Assistant Public Defender

Agency Indigent Defense Services Division PUBLIC DEFENDER 21 DISTRICT

Job Classification Title Assistant Public Defender (NS) Position Number  Grade

DO YOUR CAREER JUSTICE! Each and every day, North Carolina’s courts help provide safety for our communities, prosperity for our economy, and protection for the rights, liberties, and freedoms that sit at the foundation of our state and federal constitutions. Consider an exciting and rewarding career with us and join the more than 7,000 elected officials and employees who make up our workforce and help us ensure that justice is administrated without favor, denial, or delay.

We are seeking NC licensed attorneys, or persons who are waiting licensure/bar results to commence immediately or upon licensure.

Salary Range: $60,000.00 – $80,000.00

The Scotland County Office of the Public Defender represents indigent clients in all criminal and juvenile delinquency matters, and parents in abuse, neglect, and dependency matters, and in civil contempt matters. Attorneys will represent indigent criminal clients in district and superior court, as well as parents in abuse, neglect and dependency cases, and any and all other related matters. Lawyers must be cross‑trained and capable of handling all casework required to provide quality legal services for indigent clients.

Additionally, the applicant will be required to represent clients in district court, child support and juvenile. All applicants must have a strong desire and commitment to client advocacy and indigent defense. Attorney must be attentive to detail, organized, possess an ability to effectively communicate and litigate cases in the courtroom and have exceptional legal research and writing skills. A high level of technology and computer knowledge is essential.

All Assistant Public Defenders must be capable of handling difficult cases and clients, while maintaining positive professional relationships with co‑workers, clients, and the public. Attorneys are expected to visit clients at the jail and in prison facilities, and to travel outside the office to conduct other investigative procedures. As public service employees, it is expected that all Assistant Public Defenders will engage in community service and participate in outreach programs relevant to the services we are providing, including volunteer programs which occur during evening and weekends.

The Scotland County Office of the Public Defender strives to create a diverse staff with expertise and interest in serving our indigent clients who come to us with diverse needs, backgrounds, ethnicities, and disabilities. Although attorneys are specifically assigned to the Scotland office, there may be occasions when attorneys are required to report to the Hoke office for training, meetings, and other work obligations.

The ability to fluently speak Spanish is preferred but not required.

Applicants must be familiar with and prepared to represent parents in abuse/neglect and dependency matters. Applicants must be familiar with and prepared to represent clients in District and Superior Court. Applicants will likely be assigned DWI cases and need to be prepared to represent clients with complicated impaired driving cases. Applicant will be expected to cover all areas of indigent representation.

Skills required:

Applicant must have persuasive communicate, writing, interviewing, and organizational skills. Applicant must be able to analyze facts, laws, rules, regulations, interpretations, and related written documents and apply applicable law to those facts; conduct legal research; plan, develop and execute an effective litigation strategy to achieve desired results; prepare, organize and conduct witness examinations; deliver opening statements, closing arguments, and evidentiary objections;

and express complex legal concepts and related facts in a clear and concise manner; and maintain a high volume caseload in a professional and efficient manner.

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that…