DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER I - EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT/HOMELESS INITIATIVE

Position/Program Information

**THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR A CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION**

RECRUITMENT TYP E :

We welcome applications from anyone.

FILING DATES :

The application filing period will begin on Thursday, November 06, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) - Continuous. We will keep accepting applications until the position is filled. The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.

EXAM NUMBER:

L9246K-EA

REPOSTING INFORMATION:

This announcement is being reposted to reopen the filing period.

SPECIAL SALARY INFORMATION:
Manpower Shortage Bonuses: Due to a critical shortage, new and current employees will be granted a temporary bonus placing them at step 6 of the salary range (resulting in approximately 28% on top of the base salary). This temporary bonus is in effect until June 30, 2026, or until it is determined that a shortage no longer exists, whichever happens sooner.

WHO WE ARE:

The Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office is the finest client-centered criminal defense firm in the nation, serving as a beacon for both evolutionary and revolutionary changes in the justice system. Our Offices are led by innovative and progressive leaders working collaboratively towards our agency’s mission of reducing the incarceration rate for our indigent clientele. We are seeking passionate professionals to join its team of deputy public defenders dedicated to providing the best client representation and advocating for their rights.

We are an essential contributor to Los Angeles County’s homelessness emergency response. Through its legal services, the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office works to facilitate the diversion of thousands of low-income community members annually from LA County’s jails and into treatment services and works to reduce the collateral social and economic impacts of contact with the criminal legal system, such as losing employment, social services, and housing. The collective services provided and supported by our workforce have a direct and indirect positive impact on our local homelessness crisis.

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness , and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

POSITION INFORMATION: The Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Deputy Public Defender I (DPD I) vacancies related to the homelessness crisis. Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements and successfully pass the Department’s selection interview process may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

During your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to DPD I.

WITHHOLD:
No withhold will be allowed. Required experience/education must be fully met at the time of filing, and clearly indicated on the application.

Essential Job Functions

As a DPD I, you will perform less complex legal tasks in the defense of criminal cases and rotate through a variety of developmental assignments designed to prepare you for handling average-difficulty misdemeanor cases or less complex felony cases. Your role as a DPD is vital to fulfilling the mission and vision of the Office. All DPDs are required to be available and willing to work anywhere within the County of Los Angeles.

Click here for a detailed summary and description of the DPD I job functions.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:

Be admitted with the California Bar Association to practice law in all courts in California. The following are types of acceptable documents to verify your admission to practice law:

• A legible copy (photocopy or PDF format) of your active California (CA) State Bar Card. The watermark on the CA State Bar Card must be visible and indicate the current year (e.g., 2025).

• If you recently passed the bar and have not received your CA State Bar Card, a legible copy (photocopy or PDF format) of the letter from the State Bar of California Office of Admissions indicating that you have achieved a passing score on the CA State Bar Examination -AND- the records reflect that you have satisfied ALL of the requirements for admission to practice law at the time of filing. All correspondence must be on the CA State Bar Card letter head.

• The following Letters of Admission to Practice Law in California WILL NOT be accepted:
  • Records indicating you submitted or need to submit an Application for Determination of Moral Character (Determination Application) and is pending determination.
  • Records indicating that you have not taken the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).
  • Records indicating that you have outstanding fees.

You MUST meet the above requirement(s) and successfully pass the Department’s selection interview process in order to be appointed to fill any vacancies related to this recruitment.

LAW GRADUATES WITH PROVISIONAL LICENSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RECRUITMENT.

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.

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.

Successful applicants for positions that require driving must obtain and present a copy of their driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before final appointment. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant’s driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

EDUCATION:
In order to receive credit for the required degree/coursework, certification, and/or license, you must include a legible copy of your active CA State Bar Card, or if you have recently passed the bar and have not yet received your CA State Bar Card , a legible copy of the letter from the State Bar of California Office of Admissions confirming you have passed the CA State Bar Card and satisfied all requirements for admission to practice law. Documentation must be submitted at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from the last day of filing. Please submit documentation to Exams@pubdef.lacounty.gov and indicate your name, the exam name, and the exam number.

VETERAN'S CREDIT:
If you are a veteran, you may be eligible for veteran’s credit, which is an additional 10% of the total points added to a passing score. We will need a copy of your form DD214 to review, so please include that with your application or email it to the exam analyst at Exams@pubdef.lacounty.gov as soon as possible so, if you are eligible for veteran’s credit, we can include it before the list is available.

Additional Information

ASSESSMENT PROCESS:

Before the end of your initial work period, the department will evaluate your work performance. Candidates who achieve a passing score will be considered for permanent appointment to DPD I. If permanently appointed, you will be subject to a probationary period based on the classification.

ELIGIBILIGY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:

Applicants under this Emergency Appointment recruitment effort will be appointed to fill vacancies within the Los Angeles County Public Defender' Office. Applications will be processed as they are received and added to the list accordingly.

SPECIAL INFORMATION:

Appointees to this position MUST BE WILLING to work any shift and in any Los Angeles County location and may be subject to transfer at any time.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.

Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.

We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.

We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.

•HM oreno@pubdef.lacounty.gov
• Exams@pubdef.lacounty.gov

• Personnel@pubdef.lacounty.gov ,

• noreply@governmentjobs.com ,

• i nfo@governmentjobs.com .

New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or 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 user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

Department Contact Name: Hector Moreno
Department Contact Phone: (213) 460-8068

Department Contact Email: Exams@pubdef.lacounty.gov
California Relay Service Phone (Voice Carry Over [VCO]): (800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

• 

• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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