OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION:
This position is for an experienced Assistant Public Defender. The position requires a willingness to learn, train, and practice exceptional trial skills, innovative thinking, investigative skills, and the ability to work as a team in managing an active and substantial district court caseload. Attorneys work in conjunction with social workers, investigators, and core staff in a team-oriented environment to represent qualifying clients. Attorneys must be able to balance a client-centered approach to representation with advocacy to address systemic inequity and the collateral consequences that lead to deeper system involvement. Available positions will focus their practice primarily in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County.
Being an Assistant Public Defender requires an exceptional level of dedication to the mission of MOPD and its clients and involves a substantial commitment of time and effort; applicants should be prepared to discuss and demonstrate the same.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Passionate and zealous representation of clients at every stage of the legal process, in and outside of court.
- Maintain effective and consistent communication with clients, who are incarcerated or in the community, to ensure that individuals we represent are consistently heard and respected. For clients who are incarcerated, it is expected that attorneys will regularly travel to the place of incarceration and visit clients there to engage in substantive discussions of their cases.
- Conducts substantive legal research, writing and analysis, to specifically include briefing the courts on changes in laws, legislation, procedural rules, court decisions, and other legal precedent, in preparation for hearings and trial.
- Coordinate and compassionately communicate with clients, team members, colleagues, and service providers to ensure optimal outcomes for clients.
- Counsel and advise clients on changes in law, court decisions, legal issues and options.
- Negotiates with prosecutors and other parties to establish agreements to resolve cases favorably for the client.
- Resourcefully manage a full and significant caseload of felony cases from initial appearance to post-sentencing stages for each assigned client.
- Continuously seek professional and personal development through trainings, CLEs, and trial skills courses; and meet all MOPD CLE requirements.
- Other duties as assigned by the Public Defender, District Public Defender, and other supervisory authorities.
CORE COMPETENCIES AND REQUIREMENTS:
- Demonstrate commitment to serving communities who have been pushed to the margins.
- Clear dedication to upending systemic racism, prejudice, and unfairness in the criminal justice system.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds and lived experiences.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, diverse, team-oriented environment.
- Exceptional organizational, legal, and administrative skills necessary to handle a high caseload.
- Strong legal writing and research skills.
- Strong oral advocacy skills.
- Ability to type, use and regularly communicate via email, and utilize Microsoft Office Suite.
- Active membership in good standing in the Maryland Bar or another state.
- Prior criminal motions, jury and bench trial experience required. Felony (including cases involving complex issues and/or where clients are facing possibility of a life sentence) jury trial experience is preferred.
- Experience reviewing complex and voluminous discovery and evidence and examining expert witnesses strongly preferred.
- Prior experience conducting factual investigation for criminal cases required.
Attorney barred in another state must become members of the Maryland Bar within 18 months of start date with MOPD.
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