Senior Deputy Defender (Medford, OR)

State of Oregon•Medford, OR

23h•Onsite

About The Position

At OPDC, we are committed to ensuring constitutionally competent and effective legal representation for individuals eligible for a public defender. As a Senior Deputy Defender, you will play a vital role in providing zealous defense to clients charged with a wide range of offenses, from misdemeanors to serious felonies, including the most serious offenses. This position offers the opportunity to lead a dedicated support team, collaborate with experienced colleagues, and make a meaningful impact in the lives of those who need it the most. This position is full-time and permanent. This recruitment will be used to establish a list of qualified applicants to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited law school
Member of the Oregon State Bar
Eight (8) years full-time experience in criminal law practice, juvenile dependency practice, or civil commitment law, or equivalent experience.
Valid Oregon Driver’s License

Nice To Haves

Strong criminal defense or litigation experience with sound judgement and ethics.
Demonstrated commitment to public defense and indigent clients.
Knowledge of Oregon courts and procedures or ability to quickly learn a new jurisdiction.
Client-centered advocacy with clear, empathetic communication.
Collaborative, adaptable, and reliable under pressure.
Interest in helping expand and strengthen Oregon’s public defense system

Responsibilities

Provide effective representation to a wide variety of clients charged with crimes in Oregon trial courts, including the most serious offenses.
Lead a support-staff team, which may include legal secretaries, investigators, case managers, and paralegals.
Manage a caseload that demands trial preparation and practice, routine appearances in several courts, regular contact with clients including those in custody for advice and counsel, investigation, strategizing, and legal research and writing.
Work collaboratively with other attorneys in the office, including mentoring junior attorneys and serving as co-counsel on select cases.
Interviewing and communication with clients, keeping them updated on all stages of their case, providing appropriately redacted discovery and significant filings, and rigorously safeguarding their confidential information.
Arrange in-person visits at jails or correctional facilities when necessary.
Advocate for release/preventative detention at arraignment and release/preventative detention hearings.
Assess and identify both conventional and novel legal issues, constructing well-reasoned, analytical arguments grounded in facts, evidence, and precise legal application.
Ensure adherence to proper citation and formatting standards while adeptly leveraging legal research tools like Westlaw to explore sources ranging from administrative regulation to constitutional provisions.
Review legal briefs and memoranda supporting pretrial motions, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of both parties’ arguments, and persuasively advocating the defense’s position while countering the state’s claims with precise references to facts and law.
Request and review discovery and case-related records.
Oversee and guide investigators in interviewing witnesses, examining scenes and evidence, and preparing subpoenas.
Analyze and organize case materials, document all case activities, and collaborate with colleagues and the defense team on strategy.
Negotiate with the prosecutor to seek case dismissal or resolution through plea bargaining.
Prepare for and conduct formal settlement conferences to facilitate case resolution.