Deputy Public Defender II - Project

County of Sonoma; Santa Rosa (CA); Hybrid; USD 112,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Telework

Salary growth

PTO & holidays

Health premiums

Staff development

Professional development grant

Post-retirement health

Pension

Parental leave

Loan forgiveness

Job summary

The County of Sonoma's Public Defender's Office is seeking a Deputy Public Defender II for a project position focused on providing timely, holistic criminal defense under the Early Representation Unit (ERU). This role supports individuals experiencing mental illness, substance use disorders, or housing instability, within 24 hours of booking.

The II level involves investigating, preparing, and presenting criminal and civil cases under supervision, with opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• One or more years of legal experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney.
• Excellent research and writing abilities.
• Familiar with post-conviction relief, including writs and appeals.
• Demonstrable excellence in public speaking.
• Experience in and/or with a Public Defender's office.
• Completion of any California Public Defender's Association training seminars is desired, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Interpret and apply laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of cases, opinions, and briefs.
• Prepare pleadings and other legal documents in connection with trials, hearings, and other legal proceedings.
• Conduct general legal research.
• Interview and advise clients.

Skills

Criminal law

Legal research

Oral advocacy

Criminal procedure

Public defender experience

Job description

Position Information

Advance your legal career and bring your passion for public service to the Public Defender's Office!

Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills are highly desired but not required!

Starting salary up to $89.42/hour ($186,630/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

This Deputy Public Defender II - Project position can be filled at the I or II level, depending on the candidate's qualifications. If you are interested in being considered for the Deputy Public Defender I - Project level of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate, concurrent recruitment being conducted for that level.

Note: This position is currently funded by the Expanded Public Defense Services Grant from the Office of the State Public Defender through June 30, 2028. The grant funds the creation and operation of the Early Representation Unit (ERU), which provides timely, holistic legal representation within 24 hours of booking for individuals experiencing mental illness, substance use disorders, or housing instability, including rapid legal intervention; coordination with behavioral health, housing, and community-based providers; quarterly advisory committee participation; and data reporting on program effectiveness.

At the II level of this position, you will perform legal work of average difficulty involving the investigation, preparation, and presentation of criminal and civil cases before the courts. Under the guidance of more experienced attorneys, you will work directly with clients and:

• Interpret and apply laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of cases, opinions, and briefs
• Prepare pleadings and other legal documents in connection with trials, hearings, and other legal proceedings
• Conduct general legal research
• Interview and advise clients

As the ideal candidate, you will have a substantial interest in criminal defense work and possess many of the following:

• One or more years of legal experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney
• Excellent research and writing abilities
• Familiar with post-conviction relief, including writs and appeals
• Demonstrable excellence in public speaking
• Experience in and/or with a Public Defender's office
• Completion of any California Public Defender's Association training seminars is desired, but not required

The Sonoma County Public Defender's Office is committed to providing excellent legal representation and zealous advocacy for individuals who are financially unable to retain counsel and who are entitled to court appointed counsel under the United States and California Constitutions or by statute. The Office represents persons charged with misdemeanor and felony criminal offenses. Additionally, the Office provides representation in juvenile delinquency proceedings, mental health proceedings, conservatorships, contempt matters, and probate and welfare proceedings where the law provides for appointed counsel.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $1,250 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Annual Professional Development Benefit - $452
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Memorandum of Understanding between The County of Sonoma and SCDPDAA and in our Employee Benefits Directory.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Any combination of training and experience which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, one year of legal experience practicing as a licensed attorney in a position comparable to a Deputy Public Defender I in Sonoma County; or equivalent experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney generally would provide such opportunity.

Professional License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: the duties, powers, limitations, and authorities of the Office of the Public Defender; the principles of criminal law, principles of trial procedure and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; statutory and constitutional laws of the State of California; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax, and English composition.

Ability to: consistently prepare and present statements of law, fact, and argument clearly, logically and persuasively in written and oral form in legal matters; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, the courts, law enforcement agency officials, and the general public; understand and accept differences in human behavior, and cultural and ethnic background.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonomato review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation may be required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

Contact

HR Analyst: DP

HR Technician: KK