Lead Public Defender Attorney – Flexible, Complex Appeals

Law Offices Of The Public Defender; Carlsbad (NM); Remote; USD 88,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

The Law Offices of the Public Defender in New Mexico seeks a Managing Attorney to direct and supervise a unit or office, providing professional level representation for juvenile and adult indigent clients, including handling highly complex appeals and lead counsel on serious cases. This position may offer teleworking and flexible schedules; geographic pay differential applies.

Current pay ranges show $63.63 hourly to $69.82 hourly with an additional differential of $5.30 hourly / $11,024

Qualifications

• Current license as an attorney issued by the New Mexico Supreme Court or eligible for limited license issued by New Mexico Supreme Court
• Six (6) years of criminal law experience and/or management experience in a legal environment

Responsibilities

• Manage attorneys in a unit or manage a legal program
• Manages, trains, develops, mentors and conducts performance evaluations of assigned attorney resources.
• Manages financial resources of the unit.
• Provides key input into the development of policies and procedures for the assigned organization unit and/or program.
• Oversees workflow and work assignments.
• Maintain adequate staffing levels by closely reviewing all requests for leave, and requesting posting of vacant positions through executive management.
• Provide input to the performance review and development of Attorneys at lower levels
• Provide corrective action and or directives when necessary to include but not limited to progressive disciplinary action.
• Conducts legal research/analysis of laws, precedents, legal issues, procedural rules, in preparation of cases.
• Reviews and investigates client cases to determine legal position and propose legal strategy.
• Prepares for litigation and appeal through initiation of legal documents, review of case information, obtaining evidence, conducting interviews, preparation of witnesses to testify.
• Researches changes in laws, legislation, rules court decisions, case precedents, to determine/ anticipate legal problems and propose resolutions.
• Counsels and advises clients on cases such as pleadings, arraignments, trials, appeals.
• Explains, interprets and keeps client informed on changes in law, court decisions, legal issues and problems.
• Attends seminars, training classes and reviews current professional literature to maintain and develop professional skill and knowledge.
• Conducts plea bargaining with District Attorneys and other parties to establish agreements to resolve cases.
• Depending on location: may assist with (CLIP) program or coordinate volunteer/intern/extern programs.

Job description

The Law Offices of the Public Defender in New Mexico seeks a Managing Attorney to direct and supervise a unit or office, providing professional level representation for juvenile and adult indigent clients, including handling highly complex appeals and lead counsel on serious cases. This position may offer teleworking and flexible schedules; geographic pay differential applies.

Current pay ranges show $63.63 hourly to $69.82 hourly with an additional differential of $5.30 hourly / $11,024