Assistant Public Defender

Position Description

The Office of the Ohio Public Defender is seeking an attorney to serve as an Assistant Public Defender in the Appeals & Postconviction (APC) Department.

The APC Department primarily represents adults in the direct appeal of their conviction following a trial. In 2025, nearly every Assistant Public Defender argued a case in the Ohio Supreme Court, and every attorney argued at least one case in one of Ohio’s twelve intermediate courts of appeals.

On a case-by-case basis, the APC Department also files postconviction petitions, state and federal writs, and other motions to address deprivations of statutory and constitutional rights. Through this work, the APC Department has obtained new trials, reduced jail terms and prison sentences, and developed caselaw benefiting people throughout Ohio.

As An Assistant Public Defender, You Will

• Manage your own caseload under the supervision of an experienced supervising attorney;
• Review trial records and identify viable appellate claims;
• Work with clients to identify their goals and a strategy to try to achieve them;
• Draft appellate briefs;
• Present oral argument; and
• Travel as necessary to visit clients, review records, and present oral argument.

You will also file postconviction petitions and other pleadings, participate in moot arguments and department trainings, and collaborate with colleagues from across the agency on individual cases and larger-scale projects.