Attorney 1 - Public Defender

Join the largest Public Defender office in Eastern Washington!
Established in 1970, our office has grown to include 60+ dedicated attorneys serving across a wide range of practice areas, including:

• Juvenile (civil & criminal) defense
• Adult misdemeanor & felony defense
• Civil commitments
• And more

Be part of a legacy of justice, advocacy, and community impact.

TOTAL COMPENSATION: $92,718 - $112,792 annually. Total compensation is an estimate based upon base compensation, median retirement fund contributions, and current employer-paid health and related benefit contribution rates (including medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability, and leave). The actual total will vary depending upon each employee's enrollment choices.

• Assists or independently represents the County or a client in court, at various stages of the criminal justice process.    
• Evaluates and analyzes the facts and evidence of cases or assignments. 
• Conducts legal research and analysis, provides legal opinions or memorandums, prepares/files/responds to various legal documents and correspondence within prescribed timeframes.
• Addresses issues, questions and concerns regarding statutory procedures and requirements.  
• Works with investigators, paralegals, and other administrative staff to manage court dates, filings, and case investigations.
• Maintains appropriate communication with individuals party to a case/assignment.  
• Researches and stays informed of new court decisions, new laws and revised rules and regulations. 
• Performs other related duties as required/assigned.

• Provides legal representation to indigent individuals in arraignments/initial hearings, pre-trial/status conferences, review and evidentiary hearings, plea bargaining processes, trials, verdicts, and sentencings.  Provides legal counsel and advice, interviews and selects appropriate witnesses, prepares witnesses to give testimony, presents argument in court and conducts direct and cross examination of witnesses.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.)  from an accredited college or university school of law.
• Licensed to practice law, with WA State Bar Association (WSBA) membership in good standing. 
  • If not yet admitted to the practice of law, candidates may be hired who possess a J.D. and have functioned as a WSBA licensed Rule 9 Legal Intern in the nine (9) months prior to their employment application date.  If hired under Rule 9 status, candidates must sit for and pass the WA State Bar Examination or otherwise be admitted to the practice of law in WA State by the WSBA within a specified timeframe (not to exceed one year from date of hire) as a condition of continued employment.
• Public Defender’s Office only: if not licensed to practice law in WA State, must meet the requirements under APR 8- Exception for Indigent Representation.  
  • Candidate must be a member in good standing of the bar in another state and have applied and be pending approval by the WSBA under WA Supreme Court APR 3.   
• One (1) year of prior experience as a law clerk or legal intern is preferred.

• Knowledge of principles and practices of criminal or civil law as required by the position.
• Knowledge of judicial procedures and rules of evidence.
• Skilled in communicating effectively both orally and in writing, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to give and receive work direction.
• Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the general public and parties affected by the court and administration.
• Ability to analyze, evaluate and organize facts, evidence and legal procedures and to present information orally and in writing in a clear and logical form.
• Ability to analyze and prepare a variety of legal documents and instruments.