Description

The Chief public defender is responsible for the overall management of the office, 
including daily administration, personnel, training, caseload management, ethics, and 
quality control of all areas necessary to secure high quality representation for clients 
appointed to the agency.

Major Duties and Responsibilities: 
♦ Ensures that the office provides quality criminal defense representation that 
complies with federal and state constitutions, state statutes, ethical rules and 
state and national best practices.  Provides daily direct supervision of all office 
staff to include Support Staff and Attorneys. 
♦ Ensures all attorneys and staff are trained to comply with state and federal 
constitutions, state and federal laws, ethical rules and best practices including 
holistic, client-centered representation. 
♦ Monitors attorney compliance with annual PA CLE requirements and licensing fee 
payment.   
♦ Direct supervision, oversight, and coordination on a daily basis with the First 
Assistant Public Defender.  
♦ Hires, evaluates, disciplines, and dismisses attorneys and staff. 
♦ Supervises planning, development, preparation, and monitoring of the annual 
budget to include any grant funding or required statistical reporting. 
♦ Reviews and approves/denies all attorney and staff requested time off, timecard 
entries for hourly employees, training and travel requests.   
♦ Responsible for case assignments to the Attorneys.  
♦ Responsible for trial case assignments. 
♦ Participates in all Mercer County Specialty Courts as needed. 
♦ Reviews all juvenile files following intake but prior to any scheduled hearing.

♦ Serves as a resource regarding the responsibilities of the Public Defender Office in 
the representation of clients for criminal cases, including probation and state 
parole revocations, involuntary civil commitments, protection from abuse 
violations, indirect civil contempt regarding cost/fine collection, and domestic 
relation non-support violations.   
♦ Serves as a resource regarding the Rules of Professional Responsibility and their 
application to the Public Defender Office.   
♦ In charge of all training and regular legal updates for Assistant Public Defender 
Attorneys and staff. 
♦ Reviews all closed Public Defender files on a regular basis, located in the Mercer 
County Archives, at the request of MIS, to determine whether the file is retained 
or destroyed.   
♦ Acts as the liaison between the Public Defender Office, District Attorney’s Office, 
Court of Common Pleas, District Courts and Juvenile Probation.   
♦ Liaison with state and local agencies on computerization and access to criminal 
record information. 
♦ Serves as a liaison with outside agencies. 
♦ Participates or holds monthly staff meetings, or staff meetings as needed or 
required. 
♦ Must work regular full time hours M-F at the office and must be on call as needed 
or required after hours and on weekend/holidays. 
♦ Other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s Degree and Juris Doctor (JD) are required.
• Current PA license to practice law  
• Minimum of 7-10 years of legal practice required 
• Minimum of 5 years of experience with criminal trial work and the practice of 
  criminal law required. 
• Experience with staff supervision and office management required 
• High level of confidentiality required 
• Ability to supervise and work with others as part of a team