Attorney - Assistant Public Defender (Levels II, III, & IV)

ATTORNEY - ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER (Levels II, III & IV)

Annual Salary Range: $79,060.80 - $105,206.40

Hours: Full Time Employee

Location: Public Defenders Office

Category: Attorney

Position Summary

Serve as the attorney of record of indigent defendants in criminal cases ensuring that Jackson County meets all constitutional and legislative requirements. Easily apply by entering your personal contact information into our job application and uploading your cover letter and resume. Criminal law, jury trial, and high-severity felony case experience preferred but not required.

Position Description

SALARY COMMENSURATE WITH EXPERIENCE:

Primarily seeking Public Defender Levels I and II at this time but open to candidates with Level III and IV experience as well.

To qualify for placement as Public Defender II, III or IV candidates must have a Juris Doctorate degree, State Bar License with evidence of good professional standing. Qualifications as set forth in MIDC proposed Standard 7, compliance with Standard I CLE, and experience levels defined below. Higher compensation determined based on years of criminal defense experience with a record of high-quality criminal trial court representation and ability to handle high severity felony cases.

Public Defender II: $79,060.80 to $88,982.40
Served as co-counsel or second chair in a prior trial (misdemeanor, felony, bench or jury) or equivalent experience. Criminal Law experience preferred.

Public Defender III: $85,009.60 to $95,638.40
Has practiced criminal law for one full year (as prosecutor, public defender, or private criminal defense) and has been trial counsel alone or handled a significant portion of a trial in two criminal cases that have reached a verdict with a minimum of one trial that included a jury.

Public Defender IV: $93,496.00 to $105,206.40
Has practiced criminal law for five years and been trial counsel alone or as lead for seven felony criminal cases that have been submitted to a jury or has a significant record of consistently high quality criminal trial court representation and the ability to handle a high-severity felony case.

A valid Michigan Drivers’ License is also required.
 

BENEFITS EFFECTIVE DATE OF HIRE!

This is an exempt level position with excellent benefits, including health, life, disability, paid time off and paid holidays, effective date of hire!

CORE BENEFITS (Provided at no cost): $3,000 Cash-In-Lieu of Insurance; $30,000 Life Insurance, $30,000 AD&D; Long-Term Disability; Employee Wellness Benefits; Employee Assistance Program; Paid Holidays; Paid Time Off (based on length of service); Paid bereavement leave; and Education Assistance of up to $3,000 annually.

OPTIONAL BENEFITS (cost share required): Medical, Prescription, Dental, Vision; Optional Life Insurance for employee, spouse and dependent children; Short-Term Disability; Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical and/or Dependent Care); Health Savings Account; Consumerism Card; Legal Shield & ID Shield.

Full time employees are also offered an Employer match of up to 5% in our Defined Contribution Plan and greater than two times the employee contribution to our Retirement Health Savings Plan. The Employee contribution for the RHS Plan is $900 annually with an employer contribution of $2,050 annually.

For full benefit details, go to https://www.mijackson.org/439/Employment-Benefits