Deputy Public Defenders provide legal representation for indigent defendants charged with criminal offenses in the San Francisco Superior Court. The qualified candidate must have the ability to argue legal positions successfully and persuasively, master subject matter and prepare cases thoroughly. The qualified applicant should have the ability to communicate effectively as well as the ability to multi-task, prioritize assignments and remain organized. The position also requires: excellent writing skills; experience/knowledge of criminal law and procedure; and computer proficiency. Requires ability to: plan, organize and conduct court hearings and jury trials; interpret and apply legal principles and precedents to a wide variety of fact situations and make sound decisions and judgments; prepare written statements of law, fact and argument clearly and logically; issue decisions within legally mandated deadlines; compile monthly workload statistics; and establish and maintain effective communication with all clients, staff and the public.

The current vacancy is a Managing Attorney in the Research Unit.  Additional duties include but are not limited to: responds to inquiries from trial attorneys and other staff on legal research and trial strategy questions; responds to requests from felony trial attorneys for written motions, legal memos and appellate writs; advise and defend on contempt and sanctions; advise and assist with public record requests; reviews and assigns projects (motions, writ petitions, legal memos) for a permanent and rotating trial attorneys; procures online research access (Westlaw, CEB) and publication (penal and evidence codes for attorneys);  provides advice on conflicts and ethics issues; informs staff of case law updates and new legislation;  provides presentations on new case law seminars and on various legal topics (search, discovery, sentencing); manages a team of research attorneys;  and assists in the training of new attorneys (appeals, legal writing, motions, felony sentencing, and PX law).

Please note that attorneys in the Public Defender’s Office may be reassigned to different units as needed.

Learn more and apply at their job page.