Assistant Public Defender

About the Position and What You'll Do:

You will serve as an Assistant Public Defender (APD) in the Washington County Office of our Trial Services Division. The Washington County Office is a trial-level office that provides criminal defense representation to clients facing charges in the county who cannot otherwise afford an attorney. You will represent indigent trial-level clients facing misdemeanor and/or felony criminal charges. Note: the position does not involve trial-level representation in federal court and does not involve post-trial representation on direct appeal, state post-conviction, or federal habeas litigation. You will be successful if you thrive in a close-knit team environment and are interested in trial-level work, as well as providing client service in a fast-paced work setting. Eagerness to work with a supervisor to learn the intricacies of the position and provide high-quality representation will serve you well.

Essential duties of this position include but are not limited to:

Prepare cases for trial
Try cases as lead counsel or as co-counsel
Represent clients in community control violations
Conduct pre-trial conferences, hearings, and plea negotiations
Examine witnesses
Present legal arguments and evidence
The Assistant Public Defender position is assigned to the State of Ohio’s E1 Pay Schedule, Pay Range 13. Unless required by legislation or union contract, starting salary will be the minimum salary of the pay range (step 1, currently $32.51 per hour) associated with this position. These ranges provide a standardized pathway for pay increases: with continued employment, new hires move to the next step in the range after 6 months and annually thereafter. The State of Ohio typically has Cost of Living Adjustments that increase wages in these ranges each fiscal year.

Note: In the event a candidate demonstrates exceptional qualifications above minimum, they may qualify for a starting salary above step 1.