Assistant Federal Defender #24-006

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Job location
801 I Street, Third Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Office of the Federal Defender - Eastern District of California
Job type: 
Legal - Defender
Position Description: 

The Office of the Federal Defender for the Eastern District of California is now accepting applications for a permanent full-time Assistant Federal Defender (AFD) position for its Sacramento Office. The Office of the Federal Defender operates under the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, representing indigent persons in federal criminal cases and related court matters.

Our Assistant Federal Defenders provide zealous, professional legal representation to indigent persons charged with misdemeanor and felony criminal offenses before the United States District Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and occasionally before the United States Supreme Court. Our AFDs carry an extensive, varied caseload through all litigation stages with room to explore novel legal and factual arguments in defending our clients. We all practice at the highest levels, enjoying excellent reputations for personal and professional integrity. Our Office also boasts a collegial culture, strongly encouraging teamwork and collaborative discussion.

We seek a driven attorney committed to client-centered representation. We encourage you to let us know your legal experiences, especially in criminal, legal aid, and/or civil rights cases. Immediate responsibilities may include managing a misdemeanor caseload (from nearby National Parks, U.S. Forest Service lands, military bases, and the Veterans and Social Security Centers) to felonies involving drug, gun, theft/fraud, and other federal crimes. Travel is required. Our ideal candidate has excellent legal writing and oral advocacy skills, an ability to work in a collaborative team environment, and effective organizational skills with the ability to set priorities.

Requirements: 

All applicants must either be admitted to the State Bar of California or be a member in good standing of another state’s bar and plan to be admitted to the California Bar within two years of starting. You must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident applying for U.S. citizenship. The selected candidate will be subject to a background check as an employment condition.

To apply: 

To apply, please submit as a single Adobe pdf file a cover letter, résumé, writing sample, three references and a completed Application for Judicial Branch Employment form (AO78), http://www.cae-fpd.org/AO_78.pdf, to:
Heather Williams, Federal Defender
Attn: Human Resources
at the following email: [email protected]
Position announced on April 3, 2024 and is open until filled. Preference given to applications received by April 20, 2024.

Notes: 
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. We are conveniently located only hours away from Yosemite and several 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. Salary and Benefits: Salary depends upon the number of years legal experience since graduating law school and ranges match those of Assistant U.S. Attorneys with similar years’ experience. Benefits include health, long-term care, and life insurance, as well as 12 paid federal holidays, 13 days of paid sick leave, and 13 days of paid vacation leave annually if none or less than 3 years federal employment. (The rate of paid vacation leave increases with years of service.) The position is eligible for the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which matches up to 5% of employee contributions. Salary is paid biweekly and only by direct deposit. Partial telework is available for this position. Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Our office values diversity, is committed to equity and inclusion. The FPD seeks applications from a diverse group of qualified individuals in terms of race, ethnicity, nation of origin, culture, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, languages spoken, veteran status, disability, and religion. We encourage applications from members of the BIPOC community, people who have been affected by the criminal legal system, and people from other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify our Personnel Administrator, Lupe Hernandez, at [email protected]. Applicants will need to be up-to-date on their COVID vaccinations (per the Centers for Disease Control’s definition of “up to date,” https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html) by their start date, with proof provided

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