Law Clerk

State of Ohio; Lima (OH); On-site; USD 30,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) seeks a post-graduate Law Clerk for the Northwest Regional Hub in Lima, Ohio. The role supports Assistant Public Defenders handling misdemeanor and felony cases in local courts, under licensed attorney supervision.

Responsibilities include reviewing discovery, interviewing clients, conducting factual investigations, and performing legal research to aid trial defenses. This is a full-time, on-site position with potential for growth within OPD.

Qualifications

• 36 mos. exp. as a paralegal, legal assistant, legal writer, or closely related job field.
• Or associate core program in specific or related field of study 18 mos. exp. as paralegal, legal assistant, legal writer, or closely related job field.
• Or undergraduate core program in specific or related field of study 12 mos. exp. in as paralegal, legal assistant, legal writer, or closely related job field.
• Or graduate core program in specific or related field of study.
• Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.
• Job Skills: Attorney/Legal, Collaboration, Written Communication

Responsibilities

• Review discovery material and contact relevant witnesses and gather relevant evidence.
• Conduct legal research for trial defenses.
• Under supervision, conduct client interviews, engage in factual investigations, and review case material and analyze pending cases.
• Accompany staff attorneys to client visits, oral arguments, or other proceedings.
• Participate in department meetings, moots, roundtables, and agency-wide meetings

Skills

Attorney/Legal

Collaboration

Written Communication

Education

Associate core program in specific or related field

Undergraduate core program in specific or related field

Graduate core program in specific or related field

Job description

All job postings will expire at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the application deadline.

Organization: Public Defender Commission

Agency Contact Name and Information: Tamra Meister, [e-mail]

Work Location: Lima, Ohio
United States

Compensation: 26.54

Schedule: Permanent - Full Time

Work Hours: 8am-4pm

Classified Indicator: Unclassified

Union: OCSEA

Primary Job Skill: Attorney/Legal

Who We Are

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) is the state agency responsible for providing legal representation and other services to people accused or convicted of a crime who cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Our Mission: Advocating. Fighting. Helping.
Our Vision: A Fair Justice System.
Our Values: Compassion. Dignity. Equity. Integrity. Service. Community.

We are committed to building a work environment where all team members have a voice and can embrace our differences to innovate service to the public in our pursuit of fairness and justice for all people.

Follow OPD on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Threads | Visit our Website

What You'll Do

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender is seeking a post-graduate professional to serve as a Law Clerk in the Northwest Regional Hub (NWRH) of our Trial Services Division. The NWRH is located in Lima, OH and serves individuals in Allen County, Hardin County, and Putnam County. The Law Clerk will assist Assistant Public Defenders who represent indigent trial-level clients facing misdemeanor and felony criminal charges in Common Pleas, Municipal, and Juvenile courts within those counties.

Your job duties would include reviewing discovery material, contacting relevant witnesses and gathering relevant evidence, conducting legal research for trial defenses. Under the supervision of a licensed attorney, conduct client interviews, engage in factual investigations, and review case material and analyze pending cases. Participate in department meetings, roundtables, and agency-wide meetings.

As a Law Clerk with OPD, your duties include but are not limited to:

• Conduct legal research on defined or potential issues in cases & present this information orally and through writing
• Draft legal arguments to use in motions and other pleadings
• Conduct factual investigations, review, and analysis of pending cases
• Accompany staff attorneys to client visits, oral arguments, or other proceedings
• Participate in department meetings, moots, roundtables, and agency-wide meetings

Additional Information

Your schedule will be 20-40 hours per week Monday-Friday, depending on your availability.

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us at 614-466-5394 or [e-mail].

Intentional omission of relevant information, falsification, or misrepresentation of information on the application will disqualify the applicant. In addition, such intentional acts are grounds for immediate termination of an employee.

Final candidates selected for this position will be required to undergo a drug test. An applicant with a positive test result will not be offered employment. Final candidates selected for this position will also be required to undergo a background check and state income tax check. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

This position serves at the pleasure and discretion of the State Public Defender. This position serves in a fiduciary relationship to the State Public Defender and will have an unclassified status per Ohio Revised Code 124.11 (A) (29).

Why Work for the State of Ohio

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Qualifications

• 36 mos. exp. as a paralegal, legal assistant, legal writer, or closely related job field.
• Or associate core program in specific or related field of study 18 mos. exp. as paralegal, legal assistant, legal writer, or closely related job field.
• Or undergraduate core program in specific or related field of study 12 mos. exp. in as paralegal, legal assistant, legal writer, or closely related job field.
• Or graduate core program in specific or related field of study.
• Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.
• Job Skills: Attorney/Legal, Collaboration, Written Communication

ADA Statement

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

Drug-Free Workplace

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.