Limited Practitioner

City of Santa Fe Springs

Santa Fe (NM)

On-site

USD 65,000 - 78,000

Full time

14 days+

Get more replies from employers

Send a job-specific resume in minutes.

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan

Medical program for retirees

Job summary

Law Offices of the Public Defender in New Mexico is seeking a Limited Practitioner to bridge the gap between law school and bar admission. The role offers training while providing holistic representation and potential transition to a public defender attorney position based on performance.

Qualified candidates are typically 3L students or recent graduates with at least two years in an ABA-accredited program, and must be eligible to work in the U.S. A valid driver’s license is required.

Qualifications

Completion of a minimum of at least two years in an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.

Responsibilities

Assist attorneys in preparing legal documents, conducting legal research, and handling administrative tasks.
Attend court hearings, trials, and client meetings to provide support to attorneys.
Help with case preparation, including reviewing discovery, drafting motions, and organizing case files.
Limited Practitioners are typically third year law students or recent law school graduates gaining practical experience.

Education

Two years in ABA-accredited law school

Job description

Any students seeking a Limited Practitioner position must submit a full application.

Objectives Summary

Bridge the gap between graduating from law school and passing the bar. This position allows the LOPD to extend an offer to applicants prior to graduation from law school, which provides a law student the guarantee of employment after graduation and the LOPD the guarantee of an employee dedicated to indigent defense. The purpose of the limited practitioner position is to bridge the time from when a student graduates law school and is sworn in as a practicing attorney. Since the LOPD is a government agency, it is unable to hire an individual as an attorney unless they are sworn and licensed by a state bar. Individuals extended an offer are expected to join the LOPD team soon after taking the bar exam for extensive training on criminal defense, local rules and practices, and the LOPD's approach to providing holistic representation. Once the limited practitioner is sworn in and performing at the expected level of practice, the limited practitioners will be moved into a public defender attorney position based on demonstrated performance and availability of positions.

Pay Information

Limited Practitioner's are paid $31.98 hourly/$6 6,5 18.00 annual base salary. The typical starting salary for a PD2 position is $37.7415 hourly/$78,502.00 annual base salary.

The position is designed to hire for positions in LOPD offices throughout the state.

Essential Functions

Under the supervision and direction of an assigned licensed attorney a Limited Practitioner is expected to perform some or all of the duties outlined. Assists attorneys in preparing legal documents, conducting legal research, and handling administrative tasks. Limited Practitioners may also attend court hearings, trials, and client meetings to provide support to attorneys. They help with case preparation, including reviewing discovery, drafting motions, and organizing case files. Limited Practitioners are typically third year law students or recent law school graduates gaining practical experience.

Application Deadlines

We Accept Applications From Fall And Spring Graduates On a Rolling Basis. We Recommend Submitting Applications Based On The Following Deadlines

Fall graduates submit applications by September 30.
Spring graduates submit applications by February 28.

Timeline For Interview Process

In-person, zoom or telephonic interviews will be scheduled:

September and October for fall and spring graduates. Fall graduates are encouraged to submit their applications at the beginning of their 3L year and no later than September 30.
February and March for spring graduates.
Interviews may also be scheduled upon receipt of application.

Minimum Qualifications

Completion of a minimum of at least two years in an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.

Employment Requirements

Must possess and maintain a valid driver's License.

Employment eligibility to work with the Law Offices of the Public Defender (LOPD) in the U.S. is required. We are not able to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Collective Bargaining: This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Default FLSA: Non-exempt

The Law Offices of the Public Defender is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, spousal affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, political affiliation or religion, mental or physical disability, or serious medical condition.

Preference may be given to multilingual applicants fluent in English and other languages.

Any students seeking a Limited Practitioner position must submit a full application.

Application Materials Being Requested

A Current Resume
A Cover Letter
Current Transcripts

We encourage all applicants to consider working at any of our LOPD offices. Within the supplemental questions below you will be asked to select the locations/offices in which you are considering employment and ranking them.

The State's General Services Department Risk Management Division, Employee Benefits Bureau (EBB), is responsible for the procurement and oversight of employee benefits - including Medical, Pharmacy, Dental, Vision, Short & Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance. The State's Group Benefits Plan also offers COBRA, Flexible Spending Account Programs, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Erisa Administrative Services, Inc. (Erisa) is the State's Third Party Administrator. They provide benefits administration to all plan participants, and offer knowledgeable staff to answer your questions.

Benefits

In addition to the benefits listed above, the Law Offices of The Public Defender offers a retirement plan and a medical program for retirees. For more information regarding the plan you can visit the following websites: Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico Website New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority

Total Compensation Package

As an employee of the Law Offices of the Public Defender (LOPD), you receive regular pay for your services. The other part of your total compensation is the value of the benefits LOPD makes available to you and, if applicable, your family. The Total Compensation Estimator is for illustrative purposes only and provides benefits-eligible employees an estimate of their total compensation based on selected options from the drop-downs in the estimator.

Please download the Total Compensation Estimator on our website, Join Our Team section.

State and Federal Laws - Rights of Employees* Employers are required by state and federal law to post certain information concerning the rights of employees. The required posters are listed below and may be printed individually using a standard printer and paper.
Human Rights Act Poster- PDF file
New Mexico Job Health and Safety Protection (State OSHA)
New Mexico Workers' Compensation Act and supply of Notice of Accident (NOA) Forms
Human Trafficking - (English) (Español) (Navajo)
Paid Sick Leave - (English) (Español) (Vietnamese) (Diné Navajo) - PDF
The Whistleblower Protection Act
Immigrant and Employee Rights Section Right to Work - (English/Español)

New Mexico state minimum wage is $12.00 per hour effective January 1, 2023. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. More information can be read at Minimum Wages Information.

Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law - (English), (Español)
Job Safety and Health Protection - (English), (Español)
Employee Polygraph Protection Act - (English), (Español)
Family Medical Leave Act - (English), (Español)
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - (English), (Espanol)
Employee Rights under USERRA - (English), (Español)

Please contact LOPD-HR@lopdnm.us for questions.

01
What law school did you attend and what was your graduation date (month/year)? If you are currently attending law school please provide the law school and your anticipated graduation date (month/year)?

02
If you are currently attending law school what year of Law School are you currently in?