Attorney Public Defender - Missoula

Admission to the State Bar of Montana is required on date of hire.

Assistant Public Defenders represent indigent clients in cases including: felony and misdemeanor criminal charges; delinquent youth proceedings; involuntary mental health or developmental disability commitments; abuse and neglect proceedings; dependent/neglect matters; and guardianship or conservatorship proceedings, as described in the Montana Public Defender Act. http://leg.mt.gov/bills/MCA_toc/47.htm

Assistant Public Defenders are expected to exercise their own professional judgment and provide competent indigent defense casework pursuant to the Public Defender Commission standards http://publicdefender.mt.gov/Standards/StandardsTOC.asp . Case assignments are determined by the Regional Deputy Public Defender or Managing Attorney. Assistant Public Defenders duties include but are not limited to case investigation and strategy, discovery review, motion work, plea negotiations, trial preparation and completion, and sentencing.


Qualifications:


Applicants must be knowledgeable of legal and court policies, procedures, practices, terminology and systems; state and federal laws; rules and regulations; principles and practices of law enforcement. Must have verbal and written communication, negotiation, problem-solving and decision-making skills; must be self-motivated, flexible, and client-oriented; capable of spotting and framing issues to advance the client’s interests. Must have the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, the public, witnesses, judges/ court personnel, and law enforcement/prosecution personnel.

The minimum requirements include a JD from an ABA accredited law school. Ideal candidates will include recent graduates or experienced attorneys who have a strong desire to work in indigent defense. Admission to the State Bar of Montana is required on date of hire.

To learn more about Admissions to the State Bar of Montana check out this web site at http://montanabar.site-ym.com/?page=AdmissionInfo When is the deadline to apply? The deadline for the February exam is October 1 st and the deadline for the July exam is March 15 th .


Eligible Training Assignment:

56,232.00