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.
Requirements
- Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school
- Active license to practice law in North Carolina
- Strong desire and commitment to indigent defense and client advocacy
Nice To Haves
- Capable of handling all casework required to provide quality legal services for indigent clients.
- Capable of handling difficult cases and clients.
- Expected to maintain positive professional relationships with clients, coworkers, prosecutors, judges, clerks, and the public.
- Clients who may be struggling with mental health and/or substance misuse disorders.
- Expected to visit clients at the jail and in prison facilities.
- Occasional travel out county for training.
- 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.
- Skilled in Federal, State, common and constitutional law; judicial procedures, local procedures and rules of evidence.
- Competently defend criminal and juvenile cases.
- Able to 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, 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.
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.
- Be skilled in Federal, State, common and constitutional law; judicial procedures, local procedures and rules of evidence.
- 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, 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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
