Assistant Public Defender- Misdemeanors

Allen County Government • Fort Wayne, IN

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Chief Public Defender, the Deputy Public Defender provides criminal defense to indigent defendants in the courts of Allen County, Indiana as mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the Indiana Constitution and Indiana state law. This position is covered under the Circuit Court Employee Handbook. This is an employee-at-will position.

Requirements

• Graduation from an ABA accredited school of law
• Valid Indiana license to practice law
• Excellent written and communication skills
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and a large volume of work

Responsibilities

• Works directly with defendant and maintains regular contact with clients through correspondence, phone calls, and in person meetings, while upholding ethical duties of loyalty and confidentiality.
• Responsible for representing defendants during criminal investigative proceedings.
• Represents defendants in all court appearances, including pretrial discovery, withdraw pleas, and suppression notices.
• Works with support staff to provide effective and high quality legal representation to accused indigent people facing felony or misdemeanor charges, juvenile adjudication, and mental health commitments.
• Attends post-trial sentencing hearings for clients who negotiate plea bargains or are found guilty in trial.
• Files appeals when errors are found in court proceedings which prevented the defendant from having a fair trial.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees