OCERS
Deputy Public Defender Attorney I, II, III
OCERS, Santa Ana, California, United States, 92725
Overview
DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER ATTORNEY I, II, III
Salary Information
Attorney I ............... $8,058.27 up to $9,741.33/Month
Attorney II .............. $9,424.13 up to $10,504.00/Month
Attorney III ............. $10,784.80 up to $14,936.13/Month
Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate\'s qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.
Bilingual Pay
An additional $0.20 per hour is paid for this position to bilingual employees (fluently speak, read, and write) in Spanish or Vietnamese (in addition to English). Employees must pass the bilingual exam and be certified to be eligible for supplemental pay.
Open to the Public
This recruitment is being held to establish an open eligible list to fill current and future Deputy Public Defender Attorney I, II, and III positions. The Public Defender will fill vacancies from the eligible list established from this recruitment.
Online applications will be accepted beginning on
Monday, July 21, 2025 . This recruitment will remain open on a continuous basis until 11:59 p.m. (PST) on the day the needs of the department/County are met. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately for priority consideration.
Offices of the Public Defender
The Orange County Public Defender\'s Office is a law firm of highly dedicated and skilled attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and support staff who work to advance a more humane and compassionate justice system by protecting the constitutional rights and freedoms of the diverse communities of Orange County through inspired, client-centered advocacy in the courtroom and the community.
The principal role of the Offices of the Public Defender is to provide each client with high quality representation, thereby protecting their constitutional rights and liberties. In advancing the cause of these clients, the dedicated lawyers and support staff are on the front lines protecting the precious rights and privileges of all Orange County residents.
In addition to clients in criminal cases, counsel is appointed to represent children in Juvenile Court Delinquency cases, parents in Dependency cases, and a variety of persons in Mental Health cases.
Please read for more information. Read the complete job classification for Attorney I.
The Opportunity
As a
Deputy Public Defender
you will enforce and protect the Constitutional rights, privileges and freedoms of individuals by providing the highest quality legal advocacy for all clients in the Courts of Orange County, which in turn helps protect those important rights for all County residents. The assignment may be at any of our various locations or units and will include criminal, mental health, and dependency cases. This is an in-person assignment, and the duties cannot be performed remotely/virtually.
Are You?
An attorney who would like to learn to be a skilled trial lawyer?
A caring, empathetic humanitarian who would like a job that provides you with great personal fulfillment?
Able to effectively communicate with a judge, district attorney and a jury?
A team player who has a zeal for the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution?
An individual who can deliver the mission of the Offices of the Public Defender in an ethical and responsible manner?
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be an attorney who is passionate about the law and has a desire to become a skilled trial litigant. The candidate will possess strong ethical standards, good organizational skills, and an unwavering commitment to provide the best legal representation for their clients.
In addition to the minimum qualifications for Deputy Public Defender Attorney I, II, III, the ideal candidate will have attorney experience in the practice of criminal law with experience in litigation and trial work.
Veterans Employment Preference Policy, Effective 09/15/2020
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please read the policy.
Minimum Qualifications Attorney I Knowledge of:
Legal principles and their application
Rules of evidence and the conduct of court proceedings
Legal research methods
Criminal/Civil Legal Processes
Ability to:
Analyze legal problems and apply legal principles and practices in court
Prepare legal documents such as pleadings, briefs and depositions
Present statements of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form
Perform legal research
Work cooperatively with others
Conduct criminal and/or civil court trials, jury trials, depositions and hearings
Experience: None required
License Required: MUST be an active member of the State Bar of California and eligible to practice law in the State of California.
OR
Candidates who will sit for the July 2025 California Bar Examination or recently sat for the July 2025 California Bar Examination and are awaiting results are eligible to apply. An active California State Bar membership and eligibility to practice law in the State of California must be attained by date of appointment and maintained throughout employment.
AND
Possession of a California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation to carry out the essential functions of the job.
Read the complete job classification for Attorney I.
Attorney II Knowledge of:
The duties, powers, limitations and responsibilities of the Public Defender\'s Office
Federal and California statutes
The organization, powers and limitations of county government functions and of the California Constitution
Legal principles and their applications
Rules of evidence and conduct of court proceedings
Penal Code of California and/or California civil and legislative law
Legal research methods
Ability to:
Prepare, present and conduct cases of law in court
Prepare legal documents such as pleadings, briefs and depositions
Analyze legal problems and apply legal principles and practices
Present statement of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form
Effectively perform legal research
Work cooperatively with others
Conduct criminal and/or civil court trials, jury trials and hearings
Experience: Twelve (12) months of experience as an attorney in the practice of criminal law. Post-Bar experience in a civil or general practice law office may be substituted for the criminal experience on a two-month for one-month basis.
