DEPUTY ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER I

Position/Program Information LAW OFFICES OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTYALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER EXAM NUMBER7-9254A-RREPOSTING INFORMATIONTHIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS BEING REPOSTED TO REOPEN THE FILING PERIOD AND REVISE THE TESTING ACCOMMODATION LANGUAGE.TYPE OF RECRUITMENTWe welcome applications from everyone!When To ApplyWe will be accepting online applications from Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. (PT) until Wednesday, November 19 , 2025 until 5:00 p.m. (PT). Applications received after 5:00 p.m. (PT) will not be accepted.Why work for us?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 AreThe 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 officesthroughout 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.Who We Are Looking ForWe are seeking highly motivated individuals who share our passion for fighting against injustice and defending the accused. As such, you must be self-motivated, outgoing, passionate, and maintain the highest ethical standards.Essential Job FunctionsInterviews persons seeking legal counsel in criminal matters, determining eligibility, accepting cases and preparing necessary legal documents, and rejecting cases outside the jurisdiction of the Alternate Public Defender.Represents the defense in preliminary hearings, interviewing clients and possible defense witnesses, advising clients of the appropriate course of action to be taken in their defense, cross-examining prosecution witnesses, and entering motions for dismissal and bail.Represents the defense in the trial of misdemeanor cases.Confers with law enforcement and investigation personnel, deputy district attorneys, prosecution witnesses, and other interested parties regarding cases.Prepares legal documents such as briefs, complaints and pleadings.Prepares and tries the less difficult misdemeanor criminal cases.Requirements REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY: Admission to practice law in all courts in California. You must submit proof of meeting the California State Bar requirements: A copy of your current/valid California State Bar Card -OR- A copy of a letter from the California State Bar that specifically states you have achieved a passing score on the California State Bar Examination AND that you have satisfied ALL of the requirements for admission to practice law at the time of filing. All correspondence must be on the California State Bar letterhead. We will not accept any other form/letter of result notification (e.g., printout from the internet). LAW GRADUATES WITH PROVISIONAL LICENSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS EXAMINATION.We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching them to your application or sending them to the exam analyst.Withhold InformationNo withholds will be allowed for this examination. Required education must be fully met and indicated on the application by the last day of filing.LicenseA 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 ClassPhysical Class II - 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 examination will consist of a structured interview 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, Influencing, Negotiation Skills, Oral Communication Skills, Listening Skills, Fact Finding, Relationship Building Skills, Ethics & Integrity, and Cultural & Individual Sensitivity. You must meet the requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on each weighted test part in order to be placed on the eligible list.Test PreparationWe provide study guides and other test preparation resources to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides may help in preparing for the test, we recommend reviewing all related materials that seem necessary. Various information can be found on our website at https://hr.lacounty.gov/job-search-toolkit/ . The section dedicated to test preparation is "Employment Test Assistance." Eligibility And Vacancy InformationApplicants who passed the assessment(s) are placed on a list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months. Applications will be processed as they are received and added to the list accordingly. We will use this list to fill vacancies in the Law Offices of the Alternate Public Defender.Application And Filing InformationWe only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Applyonline by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to getapplication status updates.Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.ecervantes@hr.lacounty.gov info@governmentjobs.com talentcentral@shl.com noreply@proctoru.com donot-reply@amcatmail.com New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at anytime by logging in to govermentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.For those who do not have access to a computer or the internet, we provide access to complete an application at publiclibraries throughout the county.All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's login information may erase a candidate's original application record.It is your responsibility to take the above steps to view correspondence. Los Angeles County will not consider claimsof not viewing or receiving notification to be a valid reason for late test administration or rescheduling of a testcomponent.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.Testing AccommodationIf 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. Exam Number: 7-9254A-RTesting Accommodations Coordinator: TestingAccommodations@hr.lacounty.govTeletype Phone: (800) 735-2929California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922Department Contact Name: Elia CervantesDepartment Contact Phone: ( 213) 441-2090Department Contact Email: ecervantes@hr.lacounty.govCOUNTY OF LOS ANGELES Employment InformationAny language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination StatementThe County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/ .Testing Accommodations For ApplicantsThe County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/ .Fair ChanceThe 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 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 and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is 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 conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).Employment EligibilityFinal appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.Career PathFinderResources 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 http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov .Veteran’s CreditPursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdfRevised September 2025