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LOUISIANA PUBLIC DEFENDER BOARD

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Employment Opportunities with the New Louisiana Public Defender Board

State Public Defender

Applicants for the position of State Public Defender must be an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States with at least seven years of experience as a criminal defense attorney. If licensed as an attorney in a state other than Louisiana, become licensed as an attorney in this state within one year of being employed by the board.

The duties of the State Public Defender include:

(1) Making recommendations to the board how to establish and maintain, in a cost-effective manner, the delivery of legal services to persons entitled to, and financially eligible for, appointed counsel in criminal proceedings at state expense under Louisiana law, the Constitution of Louisiana, and the United States Constitution and consistent with the standards of national justice and those established by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

(2) Development and presentation for the board's approval a strategic plan for the delivery of public defender services.

(3) Implementation and ensured compliance with contracts, policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines adopted pursuant to rule by the board or required by statute.

(4) Preparation and submission to the board for its approval the budget of the board.

(5) Negotiation of contracts, as appropriate, for providing legal services to persons financially eligible for appointed counsel at state expense.

(6) Employment of personnel or contracting for services as necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the board.

(7) Supervision of the personnel, operation, and activities of the board.

(8) Preparation and submission to the board an annual report of the indigent defender services provided by the service regions, where applicable, and the districts.

(9) Appearance before the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget and report on the activities of the board.

(10) Actively seeking gifts, grants, and donations that may be available through the federal government or other sources to help fund the system.

(11) Assist the board in the adoption of rules as provided for in La.R.S. 15:148 and in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.

(12) Provide services, facilities, and materials necessary for the performance of the duties, functions, and powers of the board.

(13) Assist the board in establishing the standards and guidelines, policies, and procedures for the statewide delivery of indigent defender services in accordance with rules adopted by the board and as required by statute.

(14) Establish administrative management procedures for regional offices, where applicable.

(15) Review, monitor, and assess the performance of all attorneys, consortia of attorneys, or independent public defender organizations qualified with the United States Internal Revenue Service for an exemption from federal income tax under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code to provide counsel for indigent defendants.

(16) Performance all other duties assigned by the board.

The state public defender shall receive an annual salary equal in amount to a judge of the courts of appeal of this state, as provided in R.S. 13:311. Please submit cover letter, resume and references (3) to Jerri G. Smitko, Chair, Louisiana Public Defender Board, 1010 Common Street, Suite 2710, New Orleans, LA 70112.

Deputy Public Defender-Director of Training

Applicants for the position of Deputy Public Defender – Director of Training must be an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States with at least five years of experience as a criminal defense attorney and if licensed as an attorney in a state other than Louisiana, become licensed as an attorney in this state within one year of being employed by the board.

Duties of the Director of Training include:

(1) Coordination of training of public defenders in current aspects of criminal and civil law and procedure involving public defense, including the representation of juveniles.

(2) Establishment and supervision of a training and performance evaluation program for attorneys and non-attorney staff members and contractors.

(3) Establishment training and educational programs for all public defender attorneys. Such programs shall not be "continuing legal education" as mandated by the Louisiana State Bar Association. The training sponsored by the state program shall be practical training based on models in other states, including trial advocacy and criminal procedure in the nature of mock trials, working seminars, and mentoring. Such educational programs shall also include annual educational programs and introductory educational programs for attorneys prior to providing public defender services.

(4) Assist in the development and dissemination of standards and guidelines, procedures, and policies that will ensure that public defender services are provided consistently throughout the state.

(5) Consolidation of information on important aspects of public defense and provide for a collection of official opinions, legal briefs, and other relevant information.

(6) Provide assistance with research or briefs and provide other technical assistance requested by a public defender providing public defender services.

(7) Application for and assistance in the disbursement of federal funds or other grant money to aid the statewide public defender program, provided that such gifts, grants, and donations are not otherwise prohibited by law or rule.

(8) Performance all other duties assigned by the state public defender or the board.

Salary commensurate with experience and credentials. Please submit cover letter, resume and references (3) to Jerri G. Smitko, Chair, Louisiana Public Defender Board, 1010 Common Street, Suite 2710, New Orleans, LA 70112.

Deputy Public Defender-Director of Juvenile Defender Services

Applicants for the position of Deputy Public Defender – Director of Juvenile Defender Services must be an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States with at least five years of specific experience in the defense of juveniles in delinquency proceedings and if licensed as an attorney in a state other than Louisiana, become licensed as an attorney in this state within one year of being employed by the board.

