Assistant Public Defender - Appeals & Postconviction

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) is the state agency responsible for providing legal representation and other services to people accused or convicted of a crime who cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Our Mission: Advocating. Fighting. Helping.
Our Vision:    A Fair Justice System.
Our Values:   Compassion. Dignity. Equity. Integrity. Service. Community. 

We are committed to building a work environment where all team members have a voice and can embrace our differences to innovate service to the public in our pursuit of fairness and justice for all people.

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The Office of the Ohio Public Defender is seeking an attorney to serve as an Assistant Public Defender in the Appeals & Postconviction (APC) Department.

The APC Department primarily represents adults in the direct appeal of their conviction following a trial. In 2025, nearly every Assistant Public Defender argued a case in the Ohio Supreme Court, and every attorney argued at least one case in one of Ohio’s twelve intermediate courts of appeals.

On a case-by-case basis, the APC Department also files postconviction petitions, state and federal writs, and other motions to address deprivations of statutory and constitutional rights. Through this work, the APC Department has obtained new trials, reduced jail terms and prison sentences, and developed caselaw benefiting people throughout Ohio.

As an Assistant Public Defender, you will:

• Manage your own caseload under the supervision of an experienced supervising attorney;

• Review trial records and identify viable appellate claims;

• Work with clients to identify their goals and a strategy to try to achieve them;

• Draft appellate briefs;

• Present oral argument; and

• Travel as necessary to visit clients, review records, and present oral argument.

You will also file postconviction petitions and other pleadings, participate in moot arguments and department trainings, and collaborate with colleagues from across the agency on individual cases and larger-scale projects.

Required Documents 

To apply, please upload and attach a resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Applications without these materials will not be reviewed.

Salary
Compensation for this position is set by the State of Ohio E1 Exempt Pay Schedule and currently ranges from $74,214 to $105,560. Starting pay may vary based on your relevant experience and state procedures. After you start, you move to the next step in the range after 180 days and annually thereafter. We typically have fiscal year Cost of Living Adjustments as well.

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us at 614-466-5394 or HCM@opd.ohio.gov.

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Admission to Ohio bar pursuant to section 4705.01.

Note: Prior to representing a client in federal court or U.S. Supreme court, attorney shall obtain admission to practice law in that court; prior to appointment as appellate counsel for an indigent defendant in a capital case pursuant to Appt.Coun.R. 5.02 & 5.03, an attorney shall obtain certification from the Commission on Appointment of Counsel in Capital Cases.

Note: Eligibility to practice under a Certificate to Practice Law Pending Admission in Ohio, under Rule I, Section 19 of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, or eligibility to practice under a Temporary Certification for Practice in Legal services, Public Defender, and Law School Programs under Rule IX of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, may be accepted in lieu of admission to the Ohio Bar pursuant to R.C. Section 4705.01.

Job Skills: Attorney/Legal, Client Advocacy, Organizing and Planning, Verbal Communication, Written Communication and Analyzation. 

This position requires travel throughout the state of Ohio to review court records, participate in court hearings and oral arguments, and visit clients who are incarcerated in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The agency maintains a fleet of vehicles for staff to reserve; use of a fleet vehicle requires evidence of a valid driver’s license and personal auto insurance coverage.

Intentional omission of relevant information, falsification, or misrepresentation of information on the application will disqualify the applicant. In addition, such intentional acts are grounds for immediate termination of an employee.

Final candidates selected for this position will be required to undergo a drug test. An applicant with a positive test result will not be offered employment. Final candidates selected for this position will also be required to undergo a background check and state income tax check. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration. 

This position serves at the pleasure and discretion of the State Public Defender. This position serves in a fiduciary relationship to the State Public Defender and will have an unclassified status per Ohio Revised Code 124.11 (A) (9).

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.