Ingham County, MI is hiring: Chief Public Defender in Lansing

Salary : $128,898.08 - $154,759.22 Annually
Location : Lansing, MI
Job Type: Regular Full Time
Job Number: 202600022
Department: Public Defender's Office
Opening Date: 01/16/2026
Closing Date: 2/16/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Bargaining Unit: MC

Description

Reporting to the Board of Commissioners, this position plans, organizes and directs the activities and staff of the Public Defender's Office. Uses considerable independent discretion at all times as the County Public Defender ensuring that constitutional guarantees are upheld, rights are protected and due process is implemented fairly, equally, equitably, and consistently. The Public Defender is responsible for staffing, training, supervising, counseling and discipline for the office. Ensure that Ingham County meets all constitutional and legislative requirements as they pertain to the representation of indigent adult offenders and provides a high level of indigent defense services. Directs, develops and implements policies and procedures for the Public Defender's Office. Ensures that the Public Defender's Office conforms to the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct. Directs and performs the department's administrative functions. Prepares the department's annual budget.
Essential Functions

1. Develops necessary policies and procedures to attain and maintain standards of indigent defense as they are proposed by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) and approved by the Michigan Supreme Court. Also ensure that the Public Defender's Office conforms to the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.
2. Develops and implements long and short term goals, objectives, and work standards for the Office to include the establishment and direction of programs to maximize operational effectiveness and cost efficiencies; directs the preparation and administration of the Department's budget; makes budget and program presentations to the Board of Commissioners; monitors expenditures to ensure that they are within budget guidelines.
3. Plans, organizes, assigns, directs, reviews and evaluates the work of public defender attorneys and support staff; selects staff personnel and provides for their training, professional development; counsels and disciplines as necessary; interprets laws and regulations and County policies for subordinates; confers with subordinate supervisors and other department staff to monitor activities; coordinates work effort and resolve problems and issues unique to the public defender attorney staff; provides professional assistance to staff.
4. Reviews or supervises the review of criminal investigations to determine adequacy of evidence to justify searches, seizures and the authorization of charges by the prosecution; directs public defender attorneys in gathering and analyzing case evidence, preparing arguments, filing necessary documents, and presenting cases in court; assigns cases to attorneys, reviews progress, and provides technical assistance and guidance; directs the maintenance of accurate legal materials, reports, correspondence and other written materials; substitutes for public defender attorneys as necessary.
5. Approves pre-trial investigations, motions, polygraph examinations and expert witnesses while directing the defense of all criminal cases including in particular those that are the most complex or sensitive criminal cases, to include appearance in court to substitute personally as needed.
6. Represents the County at meetings with local, state and federal officials; may speak before groups and the media on matters related to the Public Defender's office; acts as media contact for Public Defender's Office.
7. Keeps informed of legal precedents and relevant legislation by reading professional journals, court rulings, attends meetings, conferences and CLE opportunities. Maintains conformity with the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct.

Other Functions:

• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Must adhere to departmental standards in regard to HIPAA and other privacy issues.
• During a public health emergency, the employee may be required to perform duties similar to, but not limited, to those in his/her job description.

(An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the above tasks. These examples do not include all of the tasks which the employee may be expected to perform.)
Employment Qualifications

Education: Juris Doctorate degree with a Certificate of Admittance to the State Bar of Michigan.

Experience: A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in the practice of criminal defense, including a minimum of five (5) years of experience in the administration of legal services.

Other Requirements:

• None

Demonstrates effective communication skills by engaging, interacting and working with all individuals to ensure clarity and understanding in all interactions.

(The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.)
Requirements and Working Conditions

Working Conditions:

• This position works in an indoor environment. There is no planned exposure to prominent lights, noises, odors, temperatures or weather conditions.
• This position is exposed to individuals in crisis. These individuals may suffer from mental or emotional illness, have violent tendencies or be unconcerned with their personal safety and hygiene.
• This position is required to travel for meetings and appointments. Some appointments may be held at personal residences where levels of cleanliness and safety vary.
• Some trainings, appointments, and meetings may require overnight travel.

Physical Requirements:

• This position requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, twist, bend, and stoop/crouch, squat, kneel, lift, carry, push, pull, reach, grasp, handle, pinch, type, endure repetitive movements of the wrists, hands or fingers.
• This position's physical requirements require periodic stamina in standing, walking, twisting, bending, stooping/crouching, squatting, kneeling, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, and handling
• This position's physical requirements require continuous stamina in sitting, reaching, grasping, pinching, typing, and enduring repetitive movements of the wrists, hands or fingers.
• This position performs light work requiring the ability to exert 20 pounds or less of force in the physical requirements above.
• This position primarily requires close visual acuity to perform tasks within arm's reach such as: viewing a computer screen, using measurement devices, inspecting and assembling parts, etc.
• This position requires the ability to communicate and respond to inquiries both in person and over the phone.
• This position requires the ability to operate a PC/laptop and to enter & retrieve information from a computer.
• This position requires the ability to handle varying and often high levels of stress.

(This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the requirements listed above. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements.)

MCF 17
August 2018
This position is benefited and is subject to the Managerial Confidential group manual.

Ingham County offers a wide range of benefits to support you in your career. View the for more information.

The current Managerial Confidential group manual can be
01

Do you have your Juris Doctorate degree with a Certificate of Admittance to the State Bar of Michigan?

• Yes
• No

02

How many years of experience in the practice of criminal defense do you have?

• I have no experience
• I have 1 year of experience
• I have 3 years of experience
• I have 5 years of experience
• I have 7 years or experience
• I have 10 years of experience
• I have 13 years of experience
• I have 15+ years of experience

03

How many years or experience do you have in the administration of legal services?

• I have no experience
• I have 1 year of experience
• I have 2 years of experience
• I have 3 years or experience
• I have 4 years of experience
• I have 5 years of experience
• I have 6 years of experience
• I have 7+ years of experience

04

Did you submit your cover letter and resume?

• Yes
• No

05

Did you submit your transcripts or diploma showing your degree awarded if not please explain why?
06

Did you submit your State Bar License?
Required Question