Duties of the Director of Juvenile Defender Services include:

(1) Working with representatives of all three branches of state government and other criminal justice stakeholders, including judges, district attorneys, sheriffs, probation officers, and law enforcement officials to promote sound juvenile justice policies in relation to fair adjudication processes, and placement and treatment of juveniles charged in delinquency proceedings that focus on rehabilitation of the offender.

(2) Promotion of positive change in educational opportunities and mental health services and other treatment services for juveniles in the court system.

(3) Ensure that board policies and public pronouncements properly recognize that children and young adults do not possess the same cognitive, emotional, decision-making, or behavioral capacities as adults and, as such, require that special attention be given to the representation of juveniles to ensure uniformly competent representation.

4) Performance all other duties assigned by the state public defender or the board.

Information Technology and Management Officer

Applicants for the position of Information Technology and Management Officer must have expertise in database management, information systems integration, analysis, and programming, which shall include, at a minimum, possession of a bachelor's degree in information technology, or a master's degree in public administration or a related field, from an accredited university or college, or have five years of progressively responsible experience with database management, systems integration, systems analysis, programming, and mid-range client server and Internet systems, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Duties of the Information Technology and Management Officer include:

(1) Oversight of the central and core enabling technologies of the board, including the planning, organizing, supervising and directing of activities and operations of equipment and software and services in the regions.

(2) Provide assurance that data, including public defender workload, dispositions, frequency of client contact, duration of time from arrest to disposition, and other data points required to be maintained under Louisiana statutes or requested by the board, is maintained and compiled in a consistent, uniform, and timely manner through the development, training, and enforcement of data collection standards, policies, and procedures.

(3) Responsibility for instruction and training of board employees and service delivery contractors in the use of new or revised software or equipment.

(4) Preparation of information technology operating and capital budgets.

(5) Development and evaluation of proposals for computer hardware, software, and networking equipment needs from the regions, where applicable, and the districts.

(6) Oversight and coordination of the purchase of information technology supplies and equipment for the board and the service regions.

(7) Employment of consultants and vendors to perform information system specialized functions, as needed.

(8) Performance of similar or related work as situations dictate or as required and directed by the state public defender and the board.

Trial-Level Compliance Officer

Applicants for the position of Trial-Level Compliance Officer must have expertise in matters of performance evaluation development and implementation and be an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States with at least three years of experience as a criminal defense attorney, or possess a master's degree in public administration from an accredited school or university and possess five years of progressively responsible experience conducting organizational assessments and, if licensed as an attorney in a state other than Louisiana, become licensed as an attorney in this state within one year of being employed by the board.

Duties of the Trial-Level Compliance Officer include:

(1) Development of evaluation protocols to assess trial-level district compliance with board-adopted standards and guidelines.

(2) Development of an effective evaluation implementation plan that allows for regular assessments and ongoing monitoring of each district public defender system's compliance of board-adopted standards and guidelines.

(3) Direct oversight of necessary staff to conduct regular assessments and ongoing monitoring.

(4) Making regular reports to the board on variances to board standards and guidelines with respect to each district.

(5) Performance of all other duties assigned by the state public defender or the board.

Juvenile Justice Compliance Officer

Applicants for the position of juvenile justice compliance officer must have expertise in matters of performance evaluation development and implementation and be an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States with at least three years of experience in the defense of juveniles in delinquency proceedings, or possess a master's degree in public administration from an accredited school or university and possess five years of progressively responsible experience conducting organizational assessments and, if licensed as an attorney in a state other than Louisiana, become licensed as an attorney in this state within one year of being employed by the board.

Duties of the Juvenile Justice Compliance Officer include:

(1) Development of evaluation protocols to assess district compliance with board adopted standards and guidelines related to juvenile delinquency representation.

(2) Development of an effective evaluation implementation plan that allows for regular assessments and ongoing monitoring of each district's compliance of board adopted standards and guidelines related to juvenile delinquency representation.

(3) Direct oversight of necessary staff to conduct regular assessments and ongoing monitoring related to juvenile delinquency representation.

(4) Make regular reports to the board on variances to board standards and guidelines with respect to each district related to juvenile delinquency representation.

(5) Performance of all other duties assigned by the state public defender or the board.