Assistant Public Defender - Intake & Prison Legal Services

Assistant Public Defender - Intake & Prison Legal Services

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) is seeking a dedicated attorney to serve as an Intake Assistant Public Defender (APD) in the Intake and Prison Legal Services Department, Appellate Services Division. The Intake APD receives requests for assistance through letters and phone calls and is responsible for evaluating legal claims and communicating with potential clients and their loved ones with clarity, empathy, and respect. You will refer cases for litigation, offer resources and support to people whom the office is unable to represent, and develop accessible legal information that will be provided to those encountering the criminal legal system.

In this position, you will work closely with three fellow Intake attorneys, support staff, and a supervising attorney, and you will collaborate with colleagues on client advocacy across the agency. A commitment to indigent defense and compassion for clients will be key to your success. Your interpersonal skills and ability to communicate about the law with folks from all over our communities will be valuable attributes in this role.

Essential duties of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Determine client eligibility for representation by the OPD. If necessary, obtain initial client information for preparation of case files. Read and prioritize incoming letters and case files as distributed by supervisor into categories [e.g. delayed appeals, memorandums in support of jurisdiction (MISJ), delated MISJs, postconviction petitions, federal habeas petitions, motions for new trial, general request letters, pro se packet requests, etc.]; Create and manage a system ensuring that all letters and case files are addressed in a timely fashion.
• Read and evaluate letters and files with an eye toward priority deadlines and conducting legal and factual research to determine if argued & addressed issues have the merit that is required for representation; if not, prepare correspondence explaining why the office will not pursue this issue on the client's behalf and enclose supporting documents and information for referrals to other offices as appropriate (e.g., pro se packets); if so, advance cases with merit to the Intake supervisor for case assignment.
• Respond to requests for legal assistance over the phone by speaking with people seeking help and/or their families.
• Generate and revise legal information about processes that impact incarcerated people (e.g., judicial release, earned credit, criminal sentencing, prison conditions concerns) with attention to literacy and access.

In your application, please upload and attach a cover letter and writing sample. Applications without a cover letter and writing sample will not be reviewed.

Starting pay for this position will be at Step 1 unless required by contract/legislation; candidates with exceptional qualifications may be considered for higher starting pay. Our steps give a standard path for earnings growth: you move to the next step after 180 days and annually thereafter. We typically have fiscal year Cost of Living Adjustments as well.

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us at 614-466-5394 or HCM@opd.ohio.gov.

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees. Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Admission to Ohio bar pursuant to section 4705.01. Note: Prior to representing a client in federal court or U.S. Supreme court, attorney shall obtain admission to practice law in that court; prior to appointment as appellate counsel for an indigent defendant in a capital case pursuant to Appt.Coun.R. 5.02 & 5.03, an attorney shall obtain certification from the Commission on Appointment of Counsel in Capital Cases.

Note: Eligibility to practice under a Certificate to Practice Law Pending Admission in Ohio, under Rule I, Section 19 of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, or eligibility to practice under a Temporary Certification for Practice in Legal services, Public Defender, and Law School Programs under Rule IX of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, may be accepted in lieu of admission to the Ohio Bar pursuant to R.C. Section 4705.01.

Job Skills: Attorney/Legal, Client Advocacy, Analyzation, Collaboration, Responsiveness, Verbal Communication, Written Communication.

Intentional omission of relevant information, falsification, or misrepresentation of information on the application will disqualify the applicant. In addition, such intentional acts are grounds for immediate termination of an employee.

Final candidates selected for this position will be required to undergo a drug test. An applicant with a positive test result will not be offered employment. Final candidates selected for this position will also be required to undergo a criminal background check and state income tax check. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

This position serves at the pleasure and discretion of the State Public Defender. This position serves in a fiduciary relationship to the State Public Defender and will have an unclassified status per Ohio Revised Code 124.11 (A) (9).

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.