Assistant Public Defender

State of North Carolina; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 56,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Indigent Defense Services in Wilmington, NC seeks an Assistant Public Defender (NS) for the District 6 Office to represent indigent clients in criminal cases and related matters across court levels and treatment courts.

The role requires a Juris Doctor degree and an active North Carolina license, willingness to travel for training, and the ability to manage a high-volume caseload while maintaining professional relationships with clients and colleagues.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from ABA-accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in North Carolina.
• Strong ability to analyze facts, apply the law, and research effectively.

Responsibilities

• Represent indigent clients in criminal District and Superior Court.
• Handle juvenile delinquency and civil contempt matters.
• Maintain professional relationships with clients, prosecutors, judges, clerks, and the public.
• Visit clients at jail and prison facilities; travel for training when needed.

Skills

Legal research

Litigation strategy

Witness examinations

Opening statements

Closing arguments

Case management notes

Education

Juris Doctor degree

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

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.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

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*

SALARY RANGE

$56,000.00 - $90,000.00

All NC Judicial Branch agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers.

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

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.

Attach cover letter and résumé.

Please email a resume and cover letter describing your personal and professional credentials for employment. In your cover letter outline your reasons for wanting to work in indigent defense. Email your resume and cover letter to [e-mail].

Applications without a resume and cover letter will not be considered.

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.