Visionary Chief Public Defender — Fifth Judicial District

New Haven County Bar Association; Mankato (MN); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Fifth Judicial District Chief Public Defender oversees public defender services across 15 counties in southwestern Minnesota, supervising 56 staff including 38 attorneys. The office handles about 6,500 cases yearly with an $8.4 million budget, with the district office in Mankato, MN and satellites in Fairmont, Marshall, and Worthington.

Chief Public Defender appointments are for four-year terms; the current term ends December 31, 2029.

Qualifications

• Admission to the Bar of Minnesota and five years’ experience as a criminal law attorney, with prior administrative experience.
• Strong representation skills for indigent adults and juveniles.
• Public speaking and media relations experience.
• Management experience in public defense programs and staff supervision.

Responsibilities

• Supervise district employees and offices.
• Hire, discipline or terminate employees under supervision.
• Evaluate attorneys and support staff.
• Respond to inquiries from the public and clients about office activities.
• Assign cases to ensure even workload distribution.
• Coordinate with court administration and judges on policy issues.

Skills

Criminal defense

Public speaking

Public sector management

Education

Minnesota Bar admission

Job description

The Fifth Judicial District Chief Public Defender oversees public defender services across 15 counties in southwestern Minnesota, supervising 56 staff including 38 attorneys. The office handles about 6,500 cases yearly with an $8.4 million budget, with the district office in Mankato, MN and satellites in Fairmont, Marshall, and Worthington.

Chief Public Defender appointments are for four-year terms; the current term ends December 31, 2029.