*This position will receive a Cost-of-Living Adjustment, effective May 30, 2023, increasing the salary by an additional 5%.
Preferred Education:
4 Year Degree
Internal Number: 23/05-4051-O 23/05-4052-O
Deputy Public Defender I, II, III, & IV
$10,006 – $17,016 Monthly*
Advance your legal career and show your passion for public service by
becoming a Deputy Public Defender with the County of Sonoma!
English/Spanish skills are highly desired!
*This position will receive a Cost-of-Living Adjustment, effective May 30, 2023, increasing the salary by an additional 5%.
The Deputy Public Defender I/II/III/IV positions will be filled at the appropriate level, depending on the candidate's qualifications. As attorneys gain experience and meet or exceed performance standards, they are eligible for promotion to subsequent levels in the series, up to level IV. If you are interested in being considered at the various levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate, concurrent recruitments being conducted for those levels. If you are an experienced attorney, please check out our II, III, and IV-level recruitments.
The Public Defender's Office
The Public Defender and his Office have the mandated responsibility of defending any person who is not financially able to employ counsel and who is charged with the commission of any contempt or offense triable in the superior or municipal courts. Additionally, the Public Defender represents qualified individuals in probate and welfare proceedings, and may represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in proceedings relating to the nature or conditions of detention prior to adjudication.
The ideal candidate will have a substantial interest in criminal defense work and possess:
Experience working as a law clerk or other professional legal position
Impeccable research and writing abilities
Knowledge of post-conviction relief
Demonstrable excellence in public speaking
Experience in and/or with a Public Defender's office
The highly desirable ability to speak, read, and write in Spanish and English
*Salary is negotiable within the established range and benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. For more information, including minimum qualifications, & to apply, visit, www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org or call 707-565-2331. The County of Sonoma is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and are committed to having a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. Apply by 06/06/23
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: None required.
Professional License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California.
License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of: duties, powers, limitations, and authorities of the Office of the Public Defender; principles of criminal law, principles of trial procedure and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; statutory and constitutional laws of the State of California; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.
Ability to: research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems; prepare and present statements of law, fact and argument clearly, logically and persuasively in written and oral form; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, the courts, law enforcement agency officials, and the general public; understand and accept differences in human behavior, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
As the region’s largest employer, the County of Sonoma offers you a level of career diversity that is as expansive as the county itself. From nursing to engineering, information technology to land management and everything in-between, we’ve got over 800 different opportunities waiting for you. But even more than just opportunity, we give you flexibility. Follow your dreams of working at the top. Or follow your interests and work where you want. Either way, you can have it all here.
