County of Orange
Deputy Public Defender Attorney I, II, III
County of Orange, Santa Ana, California, United States, 92725
Overview
DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER ATTORNEY I, II, III 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. This is an in-person assignment, and the duties cannot be performed remotely/virtually. 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. 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 click here to review 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. Click here to 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. Click here to 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. Click here to read the complete job classification for Attorney III. 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 (i.e., certificate, degree, license, and official transcript). 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 though 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 (see minimum qualifications and classification description for required license). Note: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (N.A.C.E.S.). Additional Information
Questions: 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 expertise and include company name/address, position, dates, duties, and reason for leaving. Answer supplemental questions. Ensure you submit before the deadline. Employee Benefits: The County offers a competitive benefits package including health plans, leave, holidays, retirement, and deferred compensation. For details, click here. Equal Opportunity: Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
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DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER ATTORNEY I, II, III 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. This is an in-person assignment, and the duties cannot be performed remotely/virtually. 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. 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 click here to review 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. Click here to 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. Click here to 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. Click here to read the complete job classification for Attorney III. 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 (i.e., certificate, degree, license, and official transcript). 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 though 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 (see minimum qualifications and classification description for required license). Note: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (N.A.C.E.S.). Additional Information
Questions: 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 expertise and include company name/address, position, dates, duties, and reason for leaving. Answer supplemental questions. Ensure you submit before the deadline. Employee Benefits: The County offers a competitive benefits package including health plans, leave, holidays, retirement, and deferred compensation. For details, click here. Equal Opportunity: Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
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