INVESTIGATOR – CAPITAL HABEAS UNIT
Position Announcement 24-009
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Ohio, is accepting applications for the position of Investigator in the Capital Habeas Unit, to be stationed in the Columbus office. Our mission is to provide our clients with legal services of the highest quality. We zealously and ethically represent the human worth, dignity, and interest of our clients with courage, devotion, and uncompromised advocacy.
The Investigator will be a part of a team of attorneys, paralegals, and investigators representing clients on death row in federal post-conviction proceedings. The Investigator will be responsible for creating investigation plans and overseeing both fact and mitigation investigations for the cases to which they are assigned. Day to day duties include, but are not limited to, locating and interviewing witnesses, reading discovery to identify potential investigation, building relationships with clients and their families, locating and supervising expert witnesses, serving subpoenas, drafting reports, drafting social histories, reviewing and summarizing case records, visiting crime scenes, and locating and retrieving documents and other evidence.
ABOUT US
The Federal Public Defender, a branch of the U.S. Courts, operates under the authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. 3006A, to provide defense services to indigent persons in federal criminal cases and related matters in the federal courts.
The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Ohio provides the highest quality legal representation in criminal cases to persons who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. Through our Trial and Appellate Units, we represent people who have been accused of federal criminal offenses from the onset of their case, through the trial and appellate phases. Through our Capital Habeas Unit, we represent people sentenced to death in Ohio and around the country, through state and federal courts and all subsequent proceedings.
We utilize teams with interdisciplinary skill sets that ensure compassionate and comprehensive representation. We are attorneys, paralegals, investigators, office administrators, and information technology specialists who prioritize centering our representation around our clients and their needs.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Our office values diversity, is committed to equity and inclusion, and works to foster a culture of mutual respect, collaboration, openness, and humility that honors the people we represent. We believe representation is better when members of the defense team have diverse backgrounds and experiences. We seek team members who share that belief and commitment. We embrace the unique contributions our employees can bring to the office because of their backgrounds, social identities, and lived experiences. We are interested in applicants’ talent, intelligence, dedication, and persistence, and desire to see that all people are treated fairly and respectfully – no matter the allegation or circumstance. The FPD seeks applications from a diverse group of qualified individuals in terms of race, ethnicity, nation of origin, culture, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, education, opinions, age, languages spoken, veteran status, disability, religion, and socioeconomic circumstance. We especially encourage applications from members of the BIPOC community, people who have been affected by the criminal legal system, and people from other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups.