Public Defender

Ralph Andersen; California (MO); On-site; USD 262,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

SBCERS Retirement

Job summary

County of Santa Barbara seeks an experienced Public Defender to lead the Office of the Public Defender, overseeing services and activities, and to liaise with the County Executive Officer and Board of Supervisors.

The role requires a law degree from an accredited school, 10 years of criminal law experience with 5 years in management, and a record of leadership and collaboration in a public defender's office.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited law school or equivalent program certified by the California State Bar.
• Minimum 10 years of criminal law practice, with 5 years in management/supervision of professional legal staff.
• Progressively responsible leadership experience in a Public Defender's Office preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Office of the Public Defender's full scope of services and activities.
• Liaise with the County Executive Officer and the Board of Supervisors and represent the office to other departments and external entities.
• Engage in collaborative working groups focused on system improvements and justice initiatives.
• Advance the mission of the Department and County through leadership and strategic partnerships.

Skills

Criminal law

Leadership

Collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent

Job description

Public Defender - County of Santa Barbara

Client: County of Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, California) Position: Public Defender

A nationwide search is underway for an experienced legal professional to serve as Public Defender for the County of Santa Barbara. The Public Defender's Office is committed to providing high-quality legal representation while maintaining strong fiscal accountability, operating with an adopted budget of $26 million and 121 full-time equivalent employees, including investigators, social workers, case managers, and client advocates. Key responsibilities in this leadership role include oversight of the Office of the Public Defender's full scope of services and activities. Additionally, the Public Defender will be expected to serve as the Liaison to the County Executive Officer and the Board of Supervisors and represent the Office of the Public Defender to other departments (e.g., County's District Attorney Office and Probation Department), elected officials, interested community groups, members of the media, and outside agencies and organizations, including the Local Bar Association. The Public Defender actively engages in a wide range of collaborative working groups that focus on system improvements, innovative criminal justice initiatives, and whole person care efforts. This role requires strong collaboration skills to effectively advance the mission of both the Department and the County.

Requires graduation from a recognized accredited law school, or the completion of an equivalent program certified by the California State Bar and 10 years of experience practicing criminal law, 5 years of which have included the management and supervision of professional legal staff. Progressively responsible leadership experience working in a Public Defender's Office is preferred. The ideal candidate will have already served as a Public Defender or as second-in-command (e.g., Chief Assistant) of a comparable agency. Others with qualifying experience gained at various levels within a robust public defender's office (e.g., assistant or deputy) may also qualify if well-rounded and combined with a solid, demonstrated career history, and if all other stated qualifications are met.

More specific details on required qualifications may be found in the detailed brochure.

The salary for the incoming Public Defender is $262,492 to $350,378 (including a 2.5% increase in July 2026), with an annual performance evaluation. The County also offers an attractive benefits package, including SBCERS Retirement.