Deputy Public Defender Director

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

22h • $157,385 - $212,470 • Onsite

About The Position

About Our Job What We Offer The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The starting pay range is $157,385.00- $212,470.00 a year based on your experience. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but is not limited to: A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service 457B Retirement Plan 132 hours of PTO earned within first year 11 Paid Holidays per year, plus 1 personal holiday, and 8 hours of Denver Good Deeds volunteer time Education Refund Program (ERP) - a chance for the city to support your continued learning and career growth by investing in your future with the city Care Bank – 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave (after the probation period is passed) Free RTD Eco Pass Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date Location & Schedule In this position you will work on site at the Office of the Municipal Public Defender, at: 710 W Colfax, Denver CO 80204. This position will be 100% onsite from 8:00AM – 5:00PM with flexible work hours as needed. Who We Are The Office of the Municipal Public Defender (OMPD) is a comprehensive, holistic public defender office that is client-centered, independent, and innovative in the representation of defendants who face jail time for municipal ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and municipal youth offenses in the Denver County Court System. We are in court seven days a week. Each year, Denver Municipal Court sees more than 13,000 cases and our office represents about 75% of those charged. All our clients live at or below the federal poverty line. Roughly 80% of our clients are living with trauma, mental health challenges, substance use disorders, traumatic brain injuries, or PTSD and over half of our clients face housing instability. Municipal charges disproportionately impact people of color and those experiencing poverty. We are a holistic, wrap-around, public defender agency with a Client Support Team (CST) consisting of a social worker, a behavioral health navigator, a bi-lingual case manager and a team of Peer Support Specialists who are in court every day and work closely with the attorneys, create re-entry plans for clients in jail, and connect clients with resources like shelter and housing, food stamps, employment, treatment and more. We partner with many city and nonprofit organizations to best serve our clients. What You'll Do The Office of the Municipal Public Defender seeks a Deputy Public Defender Director. This individual will supervise a team of attorneys while assisting the Municipal Public Defender with the oversight of the office.

Requirements

• Five (5) years of criminal defense practice with significant municipal court litigation experience
• Experienced in client-centered indigent defense, including representing clients with behavioral health and substance use challenges
• Committed to criminal defense reform and advancing progressive justice initiatives
• Prior supervisory experience with a collaborative leadership approach that supports team development and accountability
• Strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; effective collaborator known for being approachable, reliable, and easy to work with
• Education requirement: Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree
• Experience Requirement: Five (5) years of experience of the type and at the level of Deputy Public Defender with specialized experience in criminal law.
• Management experience preferred
• Education/Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted
• License/Certifications: Possession of a license to practice law in Colorado from the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire or a reasonable expectation of becoming licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court by the date of hire in accordance with C.R.C.P. 203.2, 203.3, 203.4 and 205.6.
• Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment
• Requires a valid driver's license at the time of application or the ability to obtain transportation to jail or prison facilities in surrounding area
• Resume - required
• Cover letter – required
• Provide three (3) professional references - required

Nice To Haves

• Multi-lingual is a plus

Responsibilities

• Serves as a senior advisor to the Chief Municipal Public Defender in the overall management and strategic direction of the office, including goal setting, legislative strategy, attorney training, and personnel management
• Supervises and directs all attorney staff; establishes priorities, assigns and reviews work, and ensures high-quality legal representation, ethical compliance, and accurate documentation
• Develops and implements work plans, policies, procedures, and schedules to ensure effective staffing, courtroom coverage, and overall organizational efficiency
• Provides mentorship, guidance, and training to attorneys, including consultation on complex or unusual legal issues
• Ensures adequate courtroom docket coverage and coordinates staffing as needed
• Oversees bi-monthly Outreach Court
• Facilitates regular meetings with senior courtroom attorneys and administrative leadership to address emerging issues and coordinate responses with judges, the City Attorney’s Office, and other stakeholders as appropriate
• Proactively addresses and resolves workplace conflicts in a timely and effective manner to maintain a productive and collaborative work environment
• Manages employee performance, including goal setting, coaching, evaluations, recognition, and documentation related to disciplinary actions and grievance responses
• Participates in budget planning and management; develops and presents budget recommendations, monitors expenditures, coordinates with OMPD vendors, and adjusts work plans and resource allocations as needed
• Collaborates regularly with City Attorney’s Office supervisors to address ongoing courtroom and case-management matters
• Represents the office in external and governmental settings, including serving on committees and task forces, advising City Council members on legislation, and providing testimony on municipal court matters at the local and state levels
• Participates in recruitment, interviewing, and selection of attorney and staff candidates
• Assumes the duties of the Chief Municipal Public Defender in their absence and performs other responsibilities as assigned

Benefits

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 132 hours of PTO earned within first year
• 11 Paid Holidays per year, plus 1 personal holiday, and 8 hours of Denver Good Deeds volunteer time
• Education Refund Program (ERP) - a chance for the city to support your continued learning and career growth by investing in your future with the city
• Care Bank – 8 weeks of Paid Family Leave (after the probation period is passed)
• Free RTD Eco Pass
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree