Deputy Public Defender

Salary: $74,984.00 - $100,000.00 Annually
Location : Twin Falls County, ID
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 202300074
Department:Public Defender
Opening Date: 09/11/2023
Closing Date: Continuous
Position Information
Apply online at www.twinfallscounty.org.
The Office of Twin Falls County Public Defender is responsible for defending indigent criminal defendants in Twin Falls County. We have full-time openings for both misdemeanor and felony Deputy Public Defenders. Prior courtroom and jury trial experience is a plus.
Job Description
CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY
Are you a passionate advocate for justice, eager to champion the rights of individuals and looking for a role that's anything but mundane? Step right up! As a Deputy Public Defender, you'll embark on an exhilarating journey that will challenge, inspire, and offer countless opportunities to make a lasting impact. Here's a taste of what awaits you:
1. Dynamic Courtroom Appearances: Stand as the voice for clients who can't afford representation. Every day presents a new story, a unique challenge, and an opportunity to serve, grow and learn!
2. Engage in Riveting Case Investigations: Work with our two full-time criminal investigators as you dive deep into the facts of each case. Meet intriguing characters, uncover hidden truths, and piece together stories that will help balance the scales of justice.
3. Craft Compelling Legal Strategies: Every case is a new puzzle waiting to be solved. Combine creativity with legal prowess to build winning strategies that safeguard your clients' rights.
4. Continuous Learning: Stay on top of the game with access to fascinating workshops, conferences, in-house training and brainstorming and strategy sessions that ensure you're always equipped with the latest legal tools, knowledge and skills to succeed.
5. Collaborate with a Diverse Team: Bounce ideas off an ensemble of quirky, smart, and passionate professionals. From investigators to fellow defenders, you're part of a team that's as diverse as the cases you handle.
Duties / Responsibilities
Duties / Responsibilities
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (illustrative only and may vary by assignment)

• Represent clients in magistrate and district court with passion, conviction and finesse.
• Craft legal strategies using your knowledge of facts, precedents, and statutes.
• Prepare legal documents that leave an impact: motions, briefs, exhibits, and more.
• Lend your expertise to senior attorneys, especially in the most intricate criminal cases.
• Mark your presence in various life-changing alternative courts.
• Manage time carefully, ensuring every case is given care and concern by scheduling functions, meeting deadlines and setting project priorities.
• Be the friendly face answering queries of the court, clerks, staff, Commissioners, and others in a courteous and timely manner.
• Protect confidentiality; ensuring the confidence of our clients and the profession.
• Performs all work duties and activities in accordance with County policies, procedures and safety practices.
• Juggle roles seamlessly, also assisting in juvenile court, mental health hearings and child protection court as needed.

SECONDARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Continually refine your expertise; attend legal trainings and workshops.
• Step in for fellow attorneys, ensuring no case goes unattended.
• Accept special assignments, each a step raising the bar.

Qualifications
Qualifications
CLASSIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
The requirements listed below are only representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required for an individual to satisfactorily perform each essential duty satisfactorily and be successful in the position.
Knowledge of:

• The intricate interaction of Constitutional law, criminal procedures, evidence rules, and ethics;
• The web of legal, court, and judicial procedures;
• The ever-evolving county, state, and federal legal frameworks;
• English grammar, spelling, punctuation and composition;
• Techniques to unravel legal questions and negotiate challenging cases.

Skill and Ability to:

• Analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and precedents in determining the various aspects, alternatives, and possible outcomes of cases;
• Present material to opponents and develop an appropriate legal strategy;
• Appear without assistance in court and other judicial proceedings and present evidence, arguments, testimony, and witnesses before a judge or jury;
• Make significant/substantial legal decisions in individual cases based on a combination of factors including the law, policy, and rules of ethics;
• Negotiate complex legal issues;
• Bring interested and affected parties to consensus;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, for purposes of advocating, persuading, negotiating, and counseling for or on behalf of the County;
• Determine alternative courses of action, and possible courses of action of opponents;
• Present and argue cases and to handle unanticipated problems smoothly and effectively;
• Proficiently operate computers, software programs, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or similar office software to create documents and other materials, maintain information, and generate reports.
• Listen carefully to, understand, and effectively communicate through oral, written, and interpersonal communication channels.
• Follow verbal and written instructions.
• Work independently and exercise initiative, with general guidance and supervision.
• Use good judgment to make sound and reasonable decisions and problem-solving skills to respond to customer service needs in accordance with laws, ordinances, regulations and established policies.
• Maintain a professional demeanor at all times;
• Perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines;
• Demonstrate integrity and ingenuity the performance of assigned tasks and solving problems;
• Perform all duties in accordance with County policies and procedures with regard for personal safety and that of other employees and the public.
• Maintain confidentiality.
  ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, and;
• Graduation of, or pursuing graduation from, a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a Juris Doctorate Degree, and;
• Licensed or pursuing a license to practice law in the State of Idaho, and
• Must successfully pass background investigation relevant to the position and remain in good standing for the duration of employment with the County.
  PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:
  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, use hands to keyboard or type, handle materials, or manipulate tools used in performing the classification, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this classification include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus. Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing abilities required by this classification includes those which permit the employee to discern verbal instructions and communicate effectively in person, by telephone. While performing the duties of this classification, the employee works in an office and courtroom setting where the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. An employee in this classification often works more hours than a normal 40-hour workweek and is exposed to emotional people who may create fear of personal safety.

Twin Falls County offers a highly competitive benefits package to full-time employees including holiday pay, paid vacation, paid personal days and paid sick leave. We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as short-term disability benefits, life insurance, and a PEHP plan. We are on the PERSI retirement plan and also offer a Deferred Compensation (voluntary retirement) plan.
For specific information regarding Twin Falls County's benefits, visit the Benefits section of our web page.