ILTA Career Center

Do you seek rewarding work with a social justice mission? Join the Office of the Federal Public Defender in advocating for indigent defendants facing criminal charges in federal court. The Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon is accepting applications for a full time Assistant Federal Public Defender based in our Portland Office.

The Federal Public Defender’s Office is committed to improving diversity in the legal profession. The nature of our work leads us to invest in recruiting colleagues who demonstrate experience with, knowledge of, and sensitivity to the needs of culturally diverse and oppressed populations. We seek candidates with a demonstrated commitment to working with marginalized communities and with clients from a range of backgrounds.

PRIMARY JOB DUTIES

• Represent indigent individuals charged with violating federal criminal statutes by handling all stages of federal criminal trial matters in the district court.
• Frequently appear in court before both magistrate judges and district court judges. Court appearances include: initial appearances, pretrial release hearings, motion hearings, trials, sentencings, appeals, and probation violation proceedings.
• Advocate for clients from diverse backgrounds, including those with histories of trauma, mental health, and substance abuse issues.
• Work in teams with investigators, paralegals, legal assistants, social workers, and contracted experts.
• Support clients with holistic problem-solving during pretrial, trial, and sentencing proceedings, as well as with reentry into the community.
• Write persuasive briefs to achieve client goals and work for improvement in the law.
• Maintain frequent client contact in person, by phone, and in writing.

How To Apply: Interested applicants should e-mail:

• A letter of interest
• A resume
• A relevant writing sample
• Contact information for 3 professional references

 in .pdf format (ideally in a single document) to:

Travis Southworth-Neumeyer, Personnel Administrator

oregon_personnel@fd.org

Subject: AFPD - Portland

Open until filled. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Priority will be given to applications received prior to February 14, 2023. More than one position may be filled from this advertisement, including career and limited duration appointments. All responses will remain confidential. Only candidates in consideration for this position will be contacted.

The Federal Public Defender’s Office is committed to improving diversity in the legal profession. We encourage applications from individuals with diverse perspectives, especially people historically underrepresented in the practice of law.

The Federal Public Defender is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

See FAQ at  http://or.fd.org/content/employment

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Applicants must have the knowledge, skills, and ability needed to immediately defend indigent individuals in criminal cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.
• Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited law school and an active member in good standing of the bar in any state, territory or possession.
• Applicants must have at least 3 years of state or federal criminal practice, have recent, substantial criminal felony trial-level experience; strong written and oral advocacy skills; and a proven commitment to indigent criminal defense.
• Strong technological, organizational, and interpersonal skills are required.
• A demonstrated commitment to and comfort working with diverse communities and with clients from a range of backgrounds is required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Federal court ex­perience, immigration law experience, and Spanish-language skills are all preferred qualifications.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Application materials, interviews, and reference check information must demonstrate that the candidate possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to this office’s mission of zealously protecting our clients’ interests.

About Federal Public Defender - District of Oregon

The Office of the Federal Public Defender, District of Oregon, operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act of 1964 (CJA), 18 U.S.C. § 3006A. We provide defense services to individuals who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation in federal criminal cases and other covered matters, such as an investigation for a federal offense, contact by a law enforcement agency concerning a federal investigation, subpoenaed to appear in U.S. District Court, etc.

Connections working at Federal Public Defender - District of Oregon