Job Description Summary

Department - Public Defense Services

Job Description

OPEN TO CURRENT PIMA COUNTY EMPLOYEES ONLY

Job Type: Unclassified

Job Classification: 3002 - Attorney II

Salary Grade: A3

Pay Range

Pay Range: $94,494 - $179,524 Annually 

Range Explanation: 

• Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity.

• Pay Range is the entire compensation range for the position. 

The Attorney II coordinates and conducts professional legal work in units within offices of the Public Defense Services Department. Incumbents perform advanced level legal work in the area assigned for either criminal or civil matters. Attorneys at this level regularly prepare, defend or prosecute, and resolve the most complex legal work involving serious and consequential matters or voluminous caseloads requiring specialized experience and training, demanding a higher degree of resourcefulness, skill and knowledge than that assigned to lower-level attorneys. Work is performed with considerable latitude, independent judgment, and professional discretion.

Pima County Public Defense Services represents indigent individuals upon appointment by the Court in felony cases, misdemeanor cases, juvenile delinquency matters, dependency and severance proceedings, Title 36 proceedings, guardianship cases, and appeals in Pima County. Attorneys provide direct client representation and handle diverse caseloads of various offenses, allegations, and degrees of seriousness. Attorneys work collaboratively and holistically with paralegals and/or secretaries, social workers, and investigators to understand the circumstances and priorities of each client and advocate for their desired outcomes through strategic and personalized litigation, negotiation, and mitigation.  

The current promotional position is available within the Public Defense Service Department - Legal Defender Division. 

This classification is in the unclassified service and is exempt from the Pima County Merit System Rules.

Essential Functions:

As defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, this classification may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class. Work assignments may vary depending on the department’s need and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.

• Prosecutes or defends the most difficult and complex criminal or civil cases, or voluminous caseloads requiring specialized experience and training, brought for and against the County, in State or Federal Courts;

• Manages the most demanding criminal or civil cases in public sector law or manages caseloads requiring specialized skills and experience;

• Represents County departments, boards and commissions in civil litigation and administrative matters;

• Prepares ordinances, resolutions, contracts and leases for consideration by county officials;

• Prepares legal opinions and advises county officials on a variety of legal matters;

• Engages in negotiations for compromise and settlement of cases and complies with Victims’ Rights;

• Engages in pretrial, trial, post-trial and appellate practice as required by cases;

• Prepares litigation, deposes witnesses, provides witness notification, and conducts complex bench and jury trials;

• Develops, refines, and presents legal strategies, reviews legal documents, extracts relevant information, evaluates legal issues and legal system variables and negotiates agreements;

• Conduct research and provide consultation involving complex and difficult legal issues;

• Researches and drafts legal motions, pleadings, briefs and other legal documents;

• Reviews, evaluates, and participates in investigations;

• Complies with all rules regulating professional responsibility;

• Upholds the values and goals of the assigned Department and County.

Minimum Qualifications:  

Juris Doctorate AND five (5) years of relevant prosecution, defense, or civil experience.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resu