Overview
Assistant Defender Jobs in Detroit, MI at National Legal Aid & Defender Association
Title: Assistant Defender
Company: National Legal Aid & Defender Association
Location: Detroit, MI
Position Description
Join SADO’s Juvenile Lifer Unit as an Assistant Defender and participate in the rewarding mission of representing people serving unconstitutional life without parole sentences. The position begins as soon as possible and the salary for this position ranges from $77,193 – $144,865, depending on experience.
This is a full-time temporary position with funding guaranteed through September 30, 2025. Continuation of this position after September 30 depends on state budget allocation and staffing needs.
For this type of litigation, the successful applicant must be able to:
Develop meaningful relationships of trust with clients, family members, and others.
Frequently visit with clients housed in prison facilities throughout the state.
Develop mitigation evidence and social histories through record retrieval and review, and interviews with clients and others. Attorneys will work with other members of a team, which could include second chair counsel, an investigator, and a mitigation specialist or social worker.
Review trial transcripts and appellate decisions of each client’s case.
Identify and litigate through motion practice novel issues of law.
Select and manage expert witnesses and consultants as needed.
Engage in persistent negotiations with prosecutors on a case-by-case basis.
Conduct hearings in trial courts throughout Michigan.
In conjunction with SADO’s Project Reentry, develop reentry plans for clients.
