Are you a lawyer who's looking for a job? When you watch Law and Order, do you find yourself siding against Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy? Do you have a burning desire to spend your days surrounded by the work of noted collage artist Matt Gonzalez? Then the San Francisco Public Defender's Office has a job for you.
That's right, the PD's office is looking for lawyers to fill entry-level trial positions on its staff, all of whom will be expected to defend people charged with misdemeanor crimes, PD's office spokesperson Tamara Aparton tells SFist.
According to the job listing, applicants are expected to "have the ability to argue legal positions successfully and persuasively, master subject matter and prepare cases thoroughly. The qualified applicant should have the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing as well as the ability to multi-task, prioritize assignments and remain organized."
But before you start thinking that that sounds too stuffy, Aparton wants you to know that the jobs aren't that buttoned down.
"If you have a rebellious streak, it's one of the only jobs in the world where you get paid by the government to fight the government," she says.
Yes, misdemeanors aren't necessarily the stuff of The Good Wife, but "they're not all DUIs and possession" either, Aparton says. In fact, many of San Francisco's more "colorful" cases, such as a cyclist who allegedly struck a pedestrian, a man accused of a Main Library chair assault, and a guy who was arrested for indecent exposure because he was taking a pee were misdemeanor cases that the PD's office successfully defended.
And it's not like you'll be stuck with those kinds of cases forever: According to Aparton, the PD's office promotes from within, and the typical career path will lead a misdemeanor defender to felony cases, AKA the real L&O shit.
Then there's your potential boss, the former president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, one-time candidate for SF mayor, Ralph Nader's VP pick in the 2008 election, and the man so dreamy SFist has (at publication time) four pages of posts devoted to him: Matt Gonzalez. If you end up in the job, Gonzalez, now the PD office's Chief Attorney, will be your manager. We can only assume that means face time in his office, which Aparton says contains more than one of his well-respected collages.
All applicants need to have a JD from an accredited law school, and to be in good standing with California's State Bar. The salary range is between $101,504-$177,814 a year, with a "generous" benefits package. For more details or to apply, here you go.