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Mental Health Attorney |
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| Job Location |
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Washington, DC |
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| Job Type |
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Legal - Defender |
| Organization Information: |
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Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia |
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633 Indiana Avenue, NW |
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Washington, DC 20004 |
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| Position Description: |
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Division Background: The Mental Health Division (MHD), located on the grounds of St. Elizabeths Hospital in the District of Columbia, has a staff of eight attorneys, one social worker and two investigators. The majority of clients represented by MHD have no connection to the criminal justice system; they are District of Columbia residents who require representation because they have been involuntarily hospitalized for treatment of mental illness. These civil clients are represented in probable cause, Mental Health Commission hearings and jury trials as well as in ancillary procedures such as litigation involving the right to refuse treatment. The MHD staff attorneys also represent persons who have been found incompetent to stand trial or who have been found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGI). The very seasoned staff in the Mental Health Division regularly advises local and national advocacy groups, testifies before the DC Council on legislative reforms and frequently provides critical assistance to trial division attorneys.
Major Duties: The staff attorney will report to the Chief of the Mental Health Division. The attorney will represent indigent persons facing civil commitment to Saint Elizabeths Hospital and insanity acquittees seeking conditional or unconditional release from the Hospital; take lead responsibility for all stages of representation, including probable cause hearings, motions, jury trials and disposition before the DC Superior Court, and hearings before the DC Commission on Mental Health, a quasi-judicial branch of the Superior Court; advocate for clients in various ancillary matters that arise in connection with their hospitalization, and work closely with the Appellate Division to litigate and resolve novel issues of mental health law, and perform other duties as assigned.
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| Requirements: |
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Required Qualifications: J.D. or equivalent degree from an accredited law school; member of the District of Columbia Bar or eligibility for reciprocity for admission to the DC Bar; significant trial/courtroom experience or trial practice courses or clinical education in law school; excellent research and writing skills; demonstrated desire to serve persons with disabilities as well as capacity to empathize and understand the plight of persons from disadvantaged backgrounds; and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of people.
Preferred Qualifications: Experience representing persons who are faced with involuntary psychiatric hospitalization; knowledge of laws pertaining to the civil and criminal commitment of mentally ill persons in the District of Columbia; and knowledge of laws generally pertaining to the civil rights and liberties of persons detained because of mental illness, including familiarity with involuntary medication issues.
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| How To Apply: |
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How to Apply: Applicants must submit: (1) a resume that includes a list of three references (name, address, telephone number, and a statement of how each reference is able to evaluate your skills),
(2) a legal writing sample, (3) cover letter explaining why you want to be an public defender in the mental health division, and (4) an official law school transcript, if you graduated from law school within the past 10 years. With the exception of the law school transcript, all materials must be submitted online through the PDS website’s employment link under the ‘career opportunities’ tab at www.pdsdc.org. Please mail your official transcript to:
Jennifer Thomas, Director of Legal Recruitment
Attention PDS-2009-04
Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
633 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
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| Note: |
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The Public Defender Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. |
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| Salary: |
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$67,000 or higher, depending on experience |
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| Submission Deadline: |
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Until Filled
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