Mitigation Specialist

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Job location
One W. Adams St.
Suite 200
Jacksonville, FL 32202
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Office of Regional Conflict Counsel Capital Division
Street address: 
One W. Adams St., Suite 200
City: 
Jacksonville
State: 
Florida
ZIP: 
32202
Job type: 
Legal - Defender
Position Description: 

The Office of Criminal Conflict & Civil Regional Counsel First DCA Region is now accepting applications for a full-time mitigation specialist position in its Capital Unit located in Jacksonville, Florida. The mission of the Regional Conflict Counsel Capital Unit is to tackle problems endemic to the administration of the death penalty and to seek justice by offering superior representation for indigent clients facing capital punishment. We represent individuals facing the death penalty in state trial courts.
This position involves investigative work for the purpose of developing mental health, medical and social history information necessary to both the first and second stages of death penalty murder cases. The successful candidate will be responsible for assisting in developing a mitigation plan for presentation at trial or on appeal. Duties include interviewing and building rapport with clients; locating and contacting witnesses; locating, collecting, and analyzing educational, medical, mental health, and various other records. The mitigation specialist will also assist defense attorneys in locating and working with experts, serving subpoenas, coordinating witnesses, creating demonstrative evidence, summarizing records, preparing timelines and genograms of client, researching medical/mental health issues, memorializing investigative efforts, and writing comprehensive sentencing memorandums. Travel is required and you will be eligible for reimbursement per the office’s employee manual. The qualified applicant should have at least three (3) years of experience as a mitigation specialist. Beginning salary will be commensurate with experience. Additionally, the State of Florida offers generous benefits provided to State employees including health insurance, retirement, and paid vacation.

Requirements: 

The successful applicant would possess the following:
• A master’s degree in social work or social services from an accredited university;
• Familiarity with the law governing the introduction of mitigating evidence at the penalty phase of a capital case;
• Substantial familiarity with the psychological, behavioral and neurological diseases and disorders set forth in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders;
• Substantial familiarity with the protocols for interviewing family members, relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers, employers and other potential mitigation witnesses to obtain information regarding the defendant’s background and evidence to support statutory and non-statutory mitigating circumstances;
• Familiarity with record collections including, but not limited to, educational, employment, medical, social services, military and prison records;
• The ability to work as part of the defense team, follow the instructions of defense counsel regarding the handling of the case, and maintain the confidentiality of all information obtained while working on the case;
• Be comfortable working with a diverse set of clients and their families, often in the setting of a jail or prison; and
• Commitment to our mission and work well in a team environment.

Notes: 
Equal Opportunity Employer
Submission deadline: 
Thursday, September 15, 2022