Sr. Criminal Defense Attorney

NACBA; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Office provided

Job summary

NACBA in Minnesota is looking for an experienced criminal defense attorney who will own cases from strategy through resolution. You will be a confident courtroom advocate, a strong negotiator, and a strategic thinker dedicated to exceptional client service.

You will work from home until you need an office to meet with your client, and NACBA provides the office. Join a team that protects clients’ freedom, families, and futures with proactive, accountable advocacy.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) and Minnesota license in good standing.
• 5+ years of hands-on criminal defense experience.
• Exceptional legal research, persuasive writing, and strategic negotiation skills.
• Courtroom confidence and sound judgment under pressure.
• Team-first mentality with client-centered focus.

Responsibilities

• Own criminal defense matters end-to-end—driving strategy, protecting client rights, and delivering decisive outcomes at every stage of the case.
• Engineer sophisticated, evidence-driven defense strategies through deep legal research, sharp analysis, and proactive investigation.
• Lead client relationships with authority—cut through complexity, set clear expectations, and provide strategic, high-impact legal counsel.
• Draft and file motions, briefs, and pleadings that are precise, persuasive, and positioned to win.
• Negotiate from strength—leveraging preparation and insight to secure dismissals, reductions, or the most advantageous resolutions possible.
• Command the courtroom—deliver focused arguments, execute strategic cross-examinations, and respond with precision under pressure.
• Stay relentlessly ahead—master evolving statutes, case law, and legal trends to consistently outthink and outperform opposing counsel.

Skills

Courtroom advocacy

Negotiation

Legal research

Strategic thinking

Client service

Accountable

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an experienced Minnesota criminal defense attorney who knows how to take ownership of a case from strategy through resolution.

You should be a confident courtroom advocate, a strong negotiator, and a strategic thinker who understands that exceptional criminal defense requires both legal skill and exceptional client service.

We value attorneys who are proactive, accountable, decisive, technologically proficient, and committed to protecting their clients’ freedom, families, and futures.

If you’re successful where you are but wondering whether there’s a better platform for the next stage of your career, we should talk.

*You work from home until you need an office to meet with your client. We provide the office.

Responsibilities

• Own criminal defense matters end-to-end—driving strategy, protecting client rights, and delivering decisive outcomes at every stage of the case.
• Engineer sophisticated, evidence-driven defense strategies through deep legal research, sharp analysis, and proactive investigation.
• Lead client relationships with authority—cut through complexity, set clear expectations, and provide strategic, high-impact legal counsel.
• Draft and file motions, briefs, and pleadings that are precise, persuasive, and positioned to win.
• Negotiate from strength—leveraging preparation and insight to secure dismissals, reductions, or the most advantageous resolutions possible.
• Command the courtroom—deliver focused arguments, execute strategic cross-examinations, and respond with precision under pressure.
• Stay relentlessly ahead—master evolving statutes, case law, and legal trends to consistently outthink and outperform opposing counsel.

Qualifications

What You Bring

• Juris Doctor (JD) and an active Minnesota law license in good standing.
• 5+ years of hands-on criminal defense experience (or closely related litigation experience with courtroom exposure).
• Exceptionally legal research, persuasive writing, and strategic negotiation skills — you don’t just know the law, you know how to leverage it.
• Courtroom confidence and sound judgement under pressure.
• A team-first mentality — collaborative, accountable, and committed to raising the performance of those around you.
• Client-centered mindset with high emotional intelligence — you understand that behind every case is a person whose future is on the line.
• Strong work ethic and ownership mentality — you take responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks.