Deputy State Public Defender, Appellate Division

State of ColoradoDenver, CO, United States

4 days ago

Salary

$7,034.00 monthly

Job type

Full-time

Job description

Salary : $7,034.00 Monthly

Location : Denver, CO

Job Type : Full Time

Job Number : JCA-APPLAT-022425

Department : Office of the State Public Defender

Opening Date : 02 / 24 / 2025

Closing Date : 3 / 3 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Mountain

FLSA : Determined by Position

Primary Physical Work Address : 410 17th St Denver, CO 80202

Department Contact Information : [email protected]

Type of Announcement : This announcement is not governed by the selection processes of the classified personnel system. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.

How To Apply : Online applications through the Colorado Jobs portal will not be accepted. Please follow instructions on the job announcement for submitting an application.

Department Information

Colorado's Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) maintains a reputation as one of the top organizations in the nation specializing in the delivery of indigent criminal defense. We operate as an independent agency within the Judicial Branch of Colorado State Government with about 1,000 dedicated employees assigned to twenty-one Regional Trial Offices, a centralized Appellate Division, and a centralized Administrative Office. The mission of OSPD is to defend and protect the rights, liberties and dignity of those accused of crimes who cannot afford to retain counsel. We do so by providing constitutionally and statutorily mandated representation that is effective, zealous, inspired and compassionate.

We seek to hire professionals who are dedicated to furthering our mission and demonstrate compassion in their service to our clients. We are a fast paced, team-oriented environment, where self-motivation and a personal commitment to high performance are important attributes for success.

OSPD's Appellate Division , about 60 people strong, handles appeals of felony convictions and post-conviction rulings from across the State of Colorado.

How to Apply :

The appellate division is seeking an attorney with five or more years of experience practicing in Colorado's appellate courts who can immediately take on a high-level felony appellate caseload. Qualified individuals must e-mail a single PDF including :

Cover letter
Resume
Law school transcripts
List of references
Writing sample (unedited by others, no more than 15 pages; if your submission is an excerpt from a longer piece of writing, please provide an introduction within the 15 pages explaining the context of your excerpt)

Applications should be sent to Meghan Morris at [email protected] by Monday, March 3, 2025, 11 : 59 p.m. (Mountain Time)

Please note : only individuals selected for interview will be contacted.

We provide benefits. They include :

6 Health Plans - Kaiser and Cigna options

Basic Vision Insurance - included with medical plans

Dental Insurance

State Paid Life Insurance

State Paid Short-Term Disability

FSA - Healthcare and Dependent Care

HSA Plan with Employer Contribution

Generous Paid Time Off

11 paid holidays

Access to Mental Health and Well-Being Resources

Colorado PERA

401(k) and 457 Supplemental Retirement Plans

For more information on benefits please visit https : / / dhr.colorado.gov / state-employees / state-of-colorado-employee-benefits. For additional information on PERA visit www.copera.org.

Additional information about the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender can be found at :

Description of Job

OSPD appellate attorneys demonstrate compassion, commitment to public service, and a desire to advocate on behalf of the poor. We are team-oriented, but we are also self-directed. We believe personal commitment to high performance is an important attribute for success. We are highly skilled at research, legal analysis, writing, and oral advocacy. We manage our time effectively, we pay strong attention to detail, and we believe in the Oxford comma.

Typical responsibilities for Appellate Division attorneys include :

Reviewing trial court records and transcripts in order to identify potential issues for appeal

Conducting legal research to evaluate relative strengths and weaknesses of issues identified for appeal

Writing well-reasoned and persuasive briefs based on evidence in the appellate record and supported by accurate statements of relevant law

Promptly initiating and maintaining regular, professional communication with clients throughout an appeal via prison visits, phone, and written correspondence

Establishing positive, productive, and respectful working relationships with clients and their families, consistent with ethical obligations

Managing caseload and time to maximize personal effectiveness and to provide vigorous and effective representation to all clients

Analyzing caseload to ensure sufficient time to carefully review the appellate record, consider and discuss potential issues, conduct all necessary research, and edit and proofread all briefs

Presenting oral argument in the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court

Developing professional, cooperative, productive, and respectful relationships with all members of the Public Defender system, including administrative staff, investigators, paralegals, social workers, and attorneys

Traveling with some frequency to, and performing duties in, correctional institutions, jails, and courts

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Education and Experience :

Five or more years of experience practicing in Colorado appellate courts

Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school

License to practice law in the State of Colorado

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

Ability to immediately take on a caseload of high-level felony appeals

Exceptional written and oral communication skills;

Ability to conduct incisive legal research

Ability to review appellate records, which may include graphic visual depictions of evidence and crime scenes

Ability to process and retain large amounts of information

Ability to handle interruptions as well as challenging calls and letters

Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage confidential information

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.)

Supplemental Information

NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Office of the Colorado State Public Defender provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or other protected status, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Consistent with this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests and selection process. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation, please contact Ashley Caudle at

Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.