CJA Panel Managing Attorney - Repost

The Office of the Federal Defender for the Eastern District of California (FD-CAE) is accepting applications for the permanent full-time position of Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel Managing Attorney in either its Sacramento or Fresno Office as the Duty Station. This is not a full-time telework position and is an in-office position.

Fresno and Sacramento are the fifth and sixth largest cities in California. Fresno ranked, in 2020, as one of California’s most diverse cities. Fresno, California’s fifth largest city and located in the heart of the Central Valley, is a vibrant, diverse community offering affordable housing, farmers’ markets, a lively arts scene, and a growing Brewery District. Fresno is conveniently located only hours away from Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks; Paso Robles’s award-winning wineries; California’s beautiful central coast; and major metropolitan areas including San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Sacramento ranked, in February 2024, as California’s 4th most diverse city and the 23rd most diverse city in the U.S. As California’s sixth largest city and its capitol, Sacramento is defined by offering affordable housing, farmers’ markets, and a lively arts and music scene. It is conveniently only hours away from Yosemite and several other National Parks; area and Napa Valley wineries; Olympic Valley, the Sierra Nevada mountains and its John Muir Trail; and easy driving to Reno or San Francisco’s Bay Area.

Job Description: Our CJA Panel Managing Attorney (CJA-PMA) will work closely in our Office with our CJA Panel Administrators, Administrative Officer, Federal Defender, Chief Assistant Federal Defender, Fresno Branch Administrator, and Fresno Assistant Federal Defender/Panel Liaison. The CJA-PMA also will closely work with those outside our Office such as our District Court judges, CJA Panel Representative (primary and secondary), and the Ninth Circuit CJA Case Budgeting Attorney to maintain and improve Sixth Amendment representations and the District’s CJA management.
This position helps the Federal Defender in providing efficient CJA resource management and support for CJA Panel lawyers. This position does not allow court representations in any court. The District Court, through its CJA Plan (General Order 671), delegates to the FD‐CAE’s CJA-PMA the authority to approve certain voucher amounts submitted to the Court for payment under 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(d)(2) (including those for investigators, experts, and other service providers), to correct mathematical and technical errors, and to identify any reasonableness or other questions (including whether the work billed is compensable under the CJA Guidelines) for the case’s presiding judge.
The position requires data analysis and management expertise, an ability to learn and apply federal regulations and guidelines, training and mentoring other attorneys, collaborating with different stakeholders, and a commitment to confidentiality. General duties and responsibilities include:
CJA Panel Vouchers and Payments
• Working with the FD-CAE CJA Administrators to help Panel attorneys and the Court efficiently process vouchers for payment;
• Reviewing vouchers submitted by attorneys, experts, and other service providers for reasonableness, accuracy, and compliance with District, Circuit, and national guidelines;
• Consulting with judges about significant issues or proposed voucher reductions;
• Reviewing CJA funding requests with input from the Circuit’s Case Budgeting Attorney to recommend to judges whether requested hours and rates are consistent with CJA guidelines and reasonable;
• Helping judges with improving efficiencies, e.g., helping Panel attorneys coordinate duplicative motions, streamlining discovery review (e.g., using a shared coordinating discovery attorney), and coordinating investigation and other pretrial needs consistent with privilege, client loyalty, and District guidelines;
• Maintaining knowledge of the CJA payment database program (eVoucher), proposing improvements, and implementing updates; and
• Collecting and analyzing data and reports regarding CJA voucher payments, procedures, and panel management, offering recommendations when appropriate.
CJA Panel Recruitment, Selection, Retention, and Diversity
• Creating and maintaining (along with the Defender, FD-CAE CJA Administrators, and Panel Selection Committees) our CJA Developmental Panel and other recruitment strategies and techniques; and
• Assisting with coordinating and conducting performance reviews for Panel attorneys when they reapply to the panels.
CJA Panel Training, Mentoring, and CLEs
• Working with the FD-CAE CJA training committees to help organize, manage, and contribute to training the District’s CJA Panels (may require travel between each court); and
• Working with each division’s mentoring program and providing program recommendations to the Defender and panel members.
Other Duties
• Acting as liaison between CJA Panel attorneys, the CJA Panel Representatives, the United States District Court, the Federal Defender, and other Court agencies;
• Assisting, as needed, with making prompt counsel appointments for federal court indigent defendants, witnesses, targets, etc.;
• Acting, along with CJA Administrative staff, as a CJA Panel member resource for finding experts, interpreters, psychiatrists, investigators, etc., including creating and maintaining lists of various court experts;
• Remaining current with developments within the Circuit and across the country, as well as evolving legislation about the CJA Panel, and updating Panel attorneys and judges, as appropriate;
• Advising the Federal Defender on national and local policy changes, creating and updating local policy, and implementing and communicating new policy changes to the Panel;
• Working to fulfill the Cardone Report’s recommendations and goals; and
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills: Qualified candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to and comfort with working with diverse communities and commitment to criminal defense, civil rights, and/or social justice. Our ideal candidate must be able to develop full knowledge of and interpret CJA Guidelines and federal travel regulations, the Guide to Judiciary Policy, Circuit and District CJA policies and procedures, and local court rules. Candidates must have a positive work ethic, a reputation for personal and professional integrity, ability to always maintain confidentiality, and an ability to work well with a diverse group of stakeholders. Fluency in Word, Excel or Tableau spreadsheets, and Adobe is a must, as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills. Our ideal candidate will have a demonstrated ability to multi-task, keep orderly information flow, and prioritize tasks.