Assistant Public Defender

Assistant Public Defender - Lima, OHThe Office of the Ohio Public Defender is seeking a qualified attorney to serve as an Assistant Public Defender (APD) in the Northwest Regional Hub (NWRH) of our Trial Services Division. The NWRH is located in Lima, OH and serves individuals in Allen County, Hardin County, and Putnam County. The APD position will represent indigent trial-level clients facing misdemeanor and felony criminal charges in Common Pleas, Municipal, and Juvenile courts within those counties. The successful APD candidate will thrive in a close-knit team environment and be interested in trial-level work and providing client service in a fast-paced work environment. A successful candidate will also be eager to work with a supervisor to learn the intricacies of the position and provide high-quality representation. Essential duties of this position include but are not limited to: Prepare cases for trial, Try cases as lead counsel or as co-counsel, Represent clients in community control violations, Conduct pre-trial conferences, hearings, and plea negotiations, Examine witnesses, Present legal arguments and evidence.* Please submit a writing sample and cover letter with your application. Recent law school graduates awaiting bar results are encouraged to apply. Applications without these attachments will not be reviewed. * 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 6 months and annually thereafter. We typically have fiscal year Cost of Living Adjustments as well.FY27 Pay RangeStep 1 Hourly $36.75 Annual $76,440Step 2 Hourly $38.75 Annual $80,600Step 3 Hourly $40.87 Annual $85,010Step 4 Hourly $43.07 Annual $89,586Step 5 Hourly $45.50 Annual $94,640Step 6 Hourly $47.95 Annual $99,736Step 7 Hourly $49.92 Annual $103,834Step 8 Hourly $52.27 Annual $108,722The 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 View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io Work for the State of OhioAt 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.QualificationsAdmission 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; Analyzation; Attention to Detail; Reasoning; Verbal Communication; Written Communication