License Required: MUST be an active member of the State Bar of California and eligible to practice law in the State of California.
OR
Members in good standing of California State Bar and have been assigned a license number, but have inactive membership status are also welcome to apply. An active California State Bar membership and eligibility to practice law in the State of California must be attained by date of appointment and maintained throughout employment.
AND
Possession of a California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation to carry out the essential functions of the job.
Read the complete job classification for Attorney II.
Attorney III Knowledge of:
The duties, powers, limitations and responsibilities of the Public Defender\'s Office
The organization, powers and limitations of county government functions and of the California Constitution
Federal and California statutes
Legal principles and their application
Rules of evidence and conduct of court proceedings
Penal Code of California and/or California civil and legislative law
Legal research methods
Criminal/Civil Legal Processes
Ability to:
Prepare, present and conduct cases of law in court
Prepare legal documents such as pleadings, briefs and depositions
Analyze legal problems and apply legal principals and practices
Present statements, of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral format
Effectively perform legal research
Work cooperatively with others
Work independently on all but the most complex assignments
Conduct criminal and/or civil court trials, jury trials and hearings
Experience: Two (2) years of experience as an attorney in the practice of criminal law. Post-Bar experience in a civil or general practice law office may be substituted for the criminal experience on a two-month for one-month basis.
License Required: MUST be an active member of the State Bar of California and eligible to practice law in the State of California.
OR
Members in good standing of California State Bar and have been assigned a license number, but have inactive membership status are also welcome to apply. An active California State Bar membership and eligibility to practice law in the State of California must be attained by date of appointment and maintained throughout employment.
AND
Possession of a California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation to carry out the essential functions of the job.
Read the complete job classification for Attorney III.
Please note:
Years of experience are calculated based upon the work rate of 40 hours per week. In addition, the program does not allow you to revise your application and/or add attachments after submitting.
Special Requirements Appointees must pass a background investigation to the satisfaction of the County of Orange Public Defender\'s Office (for all levels).
Background Verification/Sanction Screening All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a background check consisting of employment history, professional references, conviction history, criminal check and education verification. State Bar membership must be attained, and candidates will be required to provide proof of successful admission to the State Bar of California prior to appointment/conditional job offer. Candidates will be required to pass the background check to the satisfaction of the hiring Agency/Department, including a fingerprint check through Live Scan. Applicants will also be required to answer a conviction questionnaire as part of the background process. A clean driving record may be required while employed in this classification. Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of N.A.C.E.S.
Physical and Mental Requirements and Environmental Conditions
The County of Orange is committed to providing a means for applicants who may have a disability to identify areas in which they may request a reasonable accommodation. The following is a description of the physical and mental abilities which are customarily required to perform the essential job functions of this position. Applicants are encouraged to contact the recruiter listed below for any questions or to request an accommodation during the testing/selection process.
Physical Characteristics: Vision sufficient to read standard text and read a computer monitor; speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably in person, over the telephone, and in small groups; independent body mobility sufficient to stand, sit, walk, stoop and bend to access a standard office and courtroom environment; manual dexterity to use hands, arms, and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard and to write; body strength sufficient to lift and carry files; possess the ability to independently reason logically to reach conclusions and make recommendations; possess the ability to remain calm and appropriately focused in rapidly changing situations involving interpersonal conflict and with complex issues; possess the ability to interact with the public in emotional and occasionally hostile situations. Ability to drive the distance between work locations.
Environmental Conditions: Emotional stamina to maintain working relationships while under the pressure of deadlines. Will be required to interact with varying levels of organizational hierarchy and varying educational levels; will be required to interact with persons of diverse backgrounds and educational levels including in-custody defendants, victims, witnesses, persons having interest in criminal cases and varying levels of other governmental organizations; work in an office environment; interact with the public in emotional and occasionally hostile situations; work with changing deadlines and competing priorities.
Recruitment Process/Selection Procedures
Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Public Defender Human Resources screens all application materials to identify candidates with qualifications that meet minimum and/or desirable qualifications. Application materials and supplemental responses will be screened to identify qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this position based on the skills required to meet the needs of the County. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.
Structured Oral Interview / Structured Oral Examination
– Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Each candidate\'s rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate\'s qualifications for the job. The evaluation is solely based on the candidate\'s responses to the structured questions; therefore, candidates should be thorough, detailed, and complete when responding to the structured questions. The panel will also evaluate oral communication skills. This is a competitive process. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.
ELIGIBLE LIST
After the competitive procedures listed above have been completed, an eligible list of qualified candidates will be established. Candidates will be notified of their standing. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.
Please note: To ensure case confidentiality, do not provide specific identifying case names and/or case numbers within the application or attachments.
Based on the Agency/Department\'s needs, modification to the selection procedure listed above may occur. If changes in the selection procedure should occur, all candidates will receive notification.
Questions For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Sandy Zirtzman at (657) 258-7507 or Christine Reese at (657) 251-8838.
Interested?
Apply online as only online applications will be accepted.
Your application should highlight all areas of developed expertise, matching your professional experience with the qualifications listed above.
In the job experience section of the application, include the company name and address, position held, employment dates, full-time or part-time, duties and reason for leaving. All details must be included for each job listed.
Applicants are required to answer supplemental questions in addition to completing the online application.
Prepare supplemental answers offline to avoid loss of Internet connection; then copy and paste answers into the appropriate boxes.
Note: Ensure you submit before the 11:59 p.m. (PST) deadline and that your computer time is correct.
Employee Benefits for Prospective Employees The County of Orange provides a comprehensive, balanced, and competitive benefits package as part of the employee total compensation. The benefits package includes health plans, annual leave (paid vacation), paid holidays, retirement plan, and deferred compensation.
For detailed information on benefits: see OC public-facing information. Retirement reciprocity information is available; current employed members of reciprocal systems may be eligible for reciprocity.
Orange County Amenities
OC Parks & Trails
OC Beaches
OC Historic Sites
Email notification: Use the correct email address in your GovernmentJobs profile and monitor spam/junk folders. You will receive notifications via GovernmentJobs.com or ocgov.com. If your email address changes, update your profile at governmentjobs.com.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions can be found by clicking the relevant link in the original posting.
Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Salary Information
Attorney I ............... $8,058.27 up to $9,741.33/Month
Attorney II .............. $9,424.13 up to $10,504.00/Month
Attorney III ............. $10,784.80 up to $14,936.13/Month
Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate\'s qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.
Bilingual Pay
An additional $0.20 per hour is paid for this position to bilingual employees (fluently speak, read, and write) in Spanish or Vietnamese (in addition to English). Employees must pass the bilingual exam and be certified to be eligible for supplemental pay.
Open to the Public
This recruitment is being held to establish an open eligible list to fill current and future Deputy Public Defender Attorney I, II, and III positions. The Public Defender will fill vacancies from the eligible list established from this recruitment.
Online applications will be accepted beginning on
Monday, July 21, 2025 . This recruitment will remain open on a continuous basis until 11:59 p.m. (PST) on the day the needs of the department/County are met. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately for priority consideration.
Offices of the Public Defender
The Orange County Public Defender\'s Office is a law firm of highly dedicated and skilled attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and support staff who work to advance a more humane and compassionate justice system by protecting the constitutional rights and freedoms of the diverse communities of Orange County through inspired, client-centered advocacy in the courtroom and the community.
The principal role of the Offices of the Public Defender is to provide each client with high quality representation, thereby protecting their constitutional rights and liberties. In advancing the cause of these clients, the dedicated lawyers and support staff are on the front lines protecting the precious rights and privileges of all Orange County residents.
In addition to clients in criminal cases, counsel is appointed to represent children in Juvenile Court Delinquency cases, parents in Dependency cases, and a variety of persons in Mental Health cases.
Please read for more information. Read the complete job classification for Attorney I.
The Opportunity
As a
Deputy Public Defender
you will enforce and protect the Constitutional rights, privileges and freedoms of individuals by providing the highest quality legal advocacy for all clients in the Courts of Orange County, which in turn helps protect those important rights for all County residents. The assignment may be at any of our various locations or units and will include criminal, mental health, and dependency cases. This is an in-person assignment, and the duties cannot be performed remotely/virtually.
Are You?
An attorney who would like to learn to be a skilled trial lawyer?
