Staff Attorney

The Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (OIDS) is the statewide public defender agency which provides legal representation to indigent clients throughout the State of Oklahoma, with the exception of Oklahoma and Tulsa counties.

OIDS is currently seeking a full-time Staff Attorney in our Executive Division, Norman office.

Basic Purpose

Positions in this job family conduct legal research and writing, along with lawyer mentoring, to benefit trial and appellate lawyers working in the organization. This position focuses on supporting criminal defense attorneys with legal research, writing, and organization of case materials, particularly for trial and appeal. Staff attorney may participate in court proceedings, if necessary, but the emphasis of the position is to conduct research and writing projects and mentoring OIDS attorneys.

Position Summary

The Research and Writing Staff Attorney will assist attorneys primarily in the Non-Capital Trial Divisions, but there will be occasional consultation with the Appellate Division and Capital Trial Divisions with legal research, drafting legal documents, and organizing case files for trial and appellate proceedings.

Typical Functions

Conducts thorough legal research using various resources.
Draft and edit legal documents, including motions, briefs, and other filings.
Organize and manage case files ensuring easy access to relevant information.
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of state and federal law, procedure, and evidence.
Support attorneys with various aspects of case preparation, including witness preparation and trial strategy.
May assist with court appearances.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of applicable state and federal laws; applicable regulations; constitutional law and the Oklahoma constitution; agency policies and procedures; trial and hearing procedures; rules of evidence; methods and techniques for conducting legal research and writing.

Skills required include strong analytical and communication skills.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office – Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; attention to detail; sound judgment and decision making.

Abilities required include presenting statements of fact and law; clearly and logically articulate position in written and oral form; analyze, interpret, and apply various laws, rules, regulations, agency policies, and procedures; direct and/or perform independent and difficult research, analyzing, appraising, and applying legal principles and precedents to difficult legal or factual problems; conduct legal research on Westlaw, Lexis/Nexis, Fastcase, the Oklahoma State Court Network, and printed or internet-based legal resources; meet timelines while following the Oklahoma statutes, and represent the agency in a professional manner.

Education and Experience

Law school graduate from an accredited law school, a license to practice law and membership in the Oklahoma Bar Association and at least ten (10) years of experience practicing criminal law.

Special Requirements

Must abide by the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct.

Benefit Highlights

The Oklahoma Indigent Defense System provides a comprehensive benefits package designed to support our employees and their dependents. Benefits Include:

Generous state paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums
Wide choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations
Life/Supplemental Life/Dependent Life/Disability insurance plans
Flexible spending accounts for health care expenses or dependent care
Employee assistance program and health/fitness programs
15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave the first year for full time employees (amounts increase with years of service)
11 paid holidays
Retirement Savings Plan with a generous match
Longevity Bonus for years of service

Method of Application

Interested applicants are encouraged to provide letter of interest and resume with their online application.

All Sources: Applicants without previous state service, with previous state service but not currently employed by a state agency, OR currently in trial period status, must apply through the Workday online External Listings applicant system (State of Oklahoma Careers – https://okgov.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/okgovjobs).
Current State of Oklahoma Employees: Must apply for open positions through their Workday account: https://www.myworkday.com/wday/authgwy/okgov/login.htmld. After logging into Workday, go to Menu > Careers > Find Jobs – Internal State of Oklahoma.