Public Defender Law Clerk - Fixed Term

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The mission of the County of Ventura Public Defender is to ensure equal justice for our clients by providing exceptional legal representation. Our office recognizes the value of having a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are committed to the professional development of every employee on every team so they, in turn, can help each of our clients achieve the best outcome in their case. Our clients are a diverse community, as well, and many suffer from negative social impacts of systemic racism. We honor the inherent dignity in every client by fighting for their rights. We are holistic and take the time to find out how we can help – both inside and outside the courtroom. Our staff includes experts in litigation and trial advocacy, as well as professionals who can help people address mental health and substance use disorder issues. We represent each client at all stages of their case, and our practice areas include Misdemeanor and Felony trial teams, Immigration, Writs and Appeals, Juvenile, and Mental Health, plus a number of specialty courts, including Conservatorship and Homeless Courts. Our office partners with community-based organizations in post-conviction litigation to clear records so our clients can avoid the stigma of a criminal conviction and find jobs. By helping people gain employment and reenter their communities, we enhance public safety and demonstrate our dedication to this community.

THE POSITION
Under the supervision of an attorney, a law clerk will screen potential clients for eligibility for our services and assist current clients with their matters. Law clerks conduct client interviews, assist attorneys with research and writing, create and maintain databases to track cases and work completed, assist attorneys with drafting of motions, applications, and petitions, and interact with representatives of outside agencies.

Distinguishing Characteristics:
The Law Clerk differs from that of the attorney classification in that the former is not eligible or has not been admitted to the State Bar.

Note: Although attorneys licensed to practice law will not be excluded from applying for this position, this is not an attorney position. This position is for a Law Clerk who will perform the duties outlined in this job announcement which may include legal research and writing. The candidate selected for this position will not appear on the record in court.
 
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will possess:

• The ability to communicate clearly and work independently and as a member of a team.
• Possess the knowledge and computer skills necessary to assist with developing and maintaining a database.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• The desire to work in the criminal defense field assisting persons accused of crimes. 
• Some legal research and writing skills.

PAYROLL TITLE:  Law Clerk

EDUCATIONAL/BILINGUAL INCENTIVE
Incumbents may be eligible for an educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on completion of an Associate’s, Bachelor’s. or Master’s degree that is not required for the classification. Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.
 
The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill existing and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-Term), Intermittent, and Extra Help vacancies in the Public Defender's Office.  There is currently one (1) Regular Fixed-Term vacancy with an anticipated end date of March 31, 2028.  

The Law Clerk is represented by the Services Employees International Union (SEIU) and is eligible for overtime compensation.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 
Opening Date:  Thursday, April 17, 2025
Closing Date:  Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 5:00 pm
Application Review Complete:  Week of May 5, 2025

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Receives and addresses client inquiries, both in and out of custody, and takes appropriate course of action;
• Assists clients with Homeless Court and expungements as needed;
• Assists attorneys with various case-related requests including law and motion practice;
• Maintains office databases to track and memorialize projects, clients, case status, and work product;
• Assists with the preparation and filing of legal pleadings, briefs, and other documents;
• Assists in daily spontaneous issues requiring immediate attention, interface with court and jail personnel, and various outside agencies when necessary;  
• Performs related duties as assigned.

These are the entrance requirements to the examination process, possession of which assures neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE
An education and experience background which demonstrates possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job.  The required knowledge, skills, and abilities can also be obtained by completion of a paralegal certificate program or completion of two years of law school.
 
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must possess and maintain a valid California driver license as a condition of employment.

HIGHLY DESIRED

• Bilingual in Spanish is strongly desired;
• Some experience with legal research and writing;
• Experience in the criminal defense field;
• Experience assisting marginalized persons and/or groups.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of:

• Legal principles, rules of evidence, legal requirements, their applications and court proceedings;
• Legal research methods;
• Microsoft Office programs and other related data software products.

Ability to:

• Establish and maintain professional and effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, and various agencies;
• Conduct interviews, identify, evaluate, and extract pertinent information from a variety of sources;
• Communicate effectively in a written and verbal manner;
• Perform legal research and writing.

FINAL FILING DATE:  Applications must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
 
To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs. A paper application can be obtained by calling (805) 654-5129. Our address is County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue L-1970, Ventura CA 93009.
 
NOTE TO TRANSFER CANDIDATES:  If presently permanently employed in another “merit” or “civil service” public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a “merit” or “civil service” style examination, then appointment by “Lateral Transfer” may be possible.  If interested, please click here for additional information.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS:  Sufficient information must be provided under the Education/Work experience portion of the application and supplemental questionnaire to thoroughly and accurately demonstrate your qualifications to determine eligibility. A resume may be attached to supplement your responses in the above referenced sections; however, it may not be substituted in lieu of the application.
 
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying
All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from further consideration.
 
APPLICATION EVALUATION – qualifying
All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the examination process.
 
TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION – 100% 
A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified
among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.
   
NOTE:  The established eligible list will be created from the scores resulting from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E). In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence providing all information requested. Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.  

If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, a T&E will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.  
 
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION:  A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.
 
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.  

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Jean Leedy by email at Jean.Leedy@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 654-2211.

Salary : $58,064 - $81,173