Senior Assistant Public Defender / Senior Trial Attorney - Prince William

Title: Senior Assistant Public Defender / Senior Trial Attorney - Prince William

Hiring Range: $85,597.00 + State Benefits

Agency: Indigent Defense Commission

Location: PRINCE WILLIAM 311

Agency Website: www.vadefenders.org

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Virginia Defenders- Indigent Defense Commission (IDC) is excited to announce the opportunity to be on the front lines of what many consider to be the modern-day Civil Rights Movement-criminal justice and justice reform. This is a unique platform to develop and pursue social change and impact the lives of clients. The IDC’s Prince William County Public Defender Office is seeking experienced, dynamic criminal defense attorneys to fill Senior Assistant Public Defender positions. Successful candidates will demonstrate commitment to our mission of protecting and defending the rights and dignity of our clients through zealous, compassionate, high-quality legal advocacy. The Senior Assistant Public Defender reports to the Chief Public Defender of the Prince William Office, and is employed at-will.

The IDC is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our workforce and staff. We encourage and welcome qualified applicants of all identities, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.

Duties:
Duties include conducting client and witness interviews, working with staff investigators to investigate cases, filing and litigating pretrial motions. The Senior Assistant is responsible for litigating or assisting others to litigate cases in the General District, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, and Circuit Courts, as well as identifying appropriate sentencing alternatives for clients. The Senior Assistant Public Defender will serve as a role model for client-centered representation and collaborative office culture built on candor, trust, and teamwork. The Senior Assistant position includes assisting the Chief Public Defender in supervising, mentoring and training attorneys.

Minimum Qualifications

Juris Doctor (J.D) and Virginia State Bar admission or eligibility for admission by waiver, extensive criminal litigation experience (including jury trial experience as lead counsel), comprehensive knowledge of Virginia Criminal Law, Constitutional Law and the Standards of Practice for Indigent Defense Counsel are required. The qualified applicant will be well-organized and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. The qualified applicant must have the ability to argue legal positions persuasively, master complex subject matter, and thoroughly prepare cases. Teamwork is highly valued in this office, and the qualified applicant will have demonstrated proficiency in working with others as a member of a criminal defense team to achieve successful outcomes for clients. Senior Assistant applicants must demonstrate a commitment to developing attorneys and staff with a teaching/mentoring mindset and a management approach that aims to create a culture dedicated to client-centered representation, fosters candor between colleagues, and is receptive to constructive criticism and feedback.

The Senior Assistant Public Defender position may include significant appellate responsibilities, including appellate work and appellate writing. Strong writing skills are preferred. The position may include developing training for trial staff and, in a team environment, identifying and preparing case strategies for jury trials with an eye toward appellate preservation. The successful candidate should be able to mentor trial attorneys unfamiliar with the appellate process with issue spotting and drafting their appeals. The qualified applicant should have significant experience as a criminal defense attorney and significant jury trial or appellate experience.  A valid driver’s license and the means to travel to all courts and regional jails is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

Significant and recent experience working in a public defender office or as a criminal defense attorney representing indigent clients is preferred. Prior experience in a supervisory or leadership role is preferred.

Special Instructions: 

Applications for this position must include a cover letter and resume.

RMS provides a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your RMS account to check the status of your application for this position.

Applications for this position must be submitted electronically through this website. Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand delivered applications and resumes will not be accepted. IDC does not accept “see resume” as a response to any question. Information on the application is the primary source used for screening the position. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants, if requested, during the application and/or interview process.

This position qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) depending on your type of loan.

You will receive a confirmation number once your application has been successfully submitted. Edits cannot be made to the application once you have received a confirmation number. Phone calls are not accepted regarding an inquiry to the status of an application. Please login to the RMS system for status updates.

Contact Information:

Name: Ashley Washington

Phone: 804-662-7249

Email: recruiting@vadefenders.org

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their Certificate of Disability (COD) provided by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor within the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their Certificate of Disability. If you need to get a Certificate of Disability, use this link: Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities, or call DARS at 800-552-5019, or DBVI at 800-622-2155.