Job Description

LAW OFFICES OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY

ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER

EXAM NUMBER

7-9243B-R

REPOSTING INFORMATION

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS A REPOSTING TO REOPEN THE FILING PERIOD

APPLICATION FILING:

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. (PT) through Tuesday, December 17, 2024 BEFORE 5:00 p.m. (PT)

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

Open Competitive Job Opportunity

With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation. As the largest employer in Southern California, over 112,000 employees in more than 36 Departments provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities, and many more.



Who we are
The Los Angeles County Office of the Alternate Public Defender is a premiere indigent criminal defense firm of approximately 300 attorneys and staff in over 20 offices throughout the county. Today, the Alternate Public Defender’s Office is the second-largest public defender’s office in the state. We provide the highest quality legal defense for the most vulnerable members of our society and specialize in trying the most serious cases, including the death penalty and homicide cases. We pride ourselves in providing an environment that values teamwork, a sense of family, and diversity.



What does a Senior Law Clerk do?
The Senior Law Clerk (SLC) position in the Alternate Public Defender's Office performs legal research work. This is a 16-week internship program with a unique opportunity to advance into permanent employment as a Deputy Alternate Public Defender (DAPD) I.


During the 16-week rotation, you will go on record while conducting preliminary hearings, and have an opportunity to participate in case work in specialized areas such as Post-Conviction, Law Enforcement Accountability, and Immigration. You will assist in preparing a wide variety of criminal cases and may participate in hearings and jury trials under the mentorship and supervision of senior-level DAPDs. While working in specialized units, as an SLC you will conduct legal research, review legal documents, and organize extensive reports and exhibits to be used in trials.

Essential Job Functions

• Researches, studies, interprets, and applies laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of cases, opinions, pleadings, briefs and other legal documents.
• Organizes extensive legal discovery, reports, documents and potential exhibits.
• Conducts pretrial review of case files for witness subpoenas and other necessary evidence for trial.
• Conducts preliminary interviews of potential complainants in criminal cases and reports on findings of facts to determine if cause of sufficient evidence is present to undertake prosecution.
• Reads, understands and analyses legal documents such as pleadings, affidavits, court orders, transcripts statutory codes and appellate decisions.
• Prepares a variety of legal documents including drafts and memoranda summarizing the results of examinations of court decisions, administrative board decisions, State statutes, ordinances and opinions.
• Provides information to judges, attorneys, and the public concerning the work of the department.
• Communicates with witnesses, experts, clients and other interested parties.
• Schedules witnesses and prepares witnesses and clients in courtroom procedures and appropriate protocol.
• Interviews clients to obtain factual, biographical and financial information.
• Performs other related work as required.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:



OPTION 1 :

Have a Juris Doctor degree from an approved or accredited law school

• , AND
• Be registered to take the first available bar following your law school graduation date, AND Be eligible for certification through the California State Bar (Bar) Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS)
• program at the time of the appointment.

-OR-

OPTION 2: Be currently enrolled in law school

• , AND Have successfully completed Second Year or equivalent of law school
• , AND Be eligible for certification through the California State Bar (Bar) Practical Training of Law Students (PTLS)
• program at the time of the appointment.

• In order to receive credit for a Juris Doctor degree or current academic standing, you must provide at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from application submission, a legible copy of your official diploma/transcripts/letter from an accredited institution that shows the area of specialization. If you are unable to attach the required documents, you must email them to ecervantes@hr.lacounty.gov. Please include the exam number and exam title in your email. Applications received without proof of the required degree(s) or certificate will not be considered as meeting the stated requirements under Option I. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted to meet the educational requirement. We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching them to your application or sending them to the exam analyst. For more information regarding education, please see the Employment Information (Download PDF reader) document on the LA County Jobs website.

To be eligible for California State Bar certification (PTLS), applicants must:

• Have sat for or registered to sit for the first eligible bar exam. The results of the first eligible bar must not be published at the time of appointment, AND
• Register as a law student with the California State Bar.

When submitting proof of registration for the bar and approval, please log in to the Applicant Community site in the California Bar website and provide a screenshot of the detailed page containing your Application Information and Examination Event Information or a copy of your Admittance Ticket .


Applicants who qualify under Option 2 will be permitted to participate in the exam. However, their names will be withheld from the list of candidates ("Eligible Register") for hiring consideration until they can produce a copy of their diploma or a copy of official transcripts that clearly show when JD degree was conferred.



Additional information on the PTLS program can be found at Practical Training of Law Students -State Bar of California.



PROVISIONAL LICENSEES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EXAMINATION.

LICENSE:

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS:

2 - Light. This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Additional Information

OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS:
This exam will consist of a structured interview test weighted at 100%, measuring:

• Professional/Technical Knowledge (General Criminal Case & Statutory Law and Constitutional Principles of California Rules of Professional Conduct as they pertain to Criminal Defense),
• Critical Thinking,
• Decision Making Skills,
• Client Focus,
• Oral Communication Skills,
• Listening Skills,
• Fact Finding,
• Ethics & Integrity,
• and Cultural & Individual Sensitivity.

