Caseworker

The Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) is accepting applications for multiple Legal Assistant and Legal Analyst positions. Whether you're a paralegal graduate looking to get your foot in the door after completing your paralegal certificate, or a seasoned professional looking to work in public defense, OSPD has the resources, tools, and strategies to aid you in the next steps of your career.

As part of the Caseworker team, you will work collaboratively with a team of attorneys and caseworkers to provide paralegal support in capital appeals and other matters in the California Supreme Court, the District Courts of Appeal, and the Superior Courts of California. You will support the development of appellate claims, production of appellate briefs of the highest caliber, maintain the integrity of an intricate document management system, and provide sensitive and proactive client support.

Ideal candidates for these positions will be:

• Proficient in analyzing substantive law.
• Skilled in both legal research and writing.
• Knowledgeable in legal ethics and procedure; and
• Practiced in document drafting, this includes formatting in compliance with court rules, proofreading, and cite checking.

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply!

Please take the short recruitment survey linked below: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M7N6925

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Salary

• $5,529 - $6,922/month

Qualifications

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

• LEGAL ANALYST
• LEGAL ASSISTANT

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 platforms, including Westlaw and Forecite.
• Knowledge of computer programs such as MS Office 365 Suite (i.e., Word, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and Excel), Zoom, FileMaker Pro, Adobe, and WordPerfect.
• Knowledge of California Style Manual, The Bluebook, California criminal law practice and procedure, California appellate practice and procedure California Rule of Court, and the Rules of the Supreme Court of the United States.
• Ability to meet scheduled and last-minute deadlines.
• Ability to work in a traditional office and virtual team environment.
• Ability to communicate, solve problems, and manage time effectively.
• Ability to adapt to unpredictable changes in case priorities and assignments.
• Ability to utilize the California Style Manual and/or The Bluebook to format citations in legal writing correctly.
• Ability to develop and maintain good working relations with all levels of staff relations with all levels of staff and with external agencies or court representatives.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of privileged information in compliance with applicable laws.
• Ability to learn and use technology to support paralegal-related tasks, including the use of databases and electronic court filing systems.
• Ability to use computer programs and legal research platforms in an effective manner.

Other Information

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

Department Information

The OSPD is legislatively mandated to focus its resources on postconviction appellate representation in death penalty cases and improving indigent defense in California by providing assistance and training to local public defender systems.

Mission Statement
OSPD's mission is to advocate zealously for the underrepresented, particularly those facing capital sentences, while empowering the broader defense community to ensure effective and equitable representation for all.

Diversity Statement
OSPD is committed to promoting a workplace rooted in the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. We can best serve our clients and stakeholders when we have a diverse staff that affirms and celebrates the backgrounds, learned and lived experiences, whole identities, and individual perspectives of our colleagues.

An inclusive culture improves the quality of our work lives and makes us better advocates for our clients and better colleagues to each other. We are continually growing and are committed to equitable, inclusive, and nondiscriminatory hiring practices.

OSPD encourages applications from all qualified individuals of any race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, age, and veteran status.

OSPD is recognized by the State Bar of California as a gold tier recipient of the DEI Leadership Seal Program for its on-going commitment to advancing workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion for all staff through evidence-based actions.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 9/15/2025

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process.Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How to Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Office of the State Public Defender
Human Resources
Attn: Human Recourses - TM
770 L Street, Suite 1000
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Office of the State Public Defender
Human Resources
Human Recourses - TM
770 L Street, Suite 1000
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Degree and/or School Transcripts
• Statement of Qualifications - Please see the “Statement of Qualifications” section for instructions.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Working Conditions

OSDP has two regional offices located in Oakland and Sacramento.

• The Oakland office is located downtown in a modern high-rise building near the 12th Street BART station, not to mention a variety of delicious restaurants.
• The Sacramento office is located downtown in a modern high-rise building near SacRT Light Rail stations, Downtown Commons, and plenty of shopping.

This position is eligible for remote-centric telework, which includes a minimum of three remote workdays per week. However, team coordination may require in-office work as needed and occasional travel. During onboarding and training, you will be required to report to one of the OSPD's offices daily. Business travel reimbursements consider an employee’s designated Headquarters Location, primary residence. The policy may be subject to change by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). All commute expenses to the headquartered location will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.The position requires traveling to clients, conferences, meetings, and training events up to 10% of the time and includes occasional overnight travel, up to a week. Travel is primarily by automobile but also includes occasional train, airplane, or public transportation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Benefits

The State of California offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes Health, Vision, Dental, and Retirement benefits. For more information on what is offered by the State of California, please visit:

• The California Department of Human Resources CalHR website
• The California Public Employees' Retirement System and the CalPERS website.