Chief Public Defender

Job Description:

Chief Public Defender

Description

Job Details

Under policy direction of the Board of Supervisors, manages, supervises, and coordinates the operations and activities of employees, contractors and assigned counsel of the Public Defender Division; provides efficient and effective legal defense services to indigent individuals charged with crimes in felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile matters; provides legal representation to indigent individuals facing conservatorship, guardianship, parental terminations, probate, and Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5150 proceedings, and related duties as assigned.
This recruitment is open continuously. The first review of applications will be completed on November 13th, 2025. Applicants will be interviewed when determined that minimum qualifications have been met.

This position qualifies for a Sign-On incentive of 10% of the annual rate, not to exceed $10,000.
The Hiring Incentive will be made in three payments as follows:

• The first payment of 50% will be made to an employee within the next available pay period following the date of hire.
• The second payment of 25% will be made within the next payroll following the 13th month of employment.
• The third payment of 25% will be made within the next payroll following two (2) years of employment.

The employee must remain employed with the County for two (2) years or repay the incentive on a pro-rated basis.

Minimum Qualifications

Licensing and Certifications:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California Driver’s License.

Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California.

Education and Experience:

• A Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from an accredited law school;
• Seven (7) years of experience as an attorney, five (5) of which will include intensive trial experience as a criminal law attorney;
• AND Three (3) years of experience in a supervisory or administrative management capacity over attorney’s providing legal counsel and indigent defense services.

General Recruitment Information

This is not exhaustive of all job responsibilities. For more details, please refer to the link provided below.

The information presented in job postings, job descriptions, or recruitment materials does not form a legally binding contract, either explicit or implicit. Benefits may differ among different employee groups. The details provided in these materials are subject to change or cancellation without prior notification. Prospective employees of the County of Lake must undergo the County's pre-employment medical review program upon receiving a conditional job offer before assuming their position with the County.

Applicants may substitute relevant experience and/or education at a 2 to 1 ratio to fulfill minimum qualifications. For further details, individuals should reach out to the Human Resources department.

ADA Accommodations

Individuals in need of accommodation during the application and/or selection process under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should reach out to County of Lake Human Resources at (707) 263-2213.

The County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer

Veteran's Preference

CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER
DEFINITION
Under policy direction of the Board of Supervisors, manages, supervises, and coordinates the operations and activities of employees, contractors and assigned counsel of the Public Defender Division ; provides efficient and effective legal defense services to indigent individuals charged with crimes in felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile matters; provides legal representation to indigent individuals facing conservatorship, guardianship, parental terminations, probate, and Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5150 proceedings, and related duties as assigned.

The Public Defender Division and Chief Public Defender shall function in accordance with Government Code 27700-2771.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is a single position responsible for the overall management and administration of the Public Defender Division, including development of the division's objectives, design and implementation of supporting programs, processes, policies, budgets, and/or procedures to successfully achieve these objectives.

The Chief Public Defender manages contract attorneys performing a full range of legal representation to low-income clients facing criminal charges. The contracted attorneys will take appropriate legal steps to defend clients, advise on proper pleas, represent clients at pretrial hearings, including preliminary examinations, and engage in negotiations with prosecuting attorneys. They conduct trials and argue cases for clients accused of misdemeanors and felonies, for clients facing involuntary commitment under civil proceedings, and for children in juvenile court proceedings. The Chief Public Defender will manage the policies to insure the above is fulfilled.

The Chief Public Defender is an official appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

This is a discrete classification. The incumbent in this management position serves at the pleasure of their appointing authority, which means the employment relationship is at-will, and that the County of Lake or the employee may terminate the relationship at any time, with or without cause.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives general direction from the Board of Supervisors and exercises direct supervision over staff attorneys, professional, technical, administrative support, and extra help employees.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the scope of duties performed by employees in this class and are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

• Assists in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures and work standards for the Public Defender's Division.
• Plan, direct, coordinate, and review the work plan for legal defense staff; assign work activities, projects, and programs; review and evaluate work products, methods, and procedures; meet with staff to identify and resolve problems.
• Direct the preparation of the Division’s budget and administer the approved budget and control expenditures.
• Assists in planning, organizing, administering, reviewing and evaluating the activities of professional and support staff; assists in the selection of staff and provides training and professional development.
• Direct, review, and evaluate the work of attorneys and investigators.
• Select, train, motivate, and evaluate legal defense personnel.
• Direct procedures to determine eligibility for Public Defender services.
• Provides technical advice to attorneys in the Division; defends the more complex, difficult, sensitive and high penalty cases.
• Serves as a staff defense attorney for court-referred clients by:
  • Interviewing potential clients; advising them of their legal rights, and determining the ineligibility for defense, including potential admission to State mental health facilities.
  • Preparing and conducting a legal defense, from pre-trial through appellate stages.
  • Negotiating with prosecution attorneys for case disposition or modification.
• Evaluate defense services for clients of diverse racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Represent indigent defendants in all phases of the proceedings in all types of cases.
• Discuss public defense cases with judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and similar persons to obtain information and possible action relative to defendants.
• Personally appear in court as defense attorney of major and other cases or at arraignment to obtain first-hand knowledge of cases going to court.
• Act as liaison with other criminal justice agencies and/or public organizations, various County departments, and funding agencies.
• Determine whether convictions should be appealed to higher courts.
• Keep up-to-date on statutory changes affecting the Public Defender Division’s programs.
• Speak before civic and professional groups to explain and interpret the Public Defender function; and attend professional meetings and conferences.
• Confer with office staff on record-keeping and reporting systems and initiate changes as required.
• Confer with the managing directors of criminal defense contracts to ensure compliance, including receiving information on non-case related data to measure the number and type of cases attorneys are handling pursuant to the contract.
• Frequently travel to various off-site locations, including the County Courthouse.
  
• Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:

• Philosophy and practice of indigent defense, including holistic representation practices.
• Duties, powers, limitations, and responsibilities of indigent defense counsel.
• Principles of criminal law and its application.
• Trial and hearing procedures.
• Rules of evidence.
• Legal research methods.
• Principles of supervision and training.
• Principles of budgeting, fiscal administration, and management.
• Public employment personnel practices including Equal Opportunity Employment, and customer service principles and practices.
• Statistical methods used for management analysis.
• Computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.

Ability to:

• Manage contract administration.
• Successfully defend criminal cases.
• Perform legal research.
• Investigate and defend criminal complaints and civil actions.
• Draft legal instruments and opinions.
• Analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence, and precedents to complex legal problems.
• Present law, facts, evidence, and arguments clearly and logically in written and oral form.
• Effectively represent the Public Defender Division in legal proceedings and hearings.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with staff, the legal community, County of Lake officials, community organizations, and other government agencies.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing by preparing and presenting reports, Board Agenda Items, grant applications, contracts and public presentations.
• Apply sound administrative judgment to complex organizational, budgetary, regulatory, and personnel problems.
• Understand, prepare and use statistical information in support of effective decision-making.

Licensing and Certifications:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California Driver’s License.

Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California.

Education and Experience:

• A Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from an accredited law school;
• Seven (7) years of experience as an attorney, five (5) of which will include intensive trial experience as a criminal law attorney;
• AND Three (3) years of experience in a supervisory or administrative management capacity over attorney’s providing legal counsel and indigent defense services

WORKING CONDITIONS, ADA, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
The County of Lake is an equal opportunity employer and will comply with its obligations under the law to provide equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Incumbents generally work in a typical office environment with adequate light and temperature. There may be occasional exposure to extreme temperatures, loud noise, fumes, noxious odors, dust, mist, gases, and poor ventilation; underground, confined, or restricted workspaces; and heights more than five stories above ground level. Incumbents may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.

Positions in this class may require local and statewide travel as necessary.

A successful candidate will be required to submit to and pass a background check prior to the appointment. Depending upon the position and/or assigned department, the background check may include but is not limited to civil and criminal history check, reference check, Live Scan, and/or credit check (as allowed under state law).

Disaster Service Workers: As members of the County of Lake Emergency Services Organization, all Lake County employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers during a proclaimed emergency and may be required to perform certain emergency services at the direction of the department and / or County.

The contents of this class specification shall not be construed to constitute any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee, nor shall it constitute a contract of employment. The County of Lake assumes no responsibility beyond the general accuracy of the document, nor does it assume responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information contained herein. The contents of this specification may be modified or revoked without notice. Terms and conditions of employment are determined through a “meet and confer” process and are subject to the Memorandum of Understanding currently in effect.

RETIREMENT - County employees are members of the California Public Employee Retirement system (CalPERS).CalPERS provides a defined benefit pension at retirement for County employees.The pension formulas and employee contribution amounts may vary by bargaining unit, date of hire, prior qualifying service, and classification. Please contact Human Resources for more information.

HEALTH AND INSURANCE BENEFITS - Medical, dental, hospital, vision, life and disability coverage is available to employees and their dependents. The County contributes $1,500 of the monthly premiums for the insurance plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL may be adjusted for current city or county government employees.

VACATION - 80 hours per year during the first five years of service, 120 hours per year after five years, and additional accruals based on years of service beyond fifteen years. Pro-rated for part-time employees.

SICK LEAVE - Accrues at a rate of 96 hours per year. Pro-rated for part-time employees.

HOLIDAYS- An average of twelve paid 8-hour holidays per year. Pro-rated for part-time employees.

SALARY - Lake County has an adopted salary schedule. The salary range for most classifications is in five increments with a provision for longevity increases. Appointments are normally made at the first step of the salary range.

SOCIAL SECURITY - County employees participate in Social Security.

CALIFORNIA STATE DISABILITY INSURANCE - SDI is available to some County employees.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLANS and CREDIT UNION MEMBERSHIPS are available to County employees.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary:

$168,132.00 - $204,360.00 Annually