to prepare, organize and conduct witness examinations
- Ability to deliver opening statements, closing arguments, and evidentiary objections
- Ability to express complex legal concepts and related facts in a clear and concise manner
- Strong desire and commitment to indigent defense and client advocacy
Nice To Haves
- More than 2 years’ experience in litigation, criminal law or public interest law
- Prior experience trying cases to verdict before a jury
- Experience carrying a felony caseload in Superior Court
Responsibilities
- Represent indigent clients in criminal District and Superior Court, juvenile delinquency matters, civil contempt matters, treatment courts, first appearances and clients involved in abuse, neglect, and dependency matters.
- Handle all casework required to provide quality legal services for indigent clients.
- Handle difficult cases and clients.
- Maintain positive professional relationships with clients, coworkers, prosecutors, judges, clerks, and the public.
- Visit clients at the jail and in prison facilities.
- Assist in coverage in the Pender County Office.
- Return phone calls and emails.
- Appropriately notate cases in the management system.
- Complete daily disposition data and other procedural matters.
- Analyze facts, laws, rules, regulations, interpretations, and all related written documents and apply the law to those facts.
- Conduct legal research.
- Plan, develop and execute an effective litigation strategy.
- Prepare, organize and conduct witness examinations.
- Deliver opening statements, closing arguments, and appropriate evidential objections.
- Express complex legal concepts and related facts in a concise manner.
- Maintain a high-volume caseload in a professional and efficient manner.
- Accurately notate the case management system in accordance with District 6 office policy and North Carolina State Bar file retention standards.
Benefits
- Salary determined by experience
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
