Thurston County Public Defense Mission:
To Defend and Protect Our Clients' Constitutional Rights, One Person at a Time"
 

**This employment opportunity will remain open until filled.  The Thurston County Public Defense Office reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time.  To ensure consideration for this position, please submit your application as soon as possible**
 

Thurston County Public Defense (TCPD) is currently recruiting for TWO full-time Defense Attorney positions. A Defense Attorney practices in either District Court, Juvenile Court or Superior Court with moderate supervision from a higher-level defense attorney.  Immediate placement for these positions will be in District Court for Misdemeanor representation consistent with the District Court summary of duties below.

District Court:

• Manages a full misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor caseload. Prepares cases for trial, pre-trial and post-trial hearing and/or plea bargains the cases with the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney.  Also, handles miscellaneous calendar duties such as arraignment calendars, initial appearance calendars and interpreter calendars.

Superior Court:

• Manages a full or partial caseload of B and C felonies. Prepares cases for trial, pre-trial and post-trial hearing and/or plea bargains with the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. Handles miscellaneous court hearings, including but not limited to, preliminary calendars, arraignment calendars and non-compliance calendars.

Juvenile Court:

• Manages a full caseload of parents in dependency and termination cases, including representation at all statutorily required hearings, conferences and family treatment court. Performs case evaluation, additional investigation, trial/hearing preparation, settlement negotiations, motions and trials.

Other responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Reviews police reports, interviews witnesses, works with court and prosecutor to resolve cases.
• Appropriately utilizes non-attorney professional services.
• Reviews reports from DSHS, interviews appropriate parties, works with the attorney general, case workers, social workers, experts, court and related court personnel to resolve cases.
• Performs a variety of legal office work, prepares appropriate legal pleadings, does necessary research, maintains required statistical information.
• Maintains accurate and complete statistical information to be used for future needs and projections.
• Performs other legal work as required.

TCPD utilizes a holistic defense model. Holistic representation is a client-centered, community-oriented approach to criminal defense that is currently emerging as an effective and critical solution to challenges within our criminal defense system. Holistic representation is based on the principle that defense lawyers and staff need to take an interdisciplinary approach - at times beyond the courtroom - to best represent clients and to address underlying issues affecting contact with the criminal justice system.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduation from an ABA accredited school of law and must be a member of the Washington State Bar Association.
• Knowledge of all criminal rules of Washington State, techniques of interviewing and preparation and defense of all variety of criminal cases, with emphasis on lower level felonies and all misdemeanors.
• Knowledge of RCW 13.34, good communication with parents, legal custodians and guardians.
• Ability to perform legal research; analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence, and precedents to legal problems.
• Present law, facts, evidence and arguments clearly and logically in written and oral form.
• Work harmoniously and maintain good public relations.

OTHER POSITION RELATED INFORMATION:

For more information about these positions, please contact Mia Pagnotta, (360) 786-5868.

This position is:
- NOT represented by a Union
- NOT eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- Eligible for benefits

Items required to be considered for this position:
- Application
- Letter of Interest
- Resume
- Supplemental Questionnaire (Question 1)
- Applicant Disclosure Form (Pursuant to RCW Section 43.43.830) (Questions 2-10)