Attorney II - LVL 6

City of Indianapolis & Marion County; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Indianapolis & Marion County Public Defender Agency seeks an attorney to provide effective representation of indigent clients in Level 6 or equivalent cases in lower felonies, juveniles, and related matters. The attorney exercises independent judgment within policies and state laws while reporting to the Division Chief.

TPR/CHIN Division Attorneys must meet Indiana Public Defender Commission standards and complete one year of service.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate and license to practice law required.
• Strong verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Must comply with Indiana Public Defender Commission standards.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Responsibilities

• Appears in court to provide effective representation of indigent clients.
• Conducts legal and factual review; evaluates evidence and pretrial motions.
• Interviews clients and consults with witnesses and experts as needed.
• Negotiates case dispositions with opposing counsel, including plea agreements.
• Communicates with clients regularly by phone, in person, and jail visits.
• Reviews and updates court files; keeps clients and families informed.
• Delegates tasks to paralegals and investigators as appropriate.
• Collaborates with Social Workers on multi-disciplinary strategies.
• Maintains confidentiality at all times.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Presentation skills

Independent judgment

Education

Juris Doctorate

License to practice law

Tools

Legal research databases

Case management software

Job description

The Marion County Public Defender Agency provides legal representation for Marion County residents who cannot afford to hire their own lawyer in matters involving liberty interests, including criminal cases. Our services are provided as a public service. We work with the felony, misdemeanor, Title IV D, civil commitment, and juvenile courts. We also work on cases related to termination of parental rights as well as appeals. Our agency also offers education, services, and programs focused on different ways to serve jail sentences. The agency is able to do this by cultivating a productive, collaborative, and compliant work environment in order for our workforce to meet the needs of the constituents of Indianapolis and Marion County.

Job Summary

This position is responsible for providing effective representation of counsel to indigent persons charged with the cases filed in Level 6 or equivalent in Lower Felony, Juvenile, Problem Solving and Appellate. TPR/CHINS Attorneys represent parents in child in need of service cases. Independent Judgment is regularly utilized when there are no available policies and procedures. Independent actions and judgment are exercised in making decisions that are complex in nature and have considerable impact on Public Defender Agency policy. Decisions and actions may be controlled by state and federal laws. The actions and decision-making process allow for considerable latitude in making informed judgments, quick decisions, or decisions without the benefit of consultation. The incumbent is expected to exercise initiative, creativity, and independent problem-solving skills. This position reports to the Division Chief.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The City of Indianapolis Marion County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We value diversity in perspectives and experiences among colleagues and the residents of this city of whom we serve.

• Appears in court to provide effective representation of counsel to indigent persons in courts
• Conducts legal and factual review of the case; evaluates the legal and factual evidence for, or against, the client; engages in pretrial motion practice; and takes and defends depositions
• Consults with client, interviews witnesses and consults with medical, forensic, DNA or other experts as needed to effectively represent client
• Consults with opposing counsel to negotiate case disposition to include plea agreements and other disposition, including litigating case to the court or trying to jury
• Communicates with clients through regular methods to include telephone conversations, in person interviews, and jail consultations
• Reviews and updates court files; keeps client and families updated on case progress
• Delegates assignments to paralegal II and investigators, as appropriate
• Collaborates with Social Workers on multi-disciplinary strategies to achieve client objectives
• Must maintain confidentiality at all times
• This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time

Juris Doctorate and license to practice law required. Strong verbal, written, communication and presentation skills are required along with top level interpersonal and facilitation skills. Computer knowledge a must. Must have a valid driver’s license. Additionally, all division Attorneys must comply with all relevant Indiana Public Defender Commission standards, guidelines, and requirements. TPR/CHIN Division Attorneys representing CHINS cases must have completed one year of service.

Essential functions are regularly performed in an office setting without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

Physical Conditions

1. Sitting at a desk the majority of the day
2. Some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10) pounds
3. Tasks may involve extended periods of time at keyboard or workstation
4. Tasks require the ability to perceive and hear sounds and see visual cues or signals
5. Tasks require the ability to communicate orally