Assistant Public Defender

nc; North Carolina; On-site; USD 56,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The District 6 Office of the Public Defender represents indigent clients in criminal District and Superior Court, juvenile delinquency matters, and other related matters. Defenders must be able to handle difficult cases and maintain professional relationships with clients and staff.

Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school and an active North Carolina license to practice law are required, with potential travel for training and occasional coverage for the Pender County Office.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school and an active license to practice law in North Carolina.
• Strong knowledge of Federal, State, common and constitutional law; judicial procedures and rules of evidence.
• Ability to conduct legal research and develop litigation strategies.

Responsibilities

• Defend criminal and juvenile cases with high professional standards.
• Visit clients in jail and prison facilities; communicate effectively with clients, coworkers, prosecutors and judges.
• Maintain a high-volume caseload and accurately notate the case management system.

Skills

Constitutional law

Federal/State law knowledge

Legal research

Education

Juris Doctor

Job description

Agency

Indigent Defense Services

Division

PUBLIC DEFENDER 6 DISTRICT

Job Classification Title

Assistant Public Defender (NS)

Position Number

65035808

Grade

30013288

About Us

DO YOUR CAREER JUSTICE! Each and every day, North Carolina's courts help provide safety for our communities, prosperity for our economy, and protection for the rights, liberties, and freedoms that sit at the foundation of our state and federal constitutions. Consider an exciting and rewarding career with us and join the more than 7,000 elected officials and employees who make up our workforce and help us ensure that justice is administrated without favor, denial, or delay.

Description of Work

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

SALARY RANGE: $56,000.00 - $90,000.00

The District 6 Office of the Public Defender represents indigent clients in criminal District and Superior Court, juvenile delinquency matters, civil contempt matters, treatment courts, first appearances and clients involved in abuse, neglect, and dependency matters. Defenders are cross-trained and capable of handling all casework required to provide quality legal services for indigent clients. Defenders must be capable of handling difficult cases and clients. Defenders are expected to maintain positive professional relationships with clients, coworkers, prosecutors, judges, clerks, and the public. Defenders will have clients who may be struggling with mental health and/or substance misuse disorders. Defenders are expected to visit clients at the jail and in prison facilities. There will be occasional travel out county for training. Although the position is for the Wilmington office, there may be an occasional need to assist coverage for the Pender County Office. All applicants must have a strong desire and commitment to indigent defense and client advocacy while allotting time in their workday to return phone calls and emails, appropriately notate cases in the management system, complete daily disposition data and other procedural matters.

Defenders are expected to be skilled in Federal, State, common and constitutional law; judicial procedures, local procedures and rules of evidence. These are all necessary to competently defend criminal and juvenile cases. Defenders must be able to analyze facts, laws, rules, regulations, interpretations, and all related written documents and apply the law to those facts. It is necessary to conduct legal research; plan, develop and execute an effective litigation strategy; prepare, organize and conduct witness examinations; deliver opening statements, closing arguments, appropriate evidential objections; and express complex legal concepts and related facts in a concise manner. All this must be done while maintaining a high-volume caseload in a professional and efficient manner and accurately notate the case management system in accordance with District 6 office policy and North Carolina State Bar file retention standards. *Salary will be determined by experience*

Minimum Education and Experience

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school and an active license to practice law in North Carolina.

EEO Statement

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

The North Carolina Judicial Branch participates in E-Verify, an internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from the US Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.

Charmaine J. Leeks

NC Administrative Office of the Courts

Human Resources Division

https://www.nccourts.gov/about/about-judicial-branch/careers