A caring, empathetic humanitarian who would like a job that provides you with great personal fulfillment?
Able to effectively communicate with a judge, district attorney and a jury?
A team player who has a zeal for the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution?
An individual who can deliver the mission of the Offices of the Public Defender in an ethical and responsible manner?
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be an attorney who is passionate about the law and has a desire to become a skilled trial litigant. The candidate will possess strong ethical standards, good organizational skills, and an unwavering commitment to provide the best legal representation for their clients.
In addition to the minimum qualifications for Deputy Public Defender Attorney I, II, III, the ideal candidate will have attorney experience in the practice of criminal law with experience in litigation and trial work.
Veterans Employment Preference Policy, Effective 09/15/2020
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please read the policy.
Minimum Qualifications Attorney I Knowledge of:
Legal principles and their application
Rules of evidence and the conduct of court proceedings
Legal research methods
Criminal/Civil Legal Processes
Ability to:
Analyze legal problems and apply legal principles and practices in court
Prepare legal documents such as pleadings, briefs and depositions
Present statements of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form
Perform legal research
Work cooperatively with others
Conduct criminal and/or civil court trials, jury trials, depositions and hearings
Experience: None required
License Required: MUST be an active member of the State Bar of California and eligible to practice law in the State of California.
OR
Candidates who will sit for the July 2025 California Bar Examination or recently sat for the July 2025 California Bar Examination and are awaiting results are eligible to apply. An active California State Bar membership and eligibility to practice law in the State of California must be attained by date of appointment and maintained throughout employment.
AND
Possession of a California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation to carry out the essential functions of the job.
Read the complete job classification for Attorney I.
Attorney II Knowledge of:
The duties, powers, limitations and responsibilities of the Public Defender\'s Office
Federal and California statutes
The organization, powers and limitations of county government functions and of the California Constitution
Legal principles and their applications
Rules of evidence and conduct of court proceedings
Penal Code of California and/or California civil and legislative law
Legal research methods
Ability to:
Prepare, present and conduct cases of law in court
Prepare legal documents such as pleadings, briefs and depositions
Analyze legal problems and apply legal principles and practices
Present statement of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form
Effectively perform legal research
Work cooperatively with others
Conduct criminal and/or civil court trials, jury trials and hearings
Experience: Twelve (12) months of experience as an attorney in the practice of criminal law. Post-Bar experience in a civil or general practice law office may be substituted for the criminal experience on a two-month for one-month basis.
License Required: MUST be an active member of the State Bar of California and eligible to practice law in the State of California.
OR
Members in good standing of California State Bar and have been assigned a license number, but have inactive membership status are also welcome to apply. An active California State Bar membership and eligibility to practice law in the State of California must be attained by date of appointment and maintained throughout employment.
AND
Possession of a California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation to carry out the essential functions of the job.
Read the complete job classification for Attorney II.
Attorney III Knowledge of:
The duties, powers, limitations and responsibilities of the Public Defender\'s Office
The organization, powers and limitations of county government functions and of the California Constitution
Federal and California statutes
Legal principles and their application
Rules of evidence and conduct of court proceedings
Penal Code of California and/or California civil and legislative law
Legal research methods
Criminal/Civil Legal Processes
Ability to:
Prepare, present and conduct cases of law in court
Prepare legal documents such as pleadings, briefs and depositions
Analyze legal problems and apply legal principals and practices
Present statements, of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral format
Effectively perform legal research
Work cooperatively with others
Work independently on all but the most complex assignments
Conduct criminal and/or civil court trials, jury trials and hearings
Experience: Two (2) years of experience as an attorney in the practice of criminal law. Post-Bar experience in a civil or general practice law office may be substituted for the criminal experience on a two-month for one-month basis.
License Required: MUST be an active member of the State Bar of California and eligible to practice law in the State of California.
OR
Members in good standing of California State Bar and have been assigned a license number, but have inactive membership status are also welcome to apply. An active California State Bar membership and eligibility to practice law in the State of California must be attained by date of appointment and maintained throughout employment.
AND
Possession of a California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation to carry out the essential functions of the job.
Read the complete job classification for Attorney III.
Please note:
Years of experience are calculated based upon the work rate of 40 hours per week. In addition, the program does not allow you to revise your application and/or add attachments after submitting.
