Assistant Public Defender - Athens County Office

The Assistant Public Defender (APD) will be headquartered in the Athens County office of our Trial Services Division. The APD will serve in the courts of Athens County (Common Pleas, Municipal, and Juvenile courts) as a trial-level attorney that provides criminal defense representation to clients who cannot otherwise afford an attorney. The APD position will represent indigent trial-level clients facing misdemeanor and felony criminal charges. Note: the position does not involve trial-level representation in federal court and does not involve post-trial representation on direct appeal, state post-conviction, or federal habeas litigation.

The successful APD candidate will thrive in a close-knit team environment and be interested in trial-level work and providing client service in a fast-paced work environment. A successful candidate will also be eager to work with a supervisor to learn the intricacies of the position and succeed in providing high-quality representation.

• Essential duties of this position include but are not limited to:
• Prepare cases for trial
• Try cases as lead counsel or as co-counsel
• Represent clients in community control violations
• Conduct arraignments, pre-trial conferences, hearings, and plea negotiations
• Examine witnesses
• Present legal arguments and evidence

The Assistant Public Defender position is assigned to the State of Ohio's E1 Pay Schedule, Pay Range 13. Unless required by legislation or union contract, starting salary will be the minimum salary of that pay range (step 1, currently $32.51 per hour) associated with this position. These ranges provide a standardized pathway for pay increases: with continued employment, new hires move to the next step in the range after 6 months and annually thereafter. The State of Ohio typically has Cost of Living Adjustments that increase wage in these ranges each fiscal year.

Note: In the event a candidate demonstrates exceptional qualifications above minimum, they may qualify for a starting salary above step 1.

FY25 Pay Range Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Hourly $34.14 $36.00 $37.97 $40.02 $42.27 $44.55 $46.38 $48.56 Annual $71,011 $74,880 $78,978 $83,242 $87,922 $92,664 $96,470 $101,005

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact Tamra Meister, ADA Coordinator, at 614-466-5394 or HCM@opd.ohio.gov .

PLEASE NOTE: A WRITING SAMPLE AND COVER LETTER MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THIS APPLICATION. Your application will not be considered without a writing sample and cover letter.

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website ! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems ( such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS ) & Optional Deferred Compensation ( Ohio Deferred Compensation )

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Qualifications

Admission to Ohio bar pursuant to section 4705.01. Note: Prior to representing a client in federal court or U.S. Supreme court, attorney shall obtain admission to practice law in that court; prior to appointment as appellate counsel for an indigent defendant in a capital case pursuant to Appt.Coun.R. 5.02 & 5.03, an attorney shall obtain certification from the Commission on Appointment of Counsel in Capital Cases. Note: Eligibility to practice under a Certificate to Practice Law Pending Admission in Ohio, under Rule I, Section 19 of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, or eligibility to practice under a Temporary Certification for Practice in Legal services, Public Defender, and Law School Programs under Rule IX of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, may be accepted in lieu of admission to the Ohio Bar pursuant to R.C. Section 4705.02.

Job Skills: Attorney/Legal, Attention to Detail, Customer Focus, Problem Solving, Public Speaking, Reasoning