The Office of the District Public Defender for the 19th Judicial District of the State of Tennessee is seeking applications from experienced trial attorneys for an opening occurring in 2022.
This position will serve in the Circuit Court of the 19th Judicial District, Montgomery County, Clarksville, Tennessee representing clients charged with felony offenses up to and including first degree murder, revocations of probation and community corrections, and misdemeanors. The successful applicant will assume a substantial existing caseload from the retiring attorney and will be a member of a two-attorney team in that court. The successful applicant will be able to rely upon the experience and expertise of the other lawyer as well as the other attorneys in the office. Subject to funding, we may be able to overlap with the retiring attorney to ensure a better transition of cases.
Our office has a complement of 10 attorneys, 5 legal secretaries, an investigator, and an office manager with physical offices in Clarksville and Springfield, Tennessee. Average attorney tenure in our office is over 8.5 years with the range spanning 2 to 32 years. Average licensure of attorneys is just over 19 years spanning 7 to 38 years. Our lawyers represent persons accused of offenses in the courts of general sessions and circuit courts to whom we have been appointed by the respective judge. Most appellate representation in the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals and Tennessee Supreme Court is provided by the attorneys of the Appellate Division of the Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference.
Starting salary for this position depends on date of licensure, previous experience as an attorney, and any qualifying prior service credits. Prior service credits may be given for prior experience as a public defender, district attorney, investigator for either public defender or district attorney, United States attorney, active duty judge advocate serving in criminal law slots, assistant state attorney general in criminal litigation, law clerk to trial or appellate judge with criminal jurisdiction, and/or prior practice of law. By way of examples, annual salary for a lawyer with 5 years’ creditable experience is currently $70,164 and with 10 years’ creditable experience is $86,988.
Full compensation package includes contributory retirement plan, health insurance, paid vacation days and holidays, sick leave, State professional privilege tax paid on your behalf, required annual and additional CLE provided at no cost, 401(k) plan with limited employer match, professional liability covered by State claims act, and membership dues for Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Applicants for this position must possess the following minimum qualifications:
• Currently licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee
• At least 5 years’ actual trial practice
o State, military, and/or federal
o Criminal and/or significant civil litigation
• At least 5 felony or significant civil jury trials to verdict
• Computer literacy
o Must be currently literate with
Outlook
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Adobe Acrobat
o Must be able to learn new computer programs easily
• Superior independent time management skills
• Highly organized
Competitive applicants for this position will also possess the following preferred qualifications:
• At least 10 years’ experience in criminal law
o defense and/or prosecution
o State, federal, and/or military
o If engaged in general practice, the bulk of the practice must be/have been in criminal law and/or civil trials
• At least 10 jury trials tried to verdict
• Has attended TACDL Trial Defense College or similar CLE
In addition to demonstrated outstanding ability as a trial lawyer, attorneys seeking this position must:
• Have unquestionable character and reputation for integrity,
• Strongly desire to obtain justice for clients,
• Have a high degree of personal time management skill,
• Have superb personal organizational skill,
• Enthusiastically desire to continuously learn and grow in the craft of trial advocacy, and
• Recognize the importance of attending to administrative details and duties.
If you wish to be considered for this position, submit the following documents to be received no later than 4:30 p.m. January 28, 2022. Hard copies may be hand delivered or mailed to Roger E. Nell, 112 South Second Street, Clarksville, Tennessee 37040. Electronic submissions may be sent to [email protected]. Electronic submissions must be sent in one file, attached to the email, and must be in PDF format.
• Detailed resume or curriculum vitae, including at least
o Name
o Address, phone number, email address
o Date of birth
o Driver license number
o Social Security number
o Date of Tennessee licensure
o BPR Number
o List of other States in which you are or have been licensed to practice law
o Education history
o Work history
o List of CLE courses taken in 2019, 2020, and 2021
• Copy of Supreme Court of Tennessee License to Practice Law
• Statement of good standing from the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility dated after the date of this announcement.
• Three file-stamped copies of any combination of the following that you wrote and filed over your signature:
o Motion to Suppress
o Motion in Limine
o Response to motions to suppress or motions in limine
o Memorandum in support of such motions or responses
o Appellate brief
o Trial brief
• Names, mailing addresses, phones numbers, and emails of:
o last three immediate past employers
if you do not wish a current employer to know you are seeking another position, let me know, but still provide the information
if you do not have an employer per se (e.g., solo practice, partnership, association), provide names and information of three individuals most closely associated with and/or acquainted with your practice
o three opposing counsel from cases significant enough that the other lawyer will remember the case and you
o one judge who presided over at least one of your jury trials
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