Candidates must meet the REQUIREMENTS and achiev e a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination in order to be placed on the Eligible Register.



NOTE: All notifications including invitation letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application.

Please add the below email addresses to your email address book and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

• ecervantes@hr.lacounty.gov
  
  
• info@governmentjobs.com
• talentcentral@shl.com
• donot-reply@amcatmail.com
  
  

Los Angeles County will not consider claims of not viewing or receiving notification to be a valid reason for late test administration or rescheduling of a test component.


If you choose to unsubscribe to electronic notices, you may access your governmentjobs.com profile for a copy of sent electronic notices for this exam.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION :
Applications must be filed online only. We must receive your application BEFORE 5:00 p.m., PT, on the last day of filing. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person will not be accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline. You may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Requirements to qualify as listed on this job bulletin. Provide any relevant job experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.



Important: Please note that all information included in the application materials is subject to verification at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or rescission of appointment. Utilizing verbiage from the Class Specification and Minimum requirements serving as your description of duties will not be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and you may be disqualified.

TEST PREPARATION:
Study guides and other test preparation resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help you prepare for the test, we advise you to review all related materials that you deem necessary.

• An interactive, Online Test Preparation System for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at . Please click on "Find A Job" and then "Job Search Toolkit." Test preparation information is located under the "Employment Test Assistance" section.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION :
The names of candidates receiving a passing grade in the examination will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of six (6) months.

VACANCY INFORMATION :
The resulting eligible register will be used to fill vacancies at the Law Offices of the Alternate Public Defender.



AVAILABLE SHIFT : Any

___________________________________________________________________________

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI):
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.



COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Access library locations here.



NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD:
All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

TESTING ACCOMMODATION:

If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application. Please note, you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.



Testing Accommodations Coordinator: TestingAccommodations@hr.lacounty.gov

Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077

California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922

Contact Name: Elia Cervantes

Contact Phone: (213) 738-2037

Contact Email: ecervantes@hr.lacounty.gov

Exam Number: 7-9243B-R

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

Your Responsibilities:

1. Completing Your Application:

a. Before submission of the application, it is your responsibility to ensure that all information provided is correct and complete on the application. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted.

b. List each payroll title separately for each job. Do not group your experience. Specify the beginning and ending dates for each job. If you are a Los Angeles County employee and have held multiple positions, do NOT list all of your time with the County under your present payroll title.

c. Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

d. To receive credit, include required documents (e.g., copy of your diploma, transcript, certificate, or license) as directed on the job posting. International degrees in a foreign language must be translated to English and evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards. Refer to the job posting for specific deadlines for supporting documentation.

2. Requirements on Job Posting:

a. Your application will only be accepted if it clearly shows you meet the requirements. The information you give will determine your eligibility and is subject to verification at any time.

b. You must be at least 16 years of age at the time of appointment unless other age limits are stated on the job posting. The Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, as amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of age for any individual age 40 or older.

c. Experience is evaluated on the basis of a verifiable 40- hour week, unless specified otherwise. Prorated part-time experience may be acceptable.

3. Application Deadline: All job applications must be completed and submitted before the closing time on the last day of the filing period as indicated on the job posting unless other instructions are provided. Job postings with an open continuous filing period are subject to closure without prior notice. It is to your advantage to file your application early and not wait until the last allowable date and time as you will not be able to apply once the filing period has closed.

4. Change of Name or Address: To change personal information such as your name or address, log into your profile on and make the necessary change. This can be done at any time.

5. Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Policy:

a. It is the policy of the County of Los Angeles to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. b. If you are an individual requesting reasonable accommodation(s) in the examination process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. The provision of accommodation(s) may be subject to verification, consistent with state and federal law. All accommodation-related information will remain confidential.

Disclaimer : The County of Los Angeles is not responsible or in any way liable for any computer hardware or software malfunction that may affect the employment application or the application selection process.

You assume all responsibility and risk for the use of this system and the Internet generally. This system and the information provided on it are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. No advice or information given by the County of Los Angeles or its respective employees shall modify the foregoing or create any warranty.

The County of Los Angeles expressly disclaims any warranty that the information on this system or on the Internet generally will be uninterruptible or error free or that any information, software or other material accessible from the system is free of viruses or other harmful components. You shall have no recourse against the County of Los Angeles as the system provider for any alleged or actual infringement of any proprietary rights a user may have in anything posted or retrieved on our system.

The County of Los Angeles shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, special or consequential damages arising out of or in any way connected with the use of this system or with the delay or inability to use it (or any linked sites), or for any information obtained through this system, or otherwise arising out of the use of this system, the Internet generally or on any other basis.

