Maverick OLS Public Defender | Operation Lone Star Project
EAGLE PASS
$95,000+, plus eligible for moving expenses and other incentives
Texas RioGrande Public Defender (TRPD) seeks attorneys with demonstrated commitment to rural, indigent defense and exceptional advocacy skills to serve and in rural, southwest Texas. TRPD intends to increase its presence along the Texas-Mexico border by providing defense to those charged with a crime in Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties as a result of Operation Lone Star (OLS). OLS is a state initiative that attempts to militarize the border, criminalize those seeking asylum, and create a separate and unequal criminal justice system targeting migrants and refugees.
TRPD contracts with many rural Texas counties to provide public defenders in cooperation with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. TRPD’s Defenders are frontline advocates who have engaged in the movement to transform the criminal justice system and challenge the injustices faced by indigent defendants in rural south Texas for decades. OLS has brought on a whole new set of challenges and injustices, and TRPD needs those interested in stepping up. TRPD expects its public defenders to provide complete, vertical representation from intake to resolution, initial arrest to final appeal.
TRPD delivers client-centered legal services to address the unique needs and limited resources available to clients residing in rural and border communities. Special initiatives within TRPD include advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction, trauma-informed and mental health advocacy, assistance with applying for government aid and/or housing, and assistance with substance abuse as alternative solutions to incarceration.
With caseload controls, staff investigators, mental health and substance abuse caseworkers, and a litigation budget, TRPD is deeply committed to zealous, high-quality representation for its clients. We offer the advantage of having robust staff support with a 2-1 attorney-to-support staff ratio, and the flexibility and willingness to support employee growth.
Beyond salary, benefits include law school loan repayment assistance, generous paid leave, healthcare insurance, retirement plan, and training & travel stipends. TRPD Defenders train with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Gideon’s Promise, the National Association for Public Defense, and other associations that are committed to the transformation of indigent defense and criminal justice reform.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
All attorneys will work with clients arrested under OLS collaboratively with other team members and under the supervision of the Project Manager. The attorneys’ duties will include, but not be limited to, the following:
Defend individuals charged with felony cases under Operation Lone Star;
Review, assess and analyze discovery, and draft correspondent legal memoranda;
Provide individual client communication and know-your-right presentations to migrants charged under Operation Lone Star;
Conduct legal research and draft pleadings and briefs;
Collaborate with Asylum Defense Project on immigration-related issues impacting Operation Lone Star clients to mitigate adverse immigration consequences;
Maintain accurate and complete client files and administrative records; and
Manage cases from intake to final resolution, including pretrial, trial, appeals, and additional motion practice, as it arises.
QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES:
Licensed to practice law in Texas or willing to take the next available Texas bar exam;
At least three years of criminal litigation experience as a licensed attorney;
Experience with appeals;
Proficiency in Office and legal research software; and
Professional fluency in Spanish (highly preferred).
Must reside in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Preferred applicants will demonstrate an interest in providing justice to those who need it most; have worked in a public defender office; have strong academic credentials; and want to live and work in communities where our clients have the greatest needs. TRPD is also looking for attorneys that aspire to become leaders both within our division and in the larger public defender community.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Step One – Submit completed online application. Complete applications include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and professional references.
https://trla.wufoo.com/forms/qtpfuqt13hv3qf/
Step Two – Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview (videoconference, telephone, or in-person).
Step Three – Depending on the circumstances, selected applicants will be invited to visit TRPD offices, meet with staff, and tour the local community. TRPD will provide travel, accommodations, and meals throughout the visit.
Step Four – Selected applicants will be offered a position. If an offer is made in the winter to a law student, the offer will remain open until mid-April near the deadline to apply to take the bar exam.