Assistant District Attorney

Assistant District Attorney

Jason Rogers Williams took office as the Orleans Parish District Attorney on January 11, 2021, and is building a 21st century prosecutors' office with a team of the best and brightest lawyers from around the country and a mission of being as smart on crime as the office has historically been tough on crime. It is the mission of OPDA to increase public safety through the ethical, consistent, and zealous enforcement of the law.

Duties and Responsibilities:

To represent the State of Louisiana in all criminal matters before courts with jurisdiction in Orleans Parish. These courts include, but are not limited to: Municipal and Traffic Court, Juvenile Court, Criminal District Court, the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

ADAs are generally assigned to one of OPDA's five primary legal divisions: Juvenile Division, Screening Division, Trials Division, Appeals Division, and Civil Rights Division. Within the Juvenile and Trials Divisions, ADAs are generally assigned to specific sections of court. ADAs may also be assigned to one of several specialized, in-house units: Domestic Violence Unit, Narcotics Unit, Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Unit, and Violent Crimes Unit.

Typical duties include: reviewing felony and misdemeanor cases for prosecution; interacting with law enforcement, victims, and witnesses; drafting bills of information, motions, and other pleadings; preparing discovery; performing legal research; appearing and arguing in court with regularity; developing trial strategies and conducting plea negotiations; and conducting jury selection and trials.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Member of the Louisiana Bar in good standing, or 3L student or recent law school graduate planning to take the Louisiana bar exam
• Ability to conduct legal research and apply legal analysis to factual scenarios
• Public speaking ability and effective communication skills
• Comfort with technology, including ability to learn case management software
• Ability to work flexible hours, including some weeks of over 40 hours
• Dependability in both attendance and work product

Salary and Benefits:

Salary commensurate with experience.

Entry Level ADA: Ranges from $65,000 (no litigation experience) to $70,000 (may have some litigation experience, but no substantial criminal prosecution experience).

Intermediate ADA: Ranges from $71,000 to $82,000. Hires in this range are expected to have litigation experience and proficiency in criminal law.

Experienced ADA: Ranges from $82,000 to $105,000 starting salary. Hires in this range are expected to hold a high degree of proficiency in criminal prosecution, with substantial jury trial experience handling all levels cases.

New ADA hires may be eligible for:

• Enrollment in the City of New Orleans health insurance plan Includes:(medical, dental, vision)
• 6.44 hours of sick leave and no fewer than 6.44 hours of vacation leave per month (6.44 hours per month = approximately 10 days per year)
• Enrollment in the Louisiana District Attorneys' Retirement System
• Enrollment in the Louisiana Public Employees Deferred Compensation Plan
• Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
• A generous paid holiday schedule
• Frequent, free opportunities for Continuing Legal Education and other relevant training

Classification:

Full-time, exempt

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

OPDA is an equal-opportunity employer. The office values a diverse workforce and management reflective of the communities that it serves. Accordingly, OPDA adheres to a policy of making employment, promotion, and other personnel decisions without regard to race, culture, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, caregiver status, age, disability, or other legally protected class ad defined by federal or Louisiana law.