Assistant Federal Public Defender

National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Toledo (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Ohio in Toledo seeks an Assistant Federal Public Defender to join its Toledo branch. The role focuses on trial advocacy in federal court, working closely with a team of professionals to prepare and try cases for clients facing difficult circumstances.

Ideal candidates demonstrate tenacity, preparation, and professionalism, with a strong commitment to equity and zealous advocacy.

Qualifications

• Advocacy before judges and juries demonstrated.
• Sustained effort and follow-through when cases get difficult.
• Knowing which fights to pick, when to push, and when to sit down.
• Ability to build trust with clients and work professionally with colleagues, opposing counsel, and court personnel.
• Commitment to indigent defense as a calling, not just a resume line.
• Creativity, curiosity, and willingness to be coached.
• Strong organization and composure to meet deadlines.
• Life experience and humility to connect with diverse clients.

Responsibilities

• Carry your own caseload from initial appearance through sentencing and, when necessary, through trial and appeal.
• Prepare thoroughly for contested hearings and jury trials, advise clients candidly about their options, and try cases when clients choose trial.
• Investigate cases early and thoroughly with investigators, writing specialists, and paralegals.
• Manage discovery-heavy cases with digital forensics, body-worn footage, and lab reports.
• Draft clear motions and sentencing memoranda and litigate relevant issues.
• Negotiate hard when negotiation serves the client.
• Represent people at their worst moments with respect and without judgment.
• Support as a team member and mentor for colleagues and interns.

Skills

Advocacy

Persistence

Judgment

Interpersonal skills

Commitment

Coachability

Time management

Cultural fluency

Job description

Position Description

The Job

If the thought of standing next to a client in federal court as part of a team excites you, this job is for you. We are looking for a trial lawyer—someone who wants to be in a federal courtroom, on the record, working side-by-side with a team of professionals, fighting for a client facing their worst day.

The Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Ohio is hiring an Assistant Federal Public Defender for our Toledo branch. Toledo is a place where a hungry, well-prepared advocate can build a federal defense practice grounded in teamwork, investigation, and trial preparation. Cases move and the judges expect you to be ready. Most importantly, your clients will require excellent preparation, independent judgment, and effective advocacy — every time.

About The Office

Established in 1973, our Office serves the Northern District of Ohio from branches in Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, and Toledo. We are approximately 51 lawyers, investigators, mitigation specialists, paralegals, and support professionals working across a Trial Unit and a Capital Habeas Unit.

We exist to preserve, protect, and defend the promises “We, the People” made in our Constitution, to ensure those promises reach the underserved in our communities, and to fight for equal justice under the law. We do this through zealous, independent advocacy and representation. We are direct with each other, we hold each other accountable, and we take the work — but not ourselves — seriously. We back each other up, care about each other, and take care of each other.

Our clients come from every walk of life, and so do we. We believe our advocacy is stronger when our office reflects the full range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives of the communities we serve. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workplace — one in which every member of our team is respected, supported, and expected to contribute their best work.

The Practice

As an Assistant Federal Public Defender in Toledo, you will:

• Carry your own caseload from initial appearance through sentencing and, when necessary, through trial and appeal.
• Prepare thoroughly for contested hearings and jury trials, advise clients candidly about their options, and try cases when clients choose trial. Every plea decision belongs to the client.
• Investigate your cases early and thoroughly, working shoulder-to-shoulder with investigators, research and writing specialists, and paralegals.
• Manage discovery-heavy cases. Modern federal prosecutions routinely arrive with terabytes of body-worn camera footage, cell phone extractions, and digital forensics, along with expert and lab reports. You will need the discipline and the technical fluency to organize, review, and put that material to work for your client — and to spot what the government missed.
• Draft clear, persuasive motions and sentencing memoranda, and litigate suppression, Franks, discovery, Rule 29, and sentencing issues.
• Negotiate hard when negotiation serves the client.
• Represent people at the worst moments of their lives — people struggling with addiction, mental illness, poverty, and trauma — with respect and without judgment.
• Handle sentencing as its own trial: mitigation, expert work, and
• 3553(a) advocacy that treats every client as a person, not a guidelines calculation.
• Work as a member of the Northern District of Ohio Federal Public Defender team — sharing motions, ideas, and war stories with colleagues in Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown.
• Be a good office citizen — serving as a resource for CJA panel attorneys practicing in the Toledo Federal courthouse and mentoring law students, interns, and newer lawyers as your experience grows.

Who We Want

The Right Person For This Job Is Tenacious, Prepared, And Unafraid, But Also Decent, Humble, And Easy To Work With. Both Halves Matter. We Want

• Advocacy. Demonstrated effectiveness before judges and juries.
• Persistence. Sustained effort and follow-through when cases become difficult.
• Judgment. Knowing which fights to pick, when to push, and when to sit down.
• Interpersonal skills. The ability to build trust with clients and work professionally with colleagues, opposing counsel, and court personnel.
• Commitment. A commitment to indigent defense as a calling, not a resume line.
• Coachability. Creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to be coached.
• Time management. The organization, communication skills, and composure to manage competing deadlines.
• Cultural fluency. The life experience, cultural fluency, and humility to connect with clients whose backgrounds may differ from your own.

Prior federal criminal defense experience is a strong plus, but it is not the only path in. We will seriously consider county and state public defenders, trial-tested prosecutors, seasoned litigators from other practices, and judicial clerks who have also tried cases — in short, any attorney whose record demonstrates the tenacity, trial skill, and judgment this job and our clients deserve and demand. We especially encourage applications from attorneys whose backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are underrepresented in the federal defense bar.