Assistant Public Defender - Trumbull County Office

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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You will serve in the courts of Trumbull County as a trial-level attorney that provides criminal defense representation to clients who cannot otherwise afford an attorney. Note: the position does not involve trial-level representation in federal court and does not involve post-trial representation on direct appeal, state post-conviction, or federal habeas litigation.  

To be successful in the position, you should thrive in a close-knit team environment and be interested in trial-level work and providing client service in a fast-paced work environment. You should also be eager to work with a supervisor to learn the intricacies of the position and succeed in providing high-quality representation. 

Essential duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Prepare cases for trial

• Communicate with clients

• Try cases as lead counsel or as co-counsel

• Represent clients in community control violations

• Conduct arraignments, pre-trial conferences, hearings, and plea negotiations

• Examine witnesses

• Present legal arguments and evidence

The Assistant Public Defender Position is assigned to the State of Ohio’s E-1, Pay Range 13, presented below in table format. Starting pay will be at Step 1 unless required by contract/legislation; candidates with exceptional qualifications may be considered for higher starting pay. Our steps give a standard path for earnings growth: you move to the next step after 180 days and annually thereafter. We typically have fiscal year Cost of Living Adjustments as well.

Note: In the event a candidate demonstrates exceptional qualifications above minimum, they may qualify for a starting salary above step 1.

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 Tamra Meister, ADA Coordinator, at 614-466-5394 or HCM@opd.ohio.gov.

PLEASE NOTE: A WRITING SAMPLE AND COVER LETTER MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THIS APPLICATION. Your application will not be considered without a writing sample and cover letter. 

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 4705.02. 

Job Skills: Attorney/Legal, Client Advocacy, Attention to Detail, Customer Focus, Problem Solving, Public Speaking, Reasoning

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.