Chief Public Defender

City of Spokane; Washington; On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Spokane Public Defender’s Office seeks a leader to oversee employment matters, budgets, and grant administration while preserving the representation of indigent clients in the courts. The role entails guidance to attorneys, law clerks, and staff; coordinating compliance with state standards; and engaging with city governance and media as needed.

Ideal candidates will have a JD or WSBA Law Clerk program, and must be admitted to the WA State Bar in good standing, with substantial

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor or WSBA Law Clerk Program
• Active WA State Bar in good standing
• 8 years experience in the practice of law; 3 years 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 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 attention to compliance with state-wide standards.
• Perform related duties as required.

Skills

Employee development

Performance management

Criminal law

Courtroom advocacy

Legal research & writing

Education

Juris Doctor or WSBA Law Clerk Program

WA State Bar Association in good standing

Job description

CLASS SUMMARY

RepresenteligiblepeoplefacingalossoflibertyfromcriminalchargeswithintheCityofSpokane.Beanindependent voicethatpromotesjusticeandequityforclientsandadvocatesfortheirobjectives,interests,anddignity.Seekto addressracialdisproportionalityinthelocalcriminallegalsystemonissuesofincarcerationandsentencing,eligibilityfor programmatic alternatives and case resolution.

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE:

ProvideresponsiblesupervisoryworkintheadministrationanddirectionoftheCityPublicDefender’sOffice.Thisoffice handlesmisdemeanorsandgrossmisdemeanorschargedundertheSpokaneMunicipalCodeforpersonswhoare determined to be indigent and unable to afford to hire private counsel.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

WorkhasasubstantialamountofindependenceinthePublicDefender’sOffice.Employeeprovidessupervisiontopublic defenders, law clerks, legal interns, and clerical staff.

EXAMPLES OF JOB FUNCTIONS

ThefollowingResponsibilitiesandRequirementsarefunctionstheindividualwhoholdsordesiresthepositionmustbe able to perform unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provideoversightforallemploymentrelatedmatterswithinthedepartment.
• Prepareandadministerdepartmentalbudget.
• Prepareandadministerdepartmentalgrantapplicationsandrequirements.
• Maintaintheintegrityofrepresentationofindigentclientsinthecourts.
• Representindigentclients’anddefenders’interestsonvariouslawandlaw-relatedboardsandcommittees.
• HandleinquiriesfromCityAdministration,CityCouncil,judges,variousagencies,andthemedia.
• Assigns,tracks,andreviewscaseloadsofstaffwithparticularattentiontocompliancewithstatewidestandards.
• Performrelateddutiesasrequired.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• CriminallawandpracticesandproceduresofCitygovernment.
• PerformanceManagementconcepts,principals,andpracticesrelatedtoemployeeperformance.

ABILITY TO:

• Expresslegalconceptsinclearandconciselanguagetothemedia,CityCouncil,andPublic.
• Influence,motivate,andchallengeothers;adaptleadershipstylestoavarietyofsituations.
• Managemultipleprojects,meetdeadlines,andworkwellunderpressure.
• Adapttootherdutiesasassignedandprioritize,organize,andplanworkasneededtomeetobjectives.
• Workcooperativelywithothersandmaintainpositiverelationships.

SKILL IN:

• Employeedevelopmentandperformancemanagement.
• Criminal law practice to include courtroom advocacy, forensic and psychological experts and issues, and legal research and writing.
• Effectivelydealingwithpeoplefromvariedbackgroundsanddifferentsituationswhoaredifficult,hostile,or distressedwhilebeingsensitivetoculturaldiversity,race,gender,sexualorientation,disabilities,andother individual differences.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Anycombinationequivalenttotheexperienceandeducationthatwouldlikelyprovidetherelevantknowledgeand abilitieswouldbequalifying.Generally,thiswillinclude:

EDUCATION:

Juris Doctor or successful completion of WSBA Law Clerk Program

Active member of the WA State Bar Association in good standing

EXPERIENCE:

• 8yearsexperienceinthepracticeoflaw;and
• 3yearsofsupervisoryexperience
• 2 years of criminal defense experience

LISENSESAND CERTIFICATIONS:

• MemberingoodstandingoftheWashingtonStateBarAssociation.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Workisconductedprimarilyinanofficesetting.Frequentattendanceatmeetingstoincludesomeirregularhoursand potential out-of-town travel may be required. Incumbents in this position are expected to communicate verbally, in-personandbytelephoneandremotecomputeraccess.Acomputerterminalisusedandrequirestheuseofrepetitive arm movements.

BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS

AsanexemptemployeeoftheCityofSpokane,the Public Defender issubjectto theCity'sCodeofEthicssetforthinChapter1.04AoftheSpokaneMunicipalCode.Assuch,\"itisthepolicyoftheCityof 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 publicduties,avoidanyimproprietiesintheirrolesasapublicservantincludingtheappearanceofimpropriety,andnever use their City position, authority or resources for personal gain.\"

Weareanequalopportunityemployerandvaluediversitywithinourorganization.Wedonotdiscriminateonthebasis ofrace,religion,color,nationalorigin,genderidentity,sexualorientation,age,maritalstatus,familialstatus,genetic information,veteran/militarystatusordisabilitystatus.AsaFairChanceemployer,CityofSpokanedoesnotconduct initial background screening for non-public safety positions.

EXAMINATION DETAILS

Employer

CityofSpokane

Phone

509.625.6160

Address

808W.SpokaneFallsBlvd. City Hall, 4th Floor

Spokane,Washington,99201

Website

http://my.spokanecity.org