Public Defender 2: Indigent Defense Trial Advocate

State of Iowa - Executive Branch; Council Bluffs (IA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Public Employee Retirement System (IPR

Professional development

Flexible Spending Accounts

Job summary

The Iowa State Public Defender’s Office is seeking a dedicated attorney to serve as Public Defender 2, based in the Sioux City Adult Office. You will provide representation to indigent clients across multiple counties, handling plea negotiations, pre-trial hearings, and trials with support from experienced public defenders.

You will train and mentor within a collaborative team, maintaining client communication and preparing comprehensive legal documents to advance each case.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited law school, possession of a current license to practice law in the State of Iowa, and experience equal to two years of full-time work in professional legal criminal trial advocacy or prosecution.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Public Defender 1.

Responsibilities

• Advocate for indigent clients in assigned cases at every state of the criminal justice system.
• Represent clients in court at pre-trial hearings, bench or jury trial sentencings and other court hearings.
• Prepare a defense, conducting legal research, gathering facts, and interviewing the client and witnesses to determine the merits of case and appropriate course of action.
• Negotiate plea bargains, dismissals, or other disposition of assigned cases with prosecuting attorneys.
• Maintain appropriate communication with clients about case status and answering client questions.

Job description

The Iowa State Public Defender’s Office is seeking a dedicated attorney to serve as Public Defender 2, based in the Sioux City Adult Office. You will provide representation to indigent clients across multiple counties, handling plea negotiations, pre-trial hearings, and trials with support from experienced public defenders.

You will train and mentor within a collaborative team, maintaining client communication and preparing comprehensive legal documents to advance each case.