DEPUTY ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER I

  • LOS ANGELES COUNTY
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Mar 08, 2024
Full Time Court Administration Legal Services Other
  • Salary: $76,615.68 - $103,240.32 Annually USD

Job Description

Position/Program Information

LAW OFFICES OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER


EXAM NUMBER

7-9254A-R

REPOSTING INFORMATION

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS A REPOSTING TO REOPEN THE FILING PERIOD AND UPDATE THE ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION.

We are accepting applications starting Thursday, November 23, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. (PT).

This recruitment will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without notice.

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

Open Competitive Job Opportunity

With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation. As the largest employer in Southern California, over 112,000 employees in more than 36 Departments provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities, and many more.

Who we are
The Los Angeles County Office of the Alternate Public Defender is a premiere indigent criminal defense firm of approximately 300 attorneys and staff in over 20 offices throughout the county. Today, the Alternate Public Defender’s Office is the second-largest public defender’s office in the state. We provide the highest quality legal defense for the most vulnerable members of our society and specialize in trying the most serious cases, including the death penalty and homicide cases. We pride ourselves in providing an environment that values teamwork, a sense of family, and diversity.

Who we are looking for
We are seeking highly motivated individuals who share our passion for fighting against injustice and defending the accused. As such, you must be self-motivated, outgoing, passionate, and maintain the highest ethical standards.

Essential Job Functions

  • Interviews persons seeking legal counsel in criminal matters, determining eligibility, accepting cases and preparing necessary legal documents, and rejecting cases outside the jurisdiction of the Alternate Public Defender.
  • Represents the defense in preliminary hearings, interviewing clients and possible defense witnesses, advising clients of the appropriate course of action to be taken in their defense, cross-examining prosecution witnesses, and entering motions for dismissal and bail.
  • Represents the defense in the trial of misdemeanor cases.
  • Confers with law enforcement and investigation personnel, deputy district attorneys, prosecution witnesses, and other interested parties regarding cases.
  • Prepares legal documents such as briefs, complaints and pleadings.
  • Prepares and tries the less difficult misdemeanor criminal cases.


Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:

Admission to practice law in all courts in California.
  • You must submit proof of meeting the California State Bar requirements:
    • A copy of your current/valid California State Bar Card -OR-
    • A copy of a letter from the California State Bar that specifically states you have achieved a passing score on the California State Bar Examination AND that you have satisfied ALL of the requirements for admission to practice law at the time of filing. All correspondence must be on the California State Bar letterhead. We will not accept any other form/letter of result notification (e.g., printout from the internet).

LAW GRADUATES WITH PROVISIONAL LICENSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS EXAMINATION.

WITHHOLD INFORMATION :

No withholds will be allowed for this examination. Required education must be fully met and indicated on the application by the last day of filing.

LICENSE :

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS :
2 - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Additional Information

OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS :
This exam will consist of a structured interview weighted at 100%, measuring:
  • Professional/Technical Knowledge (General Criminal Case & Statutory Law and Constitutional Principles of California Rules of Professional Conduct as they pertain to Criminal Defense),
  • Critical Thinking,
  • Decision Making Skills,
  • Client Focus,
  • Influencing,
  • Negotiation Skills,
  • Oral Communication Skills,
  • Listening Skills,
  • Fact Finding,
  • Relationship Building Skills,
  • Ethics & Integrity, and
  • Cultural & Individual Sensitivity.
Candidates must meet the REQUIREMENTS and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination in order to be placed on the Eligible Register.

NOTE: All notifications including invitation letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application.

Please add the below email addresses to your email address book and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

  • ecervantes@hr.lacounty.gov
  • info@governmentjobs.com
  • talentcentral@shl.com
  • noreply@proctoru.com
  • donot-reply@amcatmail.com
Los Angeles County will not consider claims of not viewing or receiving notification to be a valid reason for late test administration or rescheduling of a test component.

If you choose to unsubscribe to electronic notices, you may access your governmentjobs.com profile for a copy of sent electronic notices for this exam.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION :
Applications must be filed online only. We must receive your application BEFORE 5:00 p.m., PT, on the last day of filing. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person will not be accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline. You may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Requirement as listed on this job bulletin. Provide any relevant job experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.

IMPORTANT: Please note that all information included in the application materials is subject to verification at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or rescission of appointment. Utilizing verbiage from the Class Specification and Minimum requirements serving as your description of duties will not be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and you may be disqualified.

TEST PREPARATION:
Study guides and other test preparation resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help you prepare for the test, we advise you to review all related materials that you deem necessary.
  • An interactive, Online Test Preparation System for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at http://hr.lacounty.gov/ . Please click on "Find A Job" and then "Job Search Toolkit." Test preparation information is located under the "Employment Test Assistance" section.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION :
The names of candidates receiving a passing grade in the examination will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months.

VACANCY INFORMATION :
The resulting eligible register will be used to fill vacancies with the Law Offices of the Alternate Public Defender.

AVAILABLE SHIFT : Any
___________________________________________________________________________

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI) :
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER :
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES :
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.

NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD :
All applicants must file their application online using their OWN user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

TESTING ACCOMMODATION :

If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application. Please note, that you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.

Testing Accommodations Coordinator: TestingAccommodations@hr.lacounty.gov Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077
California Relay Services Phone:
(800) 735-2922
Department Contact Name: Elia Cervantes
Department Contact Phone:
(213) 738-2037
Department Contact Email:
ecervantes@hr.lacounty .gov
Exam Number: 7-9254A-R

For detailed information, please click here

Job Address

Los Angeles, California United States View Map