Chief Public Defender

City of Spokane; Spokane (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Spokane seeks a Director to supervise the Public Defender’s Office, overseeing criminal matters for indigent clients. This role manages staff, budgets, and external coordination with City bodies and media.

Responsibilities include ensuring lawful representation, grant administration, and adherence to standards while guiding staff development and departmental strategy.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an ABA-accredited law school or completion of the WA APR 6 Law Clerk program.
• 8 years of practice in the field of law; 3 years of supervisory experience; 2 years of criminal defense experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight for all employment related matters within the department.
• Prepare and administer departmental budget.
• Prepare and administer departmental grant applications and requirements.
• Maintain the integrity of representation of indigent clients in the courts.
• Represent indigent clients’ and defenders’ interests on various boards and committees.
• Handle inquiries from City Administration, City Council, judges, agencies, and media.
• Assign, track, and review caseloads of staff with emphasis on compliance with standards.
• Perform related duties as required.

Skills

Employee development and performance

Criminal law practice

Working with diverse populations

Education

ABA-accredited law school

Washington State APR 6 Law Clerk Program

Job description

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE:

Represent eligible people facing a loss of liberty from criminal charges within the City of Spokane. Be an independent voice that promotes justice and equity for clients and advocates for their objectives, interests, and dignity. Seek to address racial disproportionality in the local criminal legal system on issues of incarceration and sentencing, eligibility for programmatic alternatives and case resolution.

POSITION PURPOS:

Provide responsible supervisory work in the administration and direction of the City Public Defender’s Office. This office handles misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors charged under the Spokane Municipal Code for persons who are determined to be indigent and unable to afford to hire private counsel.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Work has a substantial amount of independence in the Public Defender’s Office. Employee provides supervision to public defenders, law clerks, legal interns, and clerical staff.

The following Responsibilities and Requirements are functions the individual who holds or desires the position must be able to perform unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide oversight for all employment related matters within the department.
• Prepare and administer departmental budget.
• Prepare and administer departmental grant applications and requirements.
• Maintain the integrity of representation of indigent clients in the courts.
• Represent indigent clients’ and defenders’ interests on various law and law-related boards and committees.
• Handle inquiries from City Administration, City Council, judges, various agencies, and the media.
• Assigns, tracks, and reviews caseloads of staff with particular attention to compliance with statewide standards.
• Perform related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Criminal law and practices and procedures of City government.
• Performance Management concepts, principals, and practices related to employee performance.

ABILITY TO:

• Express legal concepts in clear and concise language to the media, City Council, and Public.
• Influence, motivate, and challenge others; adapt leadership styles to a variety of situations.
• Manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure.
• Adapt to other duties as assigned and prioritize, organize, and plan work as needed to meet objectives.
• Work cooperatively with others and maintain positive relationships.

SKILL IN:

• Employee development and performance management.
• Criminal law practice to include courtroom advocacy, forensic and psychological experts and issues, and legal research and writing.
• Effectively dealing with people from varied backgrounds and different situations who are difficult, hostile, or distressed while being sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, and other individual differences.

Any combination equivalent to the experience and education that would likely provide the relevant knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. Generally, this will include:

EDUCATION:

• Graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association or completion of the Washington State APR 6 Law Clerk Program.

EXPERIENCE:

• 8 years experience in the practice of law; and
• 3 years of supervisory experience
• 2 years of criminal defense experience

LISENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS:

• Member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is conducted primarily in an office setting. Frequent attendance at meetings to include some irregular hours and potential out-of-town travel may be required. Incumbents in this position are expected to communicate verbally, in-person and by telephone and remote computer access. A computer terminal is used and requires the use of repetitive arm movements.

BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS:

As an exempt employee of the City of Spokane, the Director of Neighborhood, Housing & Human Services is subject to the City’s Code of Ethics set forth in Chapter 1.04A of the Spokane Municipal Code. As such, "it is the policy of the City of Spokane to uphold, promote, and demand the highest standards of ethics from all of its employees who shall maintain the utmost standards of responsibility, trustworthiness, integrity, truthfulness, honesty and fairness in carrying out their public duties, avoid any improprieties in their roles as a public servant including the appearance of impropriety, and never use their City position, authority or resources for personal gain."

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity within our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, familial status, genetic information, veteran/military status or disability status. As a Fair Chance employer, City of Spokane does not conduct initial background screening for non-public safety positions.