Trial Attorney

Defender Association of Philadelphia•Philadelphia, PA

46d•Onsite

About The Position

The Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has a vacancy for an Assistant Federal Defender in our Trial Unit. Our office represents indigent persons charged with federal criminal offenses in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, one of America’s most preeminent historical cities, is rich in culture, entertainment, and history. Our office is in Philadelphia’s Center City district, in the historic Curtis building, close to the federal courthouse and across from Independence Mall, the Liberty Bell and Washington Square Park. OUR TRIAL PRACTICE Our Assistant Federal Defenders represent persons facing prosecution for various federal offenses, and our lawyers maintain wide-ranging caseloads that include offenses involving firearms, controlled substances, immigration, kidnapping, terrorism, complex white-collar fraud, public corruption, child exploitation, human trafficking, robbery, federal capital homicide and other crimes. We represent indigent federal defendants in all phases of a district court prosecution, from pretrial litigation through sentencing. The Trial Unit’s Assistant Federal Defenders also represent individuals’ pre-indictment who are targets of prosecution. We also participate in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s re-entry court, which is one of the country’s leading federal re-entry programs, as well as its mental health court and relapse prevention (drug) court. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania is a larger federal district, due to both geographical size as well as the number of cases prosecuted. As a result, our office has a respected and robust litigation practice. While most of our cases are litigated in the Philadelphia courthouse of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, cases are also litigated at the courthouses in Allentown, Easton, and Reading.

Requirements

Minimum of three years of criminal defense experience.
Completion of bench and jury trials to verdict.
Demonstrated working knowledge of state or federal criminal law, including pre- and post-trial motion practice.
Extensive sentencing litigation experience.
Strong research and writing capabilities.
Ability to work cooperatively with others.
Clearly demonstrated commitment to excellence.
Commitment to the representation of the indigent.
Reputation for personal and professional integrity.
Ability to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, witnesses, staff, and court and agency personnel.
Must have or be willing to learn, employ and maintain skills in courtroom technology, electronic discovery, and electronic case management.
Must be members in good standing of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and eligible to become a member of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Must be in good standing of every state bar of which they are admitted.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of the United States Sentencing Guidelines is preferred.
Fluency in Spanish is a plus.

Responsibilities

Represent indigent persons charged with federal criminal offenses.
Represent indigent federal defendants in all phases of a district court prosecution, from pretrial litigation through sentencing.
Represent individuals’ pre-indictment who are targets of prosecution.
Participate in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s re-entry court, mental health court and relapse prevention (drug) court.
Litigate cases in courthouses in Philadelphia, Allentown, Easton, and Reading.
Travel throughout the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s nine county area.
Occasional out-of-district travel may be required.