State of Maryland

An Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Lead is the lead level of trial Attorney work in an area of special expertise, such as appeals, mental health cases or drug cases, in the headquarters Office of the Public Defender.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions but assign and review work of lower-level Assistant Public Defenders in the headquarters office and provide technical advice and direction to Assistant Public Defenders and other Attorneys on a statewide basis in the area of specialization.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Supervisor or other higher-level Attorney.  Work may be performed at various locations including jails, lock-up facilities, hospitals and courtrooms.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this methodology involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Lead is differentiated from the Assistant Public Defender III in that the Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Lead assigns and reviews work of lower-level Assistant Public Defenders and provides advice and direction to Assistant Public Defenders and other Attorneys on a statewide basis while the Assistant Public Defender III is the full performance level of trial attorney work in the Office of the Public Defender.  The Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Lead is differentiated from the Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Supervisor in that the Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Assistant Public Defenders, including Assistant Public Defender Headquarters Leads.

Assigns cases and reviews work of lower-level Assistant Public Defenders in an area of special expertise, such as appeals, mental health or drug cases, at the headquarters Office of the Public Defender;

Provides specialized technical, educational, research and consultation services on a statewide basis to Assistant Public Defenders and other Attorneys;

Represents clients in all aspects of legal proceedings before the courts of the State for the Office of the Public Defender;

Negotiates settlement of cases outside of court;

Counsels and advises clients regarding theories of possible defense, trial factors and procedures, rights, alternatives to incarceration, rehabilitation services, appeal rights and procedures and other matters of law;

Researches legal precedents and opinions and proposed legislation for their future impact and for defense of specific cases;

Performs other related duties.

Education: A Juris Doctorate degree or equivalent degree from an accredited school of law.

Experience: Experience as a practicing Attorney.

Notes:

1. Candidates shall be an Attorney and admitted to practice law in the State by the Court of Appeals of Maryland, at the time of appointment.

2. The above requirements are set by the Office of the Public Defender in accordance with Criminal Procedure Article, Section 16-203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in general attorney classification or general attorney specialty codes in the legal and kindred group field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required   Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.