Lead Attorney
Sarpy County
Lead Attorney: Public Defender's Office
SALARY
$59.82 - $69.45 Hourly
LOCATION
1210 Golden Gate Drive, Papillion, NE
JOB TYPE
Full-Time
JOB NUMBER
01306
DEPARTMENT
Public Defender's Office
OPENING DATE
05/27/2026
CLOSING DATE
6/3/2026 11:59 PM Central
JOB OVERVIEW
GENERAL PURPOSE
Provides professional legal representation to defendants within the County by safeguarding constitutional rights and delivering competent and ethical advocacy in criminal proceedings. With regular attendance, this position represents clients at all stages of the judicial process in accordance with state and federal law, court rules, and the policies and standards of the Public Defender’s Office.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
None
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
•Provide effective, competent legal defense for court appointed clients, from first appearance to final disposition.
•Meet with clients regularly to explain rights and legal process, gather case details, develop goals and defense strategy, perform witness prep, and maintain effective attorney-client relationship.
•Conduct depositions and meet with witnesses to prep for court hearings.
•Prepare for and attend all court hearings, including bond settings, detention hearings, preliminary hearings, motion hearings, bench trials, jury trials and sentencing.
•Formulate defense strategy based on the evidence and client’s goals.
•Review discovery supplied by the prosecutor and identify other discovery items that must be produced to assess client’s defense.
•Conduct investigations to obtain additional evidence to support client’s defense and make “crime scene” visits as necessary.
•Perform legal research and stay updated on state and federal law, including case law, rules of evidence, criminal code, criminal procedure and the civil commitment act.
•Draft pleadings, motions, briefs and other correspondence to advocate for client’s defense and desired outcome.
•Demonstrate a working knowledge of diversion services, problem solving courts, and the referral process for clients to obtain evaluations and admission to treatment programs.
•Perform plea bargaining and settlement negotiations with the prosecutor on client’s behalf.
•Appeal client convictions and sentences to the higher courts by identifying legal errors, drafting persuasive briefs, and preparing oral argument.
•Maintain consistent office hours to meet with clients in-person, by phone or in the jail.
•Manage a caseload of misdemeanor, juvenile and/or felony cases (all levels) as assigned by the Chief Deputy or Elected Official.
•Serve as a coordinating role in assigned court (juvenile, county, district, problem-solving or appeals), as determined by the Chief Deputy and Elected Official.
•Serve as point of contact for other departments and facilitate daily operations of court as directed by Chief Deputy and Elected Official.
•Assist and consult with other public defender attorneys in assigned court and perform second chair duties as needed.
•Coordinate hearing coverage for other public defender attorneys in assigned court.
•Demonstrate an ability and willingness to lead, train, coordinate, offer opinions and problem-solve as required.
•Perform other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
•Graduate of an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree.
•Must be licensed to practice law in the state of Nebraska.
•Must be a member in good standing with the Nebraska Bar Association.
•Have and maintain a valid Driver’s License, as well as meet eligibility requirements of“acceptable driving standards” as defined by the County.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
•Effective communication and interpersonal skills for interacting with diverse individuals.
•Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and manage time effectively.
•Proficiency in using the Microsoft Office Suite and other software related to datamanagement, communication, and other common business processes.
•Ability to follow established policies and procedures for confidentiality while adapting toevolving privacy standards and technologies.
•Ability to build and maintain positive relationships within a team.
•Knowledge of constitutional law, criminal law, criminal procedure, and rules of evidenceapplicable to state and county courts.
•Experience with courtroom practices, trial procedures, sentencing guidelines, andappellate processes.
•Knowledge of legal research methods, case law analysis, and statutory interpretation.
•Skill in conducting legal research, drafting motions, pleadings, briefs, and other legaldocuments.
•Skill in managing a high-volume caseload while meeting court deadlines and maintainquality representation.
•Experience with interviewing clients, witnesses, law enforcement officers, and otherstakeholders and experts to develop effective defense strategies.
•Ability to analyze legal issues, evaluate evidence, and apply legal principles to individualcases.
•Ability to adapt to changing laws, court procedures, and caseload demands within a publicdefense environment.
Employer
Sarpy County
Address
1210 Golden Gate Drive
Papillion, Nebraska, 68046
Phone
402-593-4465
402-593-4487
Website
Lead Attorney: Public Defender's Office Supplemental Questionnaire
*QUESTION 1
Are you able to meet the physical demands and work environment requirements of this job with or without accommodation?
Yes
No
*QUESTION 2
Are you able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without accommodation?
Yes
No
*QUESTION 3
Have you graduated from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree?
Yes
No
*QUESTION 4
Are you licensed to practice law in Nebraska
Yes
No
*QUESTION 5
VETERANS PREFERENCE: Are you requesting Veterans Preference as stipulated in Nebraska Statutes § 48-225 to 48-231? Such preference includes initial employment or a return to employment with the State of Nebraska or its governmental subdivisions if termination of previous employment was for other than disciplinary reasons.
Yes
No
*QUESTION 6
VETERANS PREFERENCE: If you answer yes to claiming Veteran's Preference, you must attach to your application, before submission, a copy of your DD214 including page 4 identifying your character of service (and IF disabled, verification of disability from the VA), OR if you are a spouse of a 100% disabled veteran, you must attach a copy of your spouse's DD214, showing character of service, a copy of the veteran's disability verification from the Department of Veteran's Affairs demonstrating a 100% permanent disability rating, and proof of marriage to the veteran; OR if you are a spouse of an active service member, you must attach a copy of your spouse's active service orders and proof of marriage to the active service member. All documents must be attached prior to submission of application. Did you attach all required documentation?
Yes
No
N/A - does not apply
QUESTION 7
DRIVING: Do you have a valid Driver's License?
Yes
No
*QUESTION 8
DRIVING: This position requires the operation of a motor vehicle. Please read below for Sarpy County's Acceptable Driving Standards: Do you have any of the following: a) Three or more 'at fault' accidents in the last 3 years; or b) Five or more moving violations in the last 3 years; or c) Any combination of 'at fault accidents or moving violations totaling five or more in the last 3 years. d) A DUI/DWI conviction within the last 5 years along with a history of at fault accidents and/or moving violations
Yes
No
* Required Question