Position Description The Office of the Ohio Public Defender is seeking a dedicated leader to serve as the Managing Counsel (Managing Assistant Public Defender) of the Appeals and Post-conviction (APC) Department. APC includes a team of 16 staff who collectively provide representation in a wide range of proceedings occurring after a client has been convicted of one or more non-capital crimes.
The Managing Counsel will be responsible for the mission, vision, planning, strategic direction and management of the department. The team you lead works on a variety of appeal and post-conviction issues, including constitutional rights violations, systemic litigation related to bias in the criminal legal system, the criminalization of poverty, and criminal defense immigration consequences. APC represents clients in state and federal courts on emerging criminal legal issues and regularly accepts appointments for client representation from courts across the state in appeal and post-conviction matters. Many of our clients are incarcerated throughout Ohio in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. You will supervise three Supervising Assistant Public Defenders and a Program Administrator, who together support a team of nine attorneys, two paralegals, and an administrative professional.
The Managing Counsel will possess and exercise excellent skills in leadership, communication, time management and organization, and have the demonstrated ability to think creatively, collaborate, and build teams. Managing Counsel will ensure that the agency’s mission, vision, and values are communicated to staff, integrated into their goals, and reflected in their work on behalf of clients. Managing Counsel will also work across agency divisions, with attorneys and core staff, on policy and litigation initiatives and outreach and will be a member of the Appellate Services and Managing Leadership teams. Managing Counsel must be able to handle complex cases, the ability to coordinate focused attention on identifying and addressing systemic issues, and the ability to partner collaboratively with indigent defense practitioners within OPD and across Ohio.
The essential duties performed by the position include but are not limited to:
Supervision & Leadership Supervise performance and develop staff. Plan and lead staff meetings and hold frequent one-on-one coaching meetings with supervisors. Review/approve work for content and accuracy, respond to questions and concerns and resolves problems, disseminate, and interpret policies and procedures, assist in case assignments, and make suggestions regarding representation and strategy. Complete timely annual performance evaluations, work with employees to set performance goals, prioritize and approve work schedules, identify and approve training opportunities, review and approve work hours and leave time for payroll purposes, and carry out other administrative tasks. Serves as a hiring manager to fill vacant positions and oversees training and onboarding of new department staff.
Develop and manage training and education for a variety of audiences, including internal training program for staff and external training for outside counsel and indigent defense practitioners.
In coordination with OPD’s leadership team, develop, implement, and communicate office-wide decisions, share expertise on pending legislation, and communicate agency and appeals/post-conviction policies for the representation of indigent clients throughout the state. Prepare caseload reports, annual reports, and budgetary reports/requests.
Oversee Department budget and financial resources in support of the Department and agency’s strategic initiatives and mission. Assist in budget preparation (e.g., prepare and provide information and statistical analysis on requests).
Assists the Policy and Outreach Division with legislative activities. Appear in public and private settings to discuss legal matters.
Renders legal advice to county public defenders and members of the private bar on all matters of criminal law and the provision of representation to indigent criminal defendants.
Client Representation & Strategic representation
Represent indigent criminal defendants in state and federal courts and prepare and argue cases in the courts of appeals and Supreme Court of Ohio: handle limited caseload, formulate innovative legal strategy that effectively and successfully represents indigent criminal clients, and act as lead counsel on complex cases and/or with lesser-experienced co-counsel.
Correspond and meet with clients, including clients who are incarcerated throughout the state of Ohio. Travel throughout the state of Ohio to meet with clients, stakeholders, and appear in trial and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of Ohio and federal courts.
Reviews and evaluates all case and project work within the Department.
Please submit a cover letter and a writing sample with your application. Applications without a cover letter and writing sample will not be reviewed.