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