Public Defender (1-5, Senior), Depending on Qualifications

Grant County, WA; Washington; On-site; USD 50,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Public Defense in Grant County seeks a Public Defense Attorney to independently manage a caseload across Grant County Superior Court, District Court and Juvenile Division. You will prepare hearings, negotiate pleas, review discovery, interview witnesses, and work with the court, staff and investigators.

This position requires being admitted to the Washington State Bar. Travel to satellite courts and occasional fieldwork are expected; the role includes performing multiple duties

Qualifications

• Admitted member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.
• Experience managing a caseload and preparing for hearings, including pretrial, motions and trial.
• Ability to plea bargain in the client's interest and analyze discovery.
• Strong written and oral communication with court, witnesses, and team.

Responsibilities

• Public Defense Attorney will independently handle a caseload and provide effective assistance to those entitled to counsel at public expense in Grant County.
• The attorney will comply with performance guidelines and the WSBA Standards of Public Defense.
• Essential duties include full caseload management, preparing for hearings, plea bargaining, reading and analyzing discovery, interviewing witnesses, and coordinating with court, colleagues and investigators.
• Experience with defending individuals charged with crimes and protecting constitutional rights is highly valued.

Skills

Caseload management

Hearing preparation

Plea bargaining

Interviews & discovery analysis

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Computer literacy

Education

Washington State Bar Association admission

Job description

*** The salary for this position is predicated on each candidate's individual qualifications & experience level ***

- The hourly rate for candidates hired as a regular full-time Rule-9 employee is $43.76 / hour.

The Department of Public Defense provides defense to indigent persons in Grant County Superior Court, District Court and the Juvenile Division of Superior Court.
A Public Defense Attorney will independently handle a caseload and provide effective assistance to those entitled to counsel at public expense in Grant County. The attorney will comply with performance guidelines and theWSBAStandards of Public Defense.
Essential job skills include but are not limited to: full management of a caseload, preparing for hearings (pretrial, motions, trial and post-trialhearings, show cause, reviews, etc), the ability to plea bargain in the client's interest, significant reading and analyzing discovery, interviewing witnesses, working with the court and colleagues and non-attorney staff and investigators, etc.

It is desired that each candidate have deep commitment to the rights of individuals charged with a crime or whose liberty is at stake. The candidate should also have a desire to protect the Constitution and the rights of the community through defending each individual assigned.

Experience working as a team member, computer literacy, communication skills, the ability to receive assignments and follow through with assignments and other characteristics of quality trial counsel are desired.

• A Public Defense Attorney will independently handle a caseload and provide effective assistance to those entitled to counsel at public expense in Grant County.
• The attorney will comply with performance guidelines and the WSBA Standards of Public Defense.
• Essential job skills include, but are not limited to full management of a caseload, preparing for hearings (pretrial, motions, trial and post-trial hearing, show cause, reviews, etc), the ability to plea bargain in the client's interest, significant reading and analyzing discovery, interviewing witnesses, working with the court, colleagues, and non-attorney staff and investigators, etc.
• It is desired that each candidate has a deep commitment to the rights of individuals charged with a crime or whose liberty is at stake. The candidate should also have a desire to protect the Constitution and the rights of the community through defending each individual assigned.
• Experience working as a team member, computer literacy, communication skills, the ability to receive assignments and follow through with assignments and other characteristics of quality trial counsel are desired.

Other

This position is not represented by a labor union.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.Any combination of education and experience may be substituted as long as it provides the desired skills, knowledge and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required:

• Admitted member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.

DRUG SCREENING REQUIREMENTS:

This position is subject to drug and alcohol testing in accordance with applicable federal and Washington State law, including RCW 49.44.240. Pre-employment testing (where used) will not consider results based solely on non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites or lawful off-duty cannabis use, but employees may be tested for impairment and for other controlled substances where permitted or required by law (including for safety-sensitive duties, post-accident, or reasonable suspicion situations).

Preferred:

• Trial experience is a plus. Will consider all experience levels.
• Demonstrated ability to handle a high-volume of cases.

The job is primarily a typical law office position that requires office time, attending court both on the courthouse campus and includes at least some travel to satellite courts, crime scenes, interviews and training.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, sit, write, hear and speak. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close and distance vision, peripheral, and depth perception. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform this job.