Special Requirements Appointees must pass a background investigation to the satisfaction of the County of Orange Public Defender\'s Office (for all levels).
Background Verification/Sanction Screening All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a background check consisting of employment history, professional references, conviction history, criminal check and education verification. State Bar membership must be attained, and candidates will be required to provide proof of successful admission to the State Bar of California prior to appointment/conditional job offer. Candidates will be required to pass the background check to the satisfaction of the hiring Agency/Department, including a fingerprint check through Live Scan. Applicants will also be required to answer a conviction questionnaire as part of the background process. A clean driving record may be required while employed in this classification. Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of N.A.C.E.S.
Physical and Mental Requirements and Environmental Conditions
The County of Orange is committed to providing a means for applicants who may have a disability to identify areas in which they may request a reasonable accommodation. The following is a description of the physical and mental abilities which are customarily required to perform the essential job functions of this position. Applicants are encouraged to contact the recruiter listed below for any questions or to request an accommodation during the testing/selection process.
Physical Characteristics: Vision sufficient to read standard text and read a computer monitor; speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably in person, over the telephone, and in small groups; independent body mobility sufficient to stand, sit, walk, stoop and bend to access a standard office and courtroom environment; manual dexterity to use hands, arms, and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard and to write; body strength sufficient to lift and carry files; possess the ability to independently reason logically to reach conclusions and make recommendations; possess the ability to remain calm and appropriately focused in rapidly changing situations involving interpersonal conflict and with complex issues; possess the ability to interact with the public in emotional and occasionally hostile situations. Ability to drive the distance between work locations.
Environmental Conditions: Emotional stamina to maintain working relationships while under the pressure of deadlines. Will be required to interact with varying levels of organizational hierarchy and varying educational levels; will be required to interact with persons of diverse backgrounds and educational levels including in-custody defendants, victims, witnesses, persons having interest in criminal cases and varying levels of other governmental organizations; work in an office environment; interact with the public in emotional and occasionally hostile situations; work with changing deadlines and competing priorities.
Recruitment Process/Selection Procedures
Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Public Defender Human Resources screens all application materials to identify candidates with qualifications that meet minimum and/or desirable qualifications. Application materials and supplemental responses will be screened to identify qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this position based on the skills required to meet the needs of the County. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.
Structured Oral Interview / Structured Oral Examination
– Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Each candidate\'s rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate\'s qualifications for the job. The evaluation is solely based on the candidate\'s responses to the structured questions; therefore, candidates should be thorough, detailed, and complete when responding to the structured questions. The panel will also evaluate oral communication skills. This is a competitive process. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.
ELIGIBLE LIST
After the competitive procedures listed above have been completed, an eligible list of qualified candidates will be established. Candidates will be notified of their standing. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.
Please note: To ensure case confidentiality, do not provide specific identifying case names and/or case numbers within the application or attachments.
Based on the Agency/Department\'s needs, modification to the selection procedure listed above may occur. If changes in the selection procedure should occur, all candidates will receive notification.
Questions For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Sandy Zirtzman at (657) 258-7507 or Christine Reese at (657) 251-8838.
Interested?
Apply online as only online applications will be accepted.
Your application should highlight all areas of developed expertise, matching your professional experience with the qualifications listed above.
In the job experience section of the application, include the company name and address, position held, employment dates, full-time or part-time, duties and reason for leaving. All details must be included for each job listed.
Applicants are required to answer supplemental questions in addition to completing the online application.
Prepare supplemental answers offline to avoid loss of Internet connection; then copy and paste answers into the appropriate boxes.
Note: Ensure you submit before the 11:59 p.m. (PST) deadline and that your computer time is correct.
Employee Benefits for Prospective Employees The County of Orange provides a comprehensive, balanced, and competitive benefits package as part of the employee total compensation. The benefits package includes health plans, annual leave (paid vacation), paid holidays, retirement plan, and deferred compensation.
For detailed information on benefits: see OC public-facing information. Retirement reciprocity information is available; current employed members of reciprocal systems may be eligible for reciprocity.
Orange County Amenities
OC Parks & Trails
OC Beaches
OC Historic Sites
Email notification: Use the correct email address in your GovernmentJobs profile and monitor spam/junk folders. You will receive notifications via GovernmentJobs.com or ocgov.com. If your email address changes, update your profile at governmentjobs.com.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions can be found by clicking the relevant link in the original posting.
Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
#J-18808-Ljbffr