NOTE: Your application is submitted using Secure Encryption to ensure the privacy of all information you transmit over the Internet.

By accepting the Use Disclaimer set forth herein, you agree to all of the above terms and further agree to use this Online Job Employment Application System only for the submission of bona fide employment applications to the County of Los Angeles. Any other use of this Online Job Employment Application System, including without limitation any copying, downloading, translating, decompiling, or reverse engineering of the system, data, or related software, shall be a violation of the Use Disclaimer.

Test Preparation : Study Guides and other resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. An interactive system for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at Additional resources may be listed on the job posting.

Veteran’s Credit : In all open competitive examinations, a veteran’s credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examinations will be added to the final passing grade of an honorably discharged veteran who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under any of the following conditions: During a declared war; -or- During the period April 28, 1952 through July 1, 1955; -or- For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976; -or- During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990 through January 2, 1992; -or- For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on August 31, 2010 the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom; -or- In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal or expeditionary medal has been authorized and awarded. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti qualifies for credit.

A campaign medal holder or Gulf War veteran who originally enlisted after September 7, 1980 (or began active duty on or after October 14, 1982, and has not previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty) must have served continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty.

This also applies to the spouse of such person who, while engaged in such service was wounded, disabled or crippled and thereby permanently prevented from engaging in any remunerative occupation, and also to the widow or widower of any such person who died or was killed while in such service. A DD214, Certificate of Discharge or Separation from Active Duty, or other official documents issued by the branch of service are required as verification of eligibility for Veterans preference. Applicants must submit the documentation for each open competitive exam to qualify for veteran’s credit. More information available at:

Accreditation Information : Accredited institutions are those listed in the publications of regional, national or international accrediting agencies that are accepted by the Department of Human Resources. Publications such as American Universities and Colleges and International Handbook of Universities are acceptable references. Also acceptable, if appropriate, are degrees that have been evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). More information is available at: (Download PDF reader) and E_Resource_Guide.pdf (Download PDF reader)

Background Check : The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). I f asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

Career Planning : Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at

Benefit Information : Depending on the position, the successful candidate will enroll in a contributory defined benefit pension plan if the candidate is a “new member” of the County’s defined benefit plan (LACERA) on or after January 1, 2013 (first employed by the County on or after December 1, 2012) – unless she or he established reciprocity with another public retirement system in which she or he was a member before January 1, 2013. It should be noted that County employees do not pay into Social Security, but do pay the Medical Hospital Insurance Tax portion of Social Security at a rate of 1.45%. The Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) has reciprocal agreements with several public retirement systems in California.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 : All positions are open to qualified men and women. Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons with disabilities who believe they need reasonable accommodation, or help in order to apply for a position, may contact the ADA/Personnel Services for Disabled Persons Coordinator. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. The County will attempt to meet reasonable accommodation requests whenever possible.

Equal Employment Opportunity : It is the policy of the County of Los Angeles to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. All positions are open to qualified men and women pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. The County will comply with all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants.

Los Angeles County Child Support Compliance Program : In an effort to improve compliance with court ordered child, family and spousal support obligations, certain employment and identification information (i.e., name, address, Social Security number and date of hire) is regularly reported to the State Directory of New Hires which may assist in locating persons who owe these obligations. Family Code Section 17512 permits under certain circumstances for additional employment and identifying information to be requested. Applicants will not be disqualified from employment based on this information.

Social Security Act of 2004 : Section 419 (c) of Public Law 108-203, the Social Security Protection Act of 2004, requires State and local government employers to disclose the effect of the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset Provision to employees hired on or after January 1, 2005, in jobs not covered by Social Security. The County of Los Angeles does not participate in the Social Security System. All newly hired County of Los Angeles employees must sign a statement (Form SSA-1945) prior to the start of employment indicating that they are aware of a possible reduction in their future Social Security benefit entitlement. For more information on Social Security and about each provision, you may visit the website or call toll free 1-800-772- 1213. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the TTY number 1-800-325-0778 or contact a local Social Security office.

Employment Eligibility Information : Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States. Immigration law provides that all persons hired after November 6, 1986, are required to present original documents to the County, within three (3) business days of hiring, which show satisfactory proof of 1) identity and 2) U.S. employment eligibility.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Part 2.8 commencing with Section 12900 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) the Regulations of the Fair Employment and Housing Commission (California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Division 4, Sections 7285.0 through 8504) and other applicable laws prohibit employment discrimination based on an applicant's protected characteristics, including race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, childbirth, and other characteristics.

COVID-19 VACCINATION : Some County workforce members may be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Successful candidates for those positions/classifications may be required to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or request an exemption for qualifying medical or religious reasons during the onboarding process. Candidates should not present proof of vaccination until instructed to do so by the hiring department.

Updated February 2024

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Part time, Internship, Second job, Local area, Shift work,

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