About Us:
The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) is the state agency responsible for providing legal representation and other services to people accused or convicted of a crime who cannot afford to hire an attorney.
Our Mission: Advocating. Fighting. Helping.
Our Vision: A Fair Justice System.
Our Values: Compassion. Dignity. Equity. Integrity. Service. Community.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Our commitment to inclusion is inseparable from our commitment to a fair justice system. We strive to ensure inclusive spaces and services for our staff, our clients, and Ohio’s diverse communities. We are committed to building a work environment where all our team members have a voice and can embrace our differences to innovate service to the public. We can best meet our public defense mission through a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace, where employees thrive, our mission is accomplished, and Ohioans are served. #TeamOPD is grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion as we work together to pursue fairness and justice for all people.
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About the Managing Counsel Position and What You'll Do:
This position offers a new and unique leadership opportunity at the Office of the Ohio Public Defender. You will serve as Managing Counsel (Managing Assistant Public Defender) of the newly created Intake/Prison Legal Service Department, a team of 15 or more staff who collectively offer legal resources and representation to people with criminal legal involvement, with a focus on people who are incarcerated, eligible for parole, or facing revocation of parole or post-release control (PRC). You will be responsible for the mission, vision, planning, strategic direction, and management of the Department. You will lead and supervise a team of staff who meet with clients at Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) reception centers to provide a legal orientation program, answer questions, and may provide legal assistance throughout a person’s period of incarceration; the team you lead may represent clients who become parole eligible in institutional panel and full board hearings; and represent clients who are on parole or PRC who are facing revocation through the administrative hearing process.
You will supervise new and existing agency staff and monitor case assignments and the representation of clients by both Assistant Public Defenders (APDS) and outside counsel working as contract attorneys in cases of conflict of interest or agency workloads being at capacity. You will collect and analyze data including workload and case outcomes for litigation and strategic planning.
You and your team will coordinate sharing legal information including changes to Ohio criminal and sentencing law, pro se legal packets, and responses to inquiries through in person communications, telecommunications, written correspondence, collaborating with prison law libraries, and utilizing technological advances including tablets by offering legal resources and other communications to people who are incarcerated, people impacted by the criminal legal system, family members and supporters, and outside stakeholders.
Together with Managing Counsel for the Appeals and Postconviction Department, you will manage litigation which may include jail time credit motions, judicial release, and other release mechanisms including but not limited to transitional control and clemency. You may personally prepare and represent clients in matters including jail time credit, a release mechanism, clemency, parole review, and revocation of PRC or parole.
You will be an active member of OPD’s managing leadership team, which works together on issues of cross-departmental importance, including but not limited to the following:
Coordinate with other managing counsel and staff on creative litigation practices including appeals, post-conviction, and extraordinary writ practice on behalf of clients.
Coordinate with other managing counsel and staff on building reentry support for clients.
Coordinate and assist in training OPD staff and outside stakeholders on issues that impact people who are incarcerated including but not limited to the intake, parole, and revocation systems.
Coordinate and assist on policy recommendations to Ohio’s prison, parole, and revocation systems.
The position currently is eligible for hybrid schedule, giving you the opportunity to work from home for a portion of time after initial onboarding. You will be expected to be in-office or on-site at institutions for a minimum of one day per week. The successful candidate will possess and exercise excellent skills in leadership, communication, time management and organization, and have the demonstrated ability to think creatively, collaborate, and build teams. The successful candidate will be able to apply their skills and abilities to best and most effectively support Supervising Assistant Public Defenders, Assistant Public Defender, Program Administrators, and Administrative Professionals and ensure that the agency’s mission and values are communicated to staff, integrated into their goals, and reflected in their work on behalf of clients.
The position is currently headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with anticipated significant time spent at the Correction Reception Center (“CRC”) in Orient, Ohio, the Ohio Reformatory for Women (“ORW”) in Marysville, Ohio, and the Lorain Correctional Institution (“LorCI”) in Grafton, Ohio.
What’s in it for you:
At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:
Medical Coverage
Quality, affordable, and competitive medical benefits are offered beginning first day of the month following your start date. You have three options to choose from.
Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance
Dental, vision and basic life insurance premiums are free and coverage is offered beginning first day of the month following your start date.
Time Away From Work and Work/Life Balance
Paid time off, including vacation, personal, and sick leave
11 paid holidays per year
Childbirth/Adoption leave
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System
OPERS is the retirement system for State of Ohio employees. The employee contributes 10% of their salary towards their retirement. The employer contributes an amount equal to 14% of the employee’s salary. Visit the OPERS website for more information.
Deferred Compensation
The Ohio Deferred Compensation program is a 457(b) voluntary retirement savings plan. Visit the Ohio Deferred Compensation website for more information.
Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a Model Employer of Individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.
Qualifications
Admission to Ohio Bar pursuant to Section 4705.01; 5 yrs. exp. as licensed attorney practicing criminal law; 12 mos. exp. in supervision.
Note: Prior to representing a client in federal court or U.S. Supreme court, attorney shall obtain admission to practice law in that court; prior to appointment as appellate counsel for an indigent defendant in a capital case pursuant to Appt.Coun.R. 5.02 & 5.03, an attorney shall obtain certification from the Commission on Appointment of Counsel in Capital Cases.
Note: Eligibility to practice under a Certificate to Practice Law Pending Admission in Ohio, under Rule I, Section 19 of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, or eligibility to practice under a Temporary Certification for Practice in Legal services, Public Defender, and Law School Programs under Rule IX of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, may be accepted in lieu of admission to the Ohio Bar pursuant to R.C. Section 4705.02.
Knowledge of criminal law, judicial system & process in Ohio, human relations, policies & procedures of Office of the Ohio Public Defender* (e.g., standards promulgated*); legal counseling; interviewing; public relations. Skill in: Word processing (e.g., Microsoft Office), computer software applications (e.g., OPD Online*, Legal Research Software*), keyboarding, equipment operations (e.g., computer, scanner, copier). Ability to deal with many variables & determine specific action; calculate fractions, decimals & percentages; prepare & review pleadings, briefs, motions & memoranda; gather, collate & classify information about data, people or things; complex legal issues, some without clear legal precedent, involving significant risks & mental strain; ability to maintain attention to detail & professional composure under intense pressure & volatile circumstances; establish good rapport with clients & their families &/or work cooperatively with county public defenders & members of private bar; handle contacts with federal, state & local officials or group representatives to resolve problems concerning specific clients or criminal law in general.
(*) Developed after employment.
This position serves at the pleasure and discretion of the State Public Defender. This position serves in a fiduciary relationship to the State Public Defender and will have an unclassified status per Ohio Revised Code 124.11 (A) (9).
Intentional omission of relevant information, falsification, or misrepresentation of information on the application will disqualify the applicant. In addition, such intentional acts are grounds for immediate termination of an employee.
Background Check Information
The final candidate selected for the position will be required to undergo a criminal background check. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.
All final applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to appointment. An applicant with a positive test shall not be offered employment.