Chief Deputy Public Defender

Position Information

Advance your legal career and bring your passion for public service to the Public Defender's Office.


Starting salary up to $116.12/hour ($242,356/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills are highly desired!

The Chief Deputy Public Defender management level positions provide oversight to staff and the operational functions within the Public Defender's Office. They handle the most complex legal work, assist in general office management, and develop department policies and procedures. Additional duties of a Chief Deputy Public Defender include:

• Supervising attorneys, strategizing legal issues, and assessing conflicts, providing training, coaching, and feedback
• Providing coverage for caseloads and/or assigning other attorneys to cover as needed, along with approving timesheets, time-off requests, and managing attorney schedules
• Handling a caseload and calendar as necessary
• Writing evaluations for attorneys
• Assisting the Public Defender with administrative tasks
• Collaborating with the courts and justice partners to resolve emerging issues
• Creating office efficiencies and implementing changes

The ideal candidate will possess a commitment to the concepts of holistic and client-centered defense. In addition to being patient, thoughtful, and having high emotional intelligence, they should possess a genuine interest in helping other attorneys by sharing their knowledge of defense theories, investigation strategies, and trial tactics. The ideal candidate will also possess:

• Experience and training in litigating a broad range of cases
• A commitment to the concepts of holistic and client centered representation
• Skills in leading, teaching, training, coaching, and mentoring other deputy public defenders to the highest standard of the practice
• Experience in supervising teams, working in management, navigating issues with criminal justice partners, and training in leadership development/skills or management classes
• A willingness and ability to facilitate consensus and inclusion when appropriate
• Cultural competency and sensitivity to the diversity of our office, our client base, and the community
• Exceptional analytical skills and a strong written and oral communication skills
• The ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with management peers, direct reports, other public defender employees, clients, and criminal justice partners
• High-level technical knowledge and the ability to adapt to the implementation of new systems as they become available to the office

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Bilingual Premium Pay* - An additional $1.15/1.50/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for basic/fluent bilingual positions
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

T he Public Defender's Office

The Public Defender's Office has the mandated responsibility of defending any person who is not financially able to employ counsel and who is charged with the commission of any contempt or offense triable in the superior or municipal courts. Additionally, the Public Defender represents qualified individuals in probate and welfare proceedings and may represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in proceedings relating to the nature or conditions of detention prior to adjudication.

About the Community

Located less than 30 miles north of San Francisco, Sonoma County is at the threshold between the commerce-driven San Francisco Bay Area and the spectacular beauty of Northern California. The County extends over 1,500 square miles and is more than one million acres rich in scenic beauty and abundant open space and agricultural land. The stunning natural resources include the scenic coastline, the winding Russian River, the majestic redwood forests, and numerous mountain ranges.

Sonoma County is home to almost 500,000 people, with approximately 36 percent of the population residing in Santa Rosa, the County seat. A majority of the County’s residents live within the city limits of the County’s nine cities. Approximately 25% of the residents live in unincorporated areas. The region has become increasingly diverse, due in part to the rapid growth of the Latinx community, which makes up approximately 28% of the population. The County enjoys a diverse economy that includes agriculture and a world class wine region, technology, healthcare, tourism, manufacturing, craft brewing, retail, services, and more. Economic forecasts are positive, and the current unemployment rate is less than 3%.

Residents all over Sonoma County enjoy a unique quality of life. There is a wide array of park and recreation facilities, cultural events, fine dining, theater, music, arts, festivals. The County’s public school system ranks considerably high within the state as a whole including innovative charter schools and high-quality secondary education options with Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University. While home prices reflect the value of living in an area that offers an abundance of amenities, the prices of Sonoma County homes remain amongst the more affordable in the greater Bay Area.

Visit https://sonomacounty.ca.gov , https://sonomacountyconnections.org , and
https://sonomaedb.org for additional information about Sonoma County - the
place to live, work, and build your career legacy.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Chief Deputy Public Defender position in the Public Defender's Office. The employment list established from this recruitment may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of this list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future vacancies should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Significant legal experience subsequent to membership in the State Bar of California that directly relates to the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, five years of legal experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney with emphasis upon the preparation and trial of felony cases, including the equivalent of two years of experience at the level Deputy Public Defender IV with Sonoma County.

License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California. Possession of a valid California driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Extensive knowledge of: the duties, powers, limitations, and authorities of the Office of the Public Defender; the principles of criminal law, principles of trial procedure, and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; the statutory and constitutional laws of the State of California.

Considerable knowledge of: effective supervisory techniques; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.

Ability to: research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to complex legal problems; plan, assign, coordinate and review the work of subordinate professional and support personnel; effectively orient, train, supervise and evaluate subordinate departmental personnel; prepare and present statements of law, fact and argument clearly, logically and persuasively in written and oral form in all legal matters; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, the courts, law enforcement agency officials, and the general public; understand and accept differences in human behavior, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will or may be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: DP
HR Technician: EV

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: MANAGEMENT*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off :Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan :Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generousCounty contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement :Fully integrated with Social Security.For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan :Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical :County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 7/1/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

199,361

Santa Rosa, California United States View Map