GRADUATE LEGAL ASSISTANT

Job Description and Duties

The Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) is currently seeking up to two candidates to join its dynamic team as Barry P. Helft Appellate Fellows. Ideal candidates for the Fellowship will be third-year law students. If you have a commitment to civil rights work on behalf of the most marginalized Californians, excellent writing skills, and a willingness to challenge yourself with high-level capital and non-capital defense appellate work, please join us.

Barry P. Helft worked nearly 50 years in the practice of law and spent 25 of those years at OSPD. His name is attached to this fellowship as the embodiment of the vow that OSPD lawyers make to their clients to provide the best representation available. OSPD fulfills that promise by providing the mentorship and training our attorneys need to become the best appellate litigators they can be. Barry P. Helft made the same promise to each lawyer he trained: Regardless of your skill level when starting at OSPD, you will be a better lawyer when you leave than you were when you started. The goal of this fellowship is to continue to fulfill that promise to the next generation of appellate defenders.

The Barry P. Helft Fellow is a limited-term appointment in OSPD’s Appellate Division Fellowship Program. Fellows are employed at will, and the total term of employment is up to 24 months, subject to funding availability. Under direct supervision from an Attorney Supervisor, or a designee, the Graduate Legal Assistant (GLA) perform a wide variety of challenging legal work including: (1) providing high quality and effective assistance of counsel to indigent persons who are appealing their criminal convictions in the California Courts of Appeal and/or the California Supreme Court; (2) drafting amicus briefs and/or letters filed by OSPD on matters crucial to the development of criminal law as it relates to indigent defendants; (3) assisting in developing arguments in support of systemic litigation to address inequities in the criminal justice system.

Applicants must have current eligibility to take the California State Bar exam. Persons in their last year of law school may compete in the examination but may not be appointed until they have eligibility to take the California State Bar exam. Candidates who are already active members of the California Bar may apply to the Attorney Fellowship class at JC-526084.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 10/15/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Office of the State Public Defender

Human Resources Office

Attn: LD Gutierrez

770 L Street, Suite 1000

Sacramento , CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Office of the State Public Defender

Human Resources Office

LD Gutierrez

770 L Street, Suite 1000

Sacramento , CA 95814

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Other - Cover Letter
• Other - Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your legal work. 
• Other - Education Documents - Provide proof of your Juris Doctor (JD) and transcript. 
• Other - Legal Writing Sample - Please see "Legal Writing Sample" section for instructions. 

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Benefits

The State of California offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes Health, Vision, Dental, and Retirement benefits. For more information on what is offered by the State of California, please visit:

• The California Department of Human Resources  CalHR website.
• The California Public Employees' Retirement System  CalPERS website.

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website:

Human Resources Contact:
Lady Diana Gutierrez
View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov
View email address on calcareers.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Jannet Esparza
View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov
View email address on calcareers.ca.gov

California Relay Service: View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov (TTY), View phone number on calcareers.ca.gov (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

GLA Examinations

You must take and pass the GLA examination to establish list eligibility:

• To take the exam, visit:  Graduate Legal Assistant
• To take the exam, visit:  Graduate Legal Assistant (LEAP)