Job Description Summary

Department - Public Defense Services

Job Description

THIS RECRUITMENT IS TO ESTABLISH A REGISTER for future ATTORNEY I vacancies which serve all levels/assignments of Attorney in the offices of the Pima County Public Defense Services Department (Legal Advocate; Legal Defender; Mental Health Defender; Office of Children's Counsel; Public Defender; Public Fiduciary). Law students in their 3rd and 4th year, who will qualify by the time of hire, are welcome to apply. Qualification for hire includes Juris Doctorate and admission to the Arizona State Bar. The Pima County Public Defense Services Department DOES NOT hire applicants whose eligibility is limited to the Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program (ALAP). Applicants MUST be eligible for full licensure with the State Bar of Arizona at time of hire.

Job Type: Unclassified

Job Classification: 3001 - Attorney I

Salary Grade: A2

Pay Range

Pay Range: $84,947 - $161,387 Annually

Range Explanation: 

• Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity.
• Pay Range is the entire compensation range for the position. 

Coordinates and conducts professional legal work in units within the Office of the Pima County Attorney and offices within the Public Defense Services Department. Incumbents perform entry level and/or intermediate level legal work in the area assigned for either criminal or civil cases. Attorneys at this level prepare, defend or prosecute, and resolve entry level to advanced-level licensed professional legal work. Attorneys at this level receive close supervision from higher-level attorney personnel in the performance of their duties. More experienced attorneys in this classification work more independently under the general supervision of higher-level attorney personnel.

Pima County Public Defense Services represents indigent individuals upon appointment by the Court in felony cases, misdemeanor cases, juvenile delinquency matters, dependency and severance proceedings, Title 36 proceedings, guardianship cases, and appeals in Pima County. Attorneys provide direct client representation and handle diverse caseloads of various offenses, allegations, and degrees of seriousness. Attorneys work collaboratively and holistically with paralegals and/or secretaries, social workers, and investigators to understand the circumstances and priorities of each client and advocate for their desired outcomes through strategic and personalized litigation, negotiation, and mitigation.

For more information on the Pima County Public Defense Services Department and the offices in this department, please visit their website at: www.pima.gov/pds.

This classification is in the unclassified service and is exempt from the Pima County Merit System Rules.

Essential Functions:

As defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, this classification may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class. Work assignments may vary depending on the department’s need and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.

• Prosecutes or defends a variety of criminal or civil cases in Justice Court, Juvenile Court, Superior Court, Federal Court, and Appellate Courts which may include misdemeanor, felony, dependency, delinquency, mental health, guardianship, conservatorship, probate administration, contract, tort, environmental, real estate, tax issues, child support, or appellate cases;
• Represents County departments, boards and commissions in civil litigation and administrative matters;
• Engages in negotiations for compromise and settlement of cases and complies with Victims’ Rights;
• Engages in pretrial, trial, post-trial and appellate practice as required by cases;
• Prepares litigation, deposes witnesses, provides witness notification, and conducts bench and jury trials;
• Researches legal questions;
• Researches and drafts legal motions, pleadings, briefs and other legal documents;
• Reviews, evaluates, and participates in investigations;
• Complies with all rules regulating professional responsibility;
• Upholds the values and goals of the assigned Department and County.

Minimum Qualifications:

Juris Doctorate.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application. 
 
Preferred Qualifications: (Be specific in describing your experience in your application. Ensure the descriptions provided illustrate your competencies, specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications.):

• Applicant is licensed to practice law in Arizona, is currently pending admission to the State Bar of Arizona or plans to take the Arizona Bar Exam within the next 6 months.

Selection Procedure: 
Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.  

 

Supplemental Information: 

Licenses and Certificates: Admission to the Arizona State Bar at time of appointment, which must be maintained in good standing. All positions require a valid Arizona Class D driver license at the time of application or appointment. Failure to obtain/maintain the required licensure shall be grounds for termination.

Special Notice Items: All positions may require satisfactory completion of a personal background investigation by the court or law enforcement agencies, due to the need for access to County Attorney and Court facilities, records, and communication systems. The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education, and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County. Pima County determines whether a position is eligible for visa sponsorship at the time of recruitment. Eligibility is based on the requirements of the position and applicable laws and regulations. Not all positions with Pima County are eligible for visa sponsorship.

Physical/Sensory Requirements: Frequently operates a computer and other office equipment. Frequently observes details at close range. Frequently speaks to clients, witnesses, and other case involved parties, such as law enforcement agencies and experts in-person and/or on the phone. Regularly works in a professional office setting. Occasionally drives to conduct field work. Occasionally must lift and carry items. Occasionally remains in a stationary position. Occasionally moves about inside an office. Speaking Activity - in person and on the phone; Vision - operate a motor vehicle.

Working Conditions: Regular, daily attendance is an essential function for this position. Regularly receives and responds to telephone calls, text messages and emails. Drives to visit clients and witnesses at residence or at jail, and other locations to speak with other case involved parties.

EEO Information: Pima County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, kinship, political interest, or any other characteristic protected by law.