Law Clerk-emergency Appointment/homeless Initiative - Los Angeles, United States - Los Angeles County (CA)

Description

Position/Program Information

Law Office of the Los Angeles County


PUBLIC DEFENDER

EXAM NUMBER:
L9240A-EA


RECRUITMENT TYPE:
OPEN COMPETITIVE JOB OPPORTUNITY - Emergency


WHO WE ARE

The Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender is the finest client-centered criminal defense firm in the nation, providing a beacon for evolutionary and revolutionary changes in the justice system.

Our Offices are headed by innovative and progressive leaders collaboratively working towards our agency's mission of reducing the incarceration rate for our indigent clientele.

We are an essential contributor to Los Angeles County's homelessness emergency response.

Through its legal services, the Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender works to facilitate the diversion of thousands of low-income community members annually from LA County's jails and into treatment services and works to reduce the collateral social and economic impacts of contact with the criminal legal system, such as losing employment, social services, and housing.

The collective services provided and supported by our workforce have a direct positive impact on our local homelessness crisis.


WHEN TO APPLY
Applications will be accepted beginning Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. (PT) until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected.

We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use.

If you are looking for an internship that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender is seeking qualified candidates to fill Law Clerk vacancies related to the homelessness crisis.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender's Law Clerk Program introduces select students to the operations of the office, the court system, and related agencies in the criminal justice system.

Law Clerks are mentored by experienced criminal defense attorneys who provide them with real-life educational experience.

Law clerks will play an important role in helping attorneys provide legal assistance to homeless clients seeking mental health and substance use disorder treatment and services, ensuring our unhoused clients receive the necessary legal support and access to vital treatment and services.

Law clerks are given the opportunity to observe and participate in client interviews, case strategy meetings, and court proceedings. Law Clerks may complete research and writing projects including briefs, investigation requests, and motions to be filed in court. They may also accompany the attorneys to jail interviews and attend public defender training sessions.

The Law Clerk internship program in the Office of the Public Defender tracks the academic year and is offered in the summer (10 weeks) and in spring and fall (16 weeks).

OUR IDEAL TEAM MEMBER:
This opportunity is for you if you wish to join a team revolutionizing the criminal justice system.

We're looking for team members who hold our Office's shared values of zealously advocating in defense of our indigent clientele, and compassionately amplifying their stories.

Essential Job Functions

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS INCLUDE BUT MAY NOT BE LIMITED TO:

• Provides support to attorneys in a wide variety of legal tasks including research, interpretation, and application of laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of cases, pleadings, briefs, and other legal documents.
• Assists in reviewing and preparing case file discovery related to clients' mental health and substance use disorders.
• Analyzes medical records, psychiatric evaluations, and other relevant documents to identify key factors contributing to mitigation.
• Interviews clients to obtain factual, biographical and financial information and assists in the scheduling of witnesses and prepares witnesses and clients in courtroom procedures and appropriate protocol.
• Collaborates with the assigned attorney in drafting legal briefs and motions presented in court for mitigation, trial preparation, or hearings.
• Performs clerical and computer data input.

Requirements


REQUIREMENTS
You MUST meet ONE of the requirement(s) listed below in order to be appointed to fill any vacancies related to this recruitment:



Option 1:

• Currently enrolled in and completion of the first year or equivalent of study in a school accredited by American Bar Association (ABA) or a California-accredited law school (CALS).
• Program of study includes full-time, part-time, or distance learning programs. Completion of first year or equivalent is the completion of the expected coursework during the first year (1L) of law school.

Option 2:

• Currently enrolled in an unaccredited law school registered with the State Bar of California (CALS) or currently participating in a law office study (LOS) program -AND- have passed the State Bar of California First Year Law Student's Examination (FYLSX)

To show that you meet ONE of the options above, you will need to provide the following:

Under

Option 1:

A copy of your official or unofficial transcripts or official letter from the ABA or CALS-approved, or accredited institution that clearly shows your current enrollment and grade level at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application.

Submit your documentation to , and indicate the exam name and number in the subject field of your email. If you do not provide the required documentation within the specified time frame your application may be rejected.


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 the 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 the Department of Human Resources - Accredited College Education Resource Guide.

Under

Option 2:

A copy of your FYLSX exam results letter from The State Bar of California at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from the date of applying.

Submit your documentation to , and indicate the exam name and number in the subject field of your email.

If you do not provide the required documentation within the specified time frame your application may be rejected.

FYLSX or "baby bar" is designed and required for Law students after completing their first year of law study in a juris doctor degree program at a State Bar-unaccredited registered law school or through the Law Office Study Program, or those without two years of college work attending a California-accredited or an ABA-approved law school.

More information is available at The State Bar of California website or the Admissions and Education Standards Rule

PHYSICAL CLASS II - LIGHT

This job requires light physical effort which may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit, and some bending, stooping, or squatting.

Considerable ambulation may be involved.


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.

VACANCY INFORMATION

Applicants under this Emergency Appointment recruitment effort will be appointed to fill vacancies within the Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender.

Additional Information

APPLICATION & FILING INFORMATION

• APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE ONLY. Applications submitted by U.S. Mail, Fax, or in person will not be accepted.
• Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button for this posting. Please review your application for accuracy before submitting it. You can also track the status of your application by visiting and logging into your account.
• Many important notifications such as application notices and appointment (job offer) letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on your application. It is your responsibility to provide a valid email address and review all notifications sent to you. Please add , , , and to your email address book and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered or blocked as spam/junk/clutter mail.
• Applicants can opt out of emails from Los Angeles County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any examination notifications. You can always access some of these notifications by logging into your profile inbox at which saves a copy of all emailed notices. It is your responsibility to take the above steps to view correspondence.
• Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the first day of filing as 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 , 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.
• The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the minimum requirements. Fill out your application and Supplemental Questionnaire completely. 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. Incomplete applications will be rejected.
• 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.

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 internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.

Applicants can find out more information about select in-person library services and locations by visiting the Los Angeles County Library website.

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.


FAIR CHANCE INITIATIVE
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer.

Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent 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 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 offense(s).

If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records that are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

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 races.

We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Questions? Contact us:

Exam Number:
L9240A-EA


Department Contact Name:
Viviana Jimenez


Department Contact Phone:

Department Contact Email:

ADA Coordinator Email:

California Relay Service Phone:

Teletype Phone:

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Employment Information

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


Your Responsibilities:

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.


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.

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.

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.


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:
and

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).

If 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 https:
//career-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, 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 , 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 Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the TTY number 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 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