Assistant Federal Defender, Capital Habeas Unit

Requirements: All applicants must be a member in good standing of a state bar of one of the United States. Applicants will have a minimum of three years’ experience in habeas corpus litigation or equivalent criminal law experience at the trial or appellate level. Applicants must have an established capacity or clearly demonstrated aptitude for excellence in capital defense, strong written and oral advocacy skills, work well in teams, and be effective organizers. Applicants will be expected to possess excellent on-line research skills in either Lexis or Westlaw and have solid MS Word skills. Our Ideal Candidate Our ideal candidate will have established over their career a commitment to indigent criminal defense with a proven track record of zealous advocacy. Current membership in the California and/or Arizona Bar is strongly preferred. Experience with Adobe Acrobat Professional, MS Excel, and CaseMap is a plus. The Federal Defender strives for staff diversity and plurality, encouraging women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. Salary and Benefits The Office of the Federal Defender operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, to provide legal representation in federal criminal cases and related matters in the federal courts. This is a full-time permanent position. 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. Federal government benefits apply, including retirement; health, life and long-term insurances; a thrift savings program; and flexible spending accounts. Direct deposit of pay required. Federal Defender employees are considered “at-will” and are not covered by the Civil Service Reform Act. Must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident in the process of applying for citizenship. https://www.uscourts.gov/careers/search-judiciary-jobs/citizenship-requirements-employment-judiciary All final candidates are subject to FBI fingerprints and background investigation, including criminal history. The individual hired to perform the duties for this position may be subject to further background investigations when necessary. Employees are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees (guide-vol02a-ch03.pdf (uscourts.gov)) and Code of Conduct for Federal Public Defender Employees (Code of Conduct for Federal Public Defender Employees (Guide, Vol. 2A, Ch. 4) (uscourts.gov)). 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. How to Apply Email to cae_hr@fd.org as a single file your cover letter, résumé, three references, writing sample, and a completed Application for Judicial Branch Employment form (AO78), which may be found at AO_078_revised_2021-12-15.pdf ..