Chief Public Defender - Tenth Judicial District

COPAA; Anoka, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

COPAA seeks the Chief District Public Defender in Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District. The Chief administers public defender services for Anoka and surrounding counties, supervising 137 staff including 90 attorneys, and oversees a district that handles about 19,000 cases per year with an $18 million budget.

The position requires Minnesota Bar admission and at least five years of criminal-law practice, plus prior administrative experience.

Qualifications

• Admission to the Bar of Minnesota.
• Five years’ experience as a practicing attorney in criminal law; prior administrative experience.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and administers district employees and offices;
• Hiring, disciplining or termination of employees under supervision;
• Evaluates the work of attorneys and support personnel;
• Responds to inquiries from the public concerning the District Public Defender Office;
• Responds to complaints from clients and resolves them;
• Assigns cases to insure even workload distribution;
• Works to resolve court scheduling issues and conflict assignments;
• Interviews, trains, mentors and evaluates assigned employees;
• Maintains liaison with court administration, judges and other court personnel;
• Coordinates with other Chief District Public Defenders and State Public Defender on policy issues.

Skills

Public speaking

Media relations

Government management

Job description

The Chief District Public Defender is responsible for the administration of public defender services in the district, consistent with standards adopted by the State Board of Public Defense and the policies and procedures adopted by the State Public Defender. The Tenth Judicial District Chief Public Defender supervises a staff of 137 including 90 attorneys. The Chief Public Defender is responsible for providing service in the Tenth Judicial District which consists of the counties of Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright. Forty-five judges serve the district, which is the second largest of Minnesota's ten judicial districts. The district opens approximately 19,000 cases yearly with an annual district budget of $18 million. The district office is Anoka, MN with satellite offices in Buffalo, North Branch, and Stillwater.

Chief Public Defenders are appointed to four-year terms. The current term of the Tenth Judicial District Chief Public Defender position expires December 31, 2028.

Definition/Summary of Duties

Under general direction and approval of the Board of Public Defense, and the State Public Defender; the Chief District Public Defender is responsible for:

• The supervision and administration of district employees and offices;
• Hiring, disciplining or the termination of employees under her/his supervision;
• Supervises and evaluates the work of attorneys and support personnel;
• Receives and responds to inquiries from the public concerning the activities of the District Public Defender Office and its employees;
• Receives and responds to complaints from clients and makes decisions on resolution of complaints;
• Assigns cases to insure an even distribution of the workload;
• Works to resolve court scheduling issues and conflict assignments;
• Interviews, trains, mentors and evaluates assigned employees;
• Maintains liaison with court administration, judges and other court personnel;
• Undertakes related additional duties and assignments as required by the Board of Public Defense or State Public Defender;
• Coordinates with other Chief District Public Defenders, Administrative Services Office and State Public Defender on policy issues and activities.

Knowledge

• Considerable knowledge of legal and policy issues affecting public defenders and their clients, on both state and national levels.
• Considerable knowledge of management and operations of public defense programs.
• Considerable knowledge of legislative processes that affect criminal and juvenile law, and affect public defense agencies in Minnesota.

Skills

• Substantial demonstrated skills in representation of indigent adult and juvenile defendants.
• Substantial demonstrated skills in public speaking and media relations.
• Considerable skills related to governmental agency management.

Abilities

• Considerable ability to supervise attorneys and support staff;
• Considerable ability to establish effective working relationships with court personnel;
• Considerable ability to plan and evaluate public defender programs and service-delivery strategies;
• Considerable ability to work well with people from diverse racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Admission to the Bar of the State of Minnesota AND
• Five years’ experience as a practicing attorney in the area of criminal law. Prior administrative experience.