Attorney

Job Description

Job Description and Duties
The Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) is currently seeking one or two candidates to join its dynamic team as Barry P. Helft Appellate Fellow Attorneys. Ideal candidates for the Fellowship position will be newly admitted to the California Bar or in their first few years of practice. If you have a commitment to working on behalf of the most marginalized Californians, excellent writing skills, and a willingness to challenge yourself with high-level capital and non-capital defense appellate work, please join us. Barry P. Helft worked nearly 50 years in the practice of law and spent 25 of those years at OSPD. His name is attached to this fellowship as the embodiment of the vow that OSPD lawyers make to their clients to provide the best representation available. OSPD fulfills that promise by providing the mentorship and training our attorneys need to become the best appellate litigators they can be. Barry made the same promise to each lawyer he trained: Regardless of your skill level when starting at OSPD, you will be a better lawyer when you leave than you were when you started. The goal of this fellowship is to continue to fulfill the promise to the next generation of appellate defenders. The Barry P. Helft Fellow Attorney is a limited-term appointment in OSPD's Appellate Division Fellowship Program. Fellows are employed at will, and the total term of employment is up to 24 months, subject to funding availability. Under direct supervision from an Attorney Supervisor, or a designee, fellows perform a wide variety of challenging legal work, including (1) providing high-quality and effective assistance of counsel to indigent persons who are appealing their criminal convictions in the California Courts of Appeal and/or the California Supreme Court; (2) drafting amicus briefs and/or letters filed by OSPD on matters crucial to the development of criminal law as it relates to indigent defendants; (3) assisting in developing arguments in support of systemic litigation to address inequities in the criminal justice system. Applicants for the Attorney Fellowship class must be active members of the California Bar. Candidates in their last year of law school or who have not yet taken or passed the California State Bar exam may apply to the Graduate Legal Assistant class at JC-524236 . For more information on the Barry P. Helft Fellowship: Click Here You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .

Minimum Requirements
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification. ATTORNEY

Desirable Qualifications
In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate: Knowledge of legal research methods and performing research. Knowledge of legal principles and their application. Knowledge of the scope and character of California statutory law and the provisions of the California Constitution. Knowledge of principles of administrative, constitutional, and criminal law. Knowledge of trial and hearing procedures and rules of evidence. Knowledge of computer programs in an efficient and effective manner. Ability to perform research and investigation. Ability to analyze, appraise, and apply legal principles, and precedents to legal problems. Ability to present statements of fact, law, and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form. Ability to prepare correspondence and legal memorandums involving the explanation of legal matters. Ability to work in a team environment. Ability to develop and maintain good working relations with all levels of staff. Ability to maintain security and confidentiality of privileged information in compliance with applicable laws. The Fellowship is designed for recent law school graduates and early career attorneys who are committed to public service and have excellent writing skills.