Assistant Public Defender I

Position Announcement

Assistant Public Defender I

Starting Salary: $70,487.97 ($36.15/hr)

(consideration given for education and experience)

Position Status: Full-Time

The McLean County Public Defender's Office currently has an opening for a licensed defense attorney.  Applicants who apply with a law license and several years' experience will be given interview and hiring preference.  However, we welcome and will consider applications from recent grads who are waiting to take the bar exam, 711 licensed law students or third-year law students with the understanding that those with a license and experience will be given preference.  The entry level job description is detailed below.

Position Summary

Under supervision, perform a variety of professional, public defense legal work, applying professional legal principles and practices to a variety of legal assignments in an assigned operational area. Work is performed at the full performance level with considerable professional independence, discretion, judgement, and latitude in researching, preparing, and routinely defending indigent individuals in court on traffic or DUI charges.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Work involves the use of significant writing, analytical, and communications skills. Assignments may involve planning, overseeing, and directing the activities of legal office support or para-professional, as needed. Work is reviewed by a professional supervisor or the Public Defender through conferences, and results obtained.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Some knowledge of the principle and practices of the law, applicable to the position.
• Some knowledge of court procedures and trial techniques, and rules of evidence.
• Some knowledge of the methodology of legal research.
• Skill in effective listening and communicating, problem solving, and teamwork.
• Ability to analyze complex factual situations and to organize, interpret, and apply legal principles to them.
• Ability to conduct legal research, prepare appropriate legal documents, and try court cases.
• Ability to plan and schedule work in a manner conducive to full performance of the assigned work of the position.
• Ability to empathize and work with indigent clients.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions and to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, county officials, legal colleagues, and the public.

Required Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited law school; and some experience (0-1 year) in preparing and trying a variety of cases before the courts; or any equivalent combination of education and experience that would provide the above noted knowledge, skills and abilities.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois.

Work Environment

The work is performed routinely indoors, in an office or court room environment and involves exposure to normal risks typical to an office setting.  Work may expose employee to potentially violent clients, biological hazards, and infectious diseases.

Benefits Package

McLean County offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Medical Member Rewards Program
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flex Spending Account (FSA)
• Dependent Spending Account (DSA)
• Supplemental Insurance: Life, Critical Illness and Accident
• County provided Life Insurance
• Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF Pension)
• Paid time off: vacation days, personal days, sick days, holidays
• Identity Protection
• Charitable Giving
• Employee Assistance Program

About McLean County Government

The Office of the Public Defender provides attorneys to indigent clients in the courts of McLean County as mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the Illinois Constitution, and Illinois law. Ronald Lewis was appointed in April 2021 to lead this office.

McLean County is the largest county by land area in the state of Illinois with a population of over 172,000.  McLean County Government is a fast-moving and dynamic workplace established to locally administer Illinois State laws and serve the community in a variety of ways throughout our multitude of departments. With a $146 million operating budget, over 800 employees, and an Aa1 Bond Rating, McLean County Government is positioned to maintain and expand its reputation for excellence in local government.

To learn more about all the services McLean County Government provides the community, please visit https://mcleancountyil.gov/. A full list of Departments with a description of their function can be located at https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/8/Departments.

How to Apply

Click “Apply Now” at the top of this post. Your resume and a letter of interest must be uploaded at the time of your application. 

*If applying through a third party job board, please fill out an application via McLean County Government’s Job Board located at https://il-mcleancounty.civicplushrms.com/careers/Jobs.aspx

Confidentiality of your application is maintained upon request.

McLean County Government is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.