Description:
Summary:Under the direction of the Chief Public Defender, supervises support staff and prepares and tries criminal cases; conducts legal research; negotiates plea-bargain agreements and other non-trial dispositions; represents indigent defendants in criminal trials, and performs related duties as required. Flexibility to achieve performance excellence in a telework arrangement.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serves as subject matter expert, individually motivated and operating with a sense of urgency and personal accountability
- Represents individuals with misdemeanor and or felonies who have ice holds.
- Supervises support staff in the operational aspects of preparing, trying, and otherwise successfully resolving criminal cases
- Provides assistance and guidance to Assistant Public Defender Attorney I's and II's in preparation of defense, legal strategy and case preparation, in office protocol, and interaction with the courts
- Consults with expert witnesses, investigators, prosecuting attorneys, judges and their staffs, on issues related to misdemeanor and felony criminal cases
- Participates in Pre-Trial hearings, competency hearings, bench trials and jury trials in State courts
- Prepares and responds to motions and briefs in State courts
- Researches statutory and case law; knowledgeable about immigration law
- Prepare clients and witnesses for testimony at pretrial hearings and trials
- Evaluate factual legal claims and plots strategies to further clients' defenses
- Negotiate dispositions with parties involved in litigation
- Assists in seeking services and assistance for clients
- Prepares, reviews, edits and approves legal documents prepared by clerical staff
- Reviews police reports and discovery materials
- Performs related duties as required
Minimum Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Doctorate of Jurisprudence, four (4) years of criminal litigation experience in State and/or Federal court, including one year supervisory experience
- Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and maintain good standing with the State Bar of Texas.
- Experience and or knowledge of immigration law, and or experience with immigrants
- Client centered.
- Experience working with immigrant populations.
- Ability to communicate in Spanish (does not need to be fluent)
- Considerable knowledge of the civil and criminal justice systems; considerable knowledge of case law; considerable knowledge of the criminal justice system
- Skilled in legal research, negotiation, and in making presentations
- Ability to organize and present facts and legal arguments, with supporting logic, in a courtroom setting; ascertain factual information from conflicting or purposely inaccurate data;
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; ability to operate personal computer; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, County employees, outside agencies and the public; effectively with hostile, abusive and irrational individuals; handle stressful situation when dealing with clients or family members
- Demonstrates technological intuitiveness
- Must demonstrate ability to execute the management and supervisory duties of Assistant Public Defender I's and II's; provide assistance and guidance to Assistant Public Defender I's and II's in preparation of defense, legal strategy and case preparation, in office protocol, and interaction with the courts
- Must secure and maintain a favorable background investigation
- Must clear a pre-employment physical
- Must have and maintain a valid Texas driver's license, motor vehicle liability insurance and personal injury insurance
- Must have available transportation during entire workday
- May be required to travel to the Bexar County Jail and other secured facilities to make contact with clients and witnesses
- May be required to work more than 40 hours during the workweek
Preferred Qualifications:
- Must be currently qualified to accept appointments for 1st degree and 3(g) Felonies and below according to the Bexar County Criminal District Court Indigent Defense Plan or possess the requisite experience to meet the requirements to be qualified to accept 1st degree and 3(g) Felony appointments under the same plan. To qualify for the First Degree and 3(g) Felony list, an attorney must either be board certified in criminal law, OR
- Have at least four years prior experience in criminal litigation; and
- Have prior experience as trial counsel in four felony jury trials in the last five years, having served as lead counsel in at least two of those trials; and
- Have completed twelve hours of CLE in criminal law or procedure in the last calendar year
- Courses authorized by the State Bar of Texas in criminal law or procedure are acceptable
