Deputy Public Defender II/III/IV
Salary
$112,382.40 - $207,584.00 Annually
Location
Throughout San Bernardino County, CA
Job Type
Full-time
Job Number
26-04175/04170/04165-01
Department
Public Defender
Opening Date
01/01/2026
The Job
Applications will be accepted until a sufficient number are received.
Join our team and help defend the rights and dignity of our clients to ensure equitable access to justice through holistic representation while reunifying families and communities.
Automatic Promotion to Deputy Public Defender II
(with a successful work performance evaluation)
SALARY INCREASES
SALARY INCREASES
Employees are eligible for merit-based step increases within the salary range, up to the maximum step. Refer to the Attorneys MOU for details.
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Attorneys may have the opportunity to work a flexible 9/80 work schedule.
VICTORVILLE/JOSHUA TREE ASSIGNMENT INCENTIVE
Candidates assigned to the Victorville or Joshua Tree offices may be eligible to
receive an additional incentive of $77 per pay period ($2002 annually).
See Attorney MOU for details and criteria.
The Office of the Public Defender is recruiting for Deputy Public Defenders II/III/IV. These positions offer an exciting opportunity for a challenging career in criminal trial work. Incumbents represent indigent defendants and provide skilled legal counsel and courtroom advocacy at all critical phases of state level criminal and civil commitment litigation.
Public Defenders conduct legal research, prepare and argue motions, writs, briefs and opinions; interview and counsel clients; participate in developing effective investigation plans for clients; negotiate with opposing counsel; and prepare and conduct trials.
We are also currently recruiting for Deputy Public Defender I; a separate application is required for the Deputy Public Defender I level.
Spanish-English Bilingual Candidates are encouraged to apply and may receive additional compensation for bilingual skills.
INITIAL APPOINTMENT
Your application will be reviewed for eligibility for Deputy Public Defender II, III, and IV. Job offers for the initial appointment may be made at any level based on qualifications and department needs. It is to your advantage to be explicit with your work history on your application. Be sure to indicate your level of interest on the supplemental questionnaire. The Deputy Public Defender series accelerated advancement up to the IV level per criteria specified in the Attorney MOU (see page 58 ).
Deputy Public Defender II
$112,382.40 -$124,072.00 Annually
Deputy Public Defender III
$130,249.60 - $143,748.80 Annually
Deputy Public Defender IV
$154,544.00 - $207,584.00 Annually
EXCELLENT BENEFITS
To review job-specific benefits, refer to:
Summary of Benefits
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Assignment: Assignments may be made at any location throughout the County depending on the needs of the department.
Background: Applicants must successfully pass a background investigation, including fingerprinting, prior to appointment
State Bar: Those hired must be active members in good standing with the State Bar of California. This status must be maintained in order to remain employed in this classification.
Promotion: Deputy Public Defender I positions are eligible for promotion to Deputy Public Defender II, III or IV upon meeting the minimum requirements and receiving a satisfactory work performance evaluation (see MOU for details). Deputy Public Defender IV positions may earn up to $201,531 annually.
Sponsorship: San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.
Minimum Requirements
License:
Active membership and in good standing with the State Bar of California. (Members in good standing of California State Bar who have been assigned a license number but have inactive membership status, as well as candidates licensed out of state pending California Bar Exam results/license, are welcome to apply. Active California Bar license will be required prior to hire.)
Experience:
Deputy Public Defender II: Six (6) months of criminal trial experience as an attorney. -OR- One (1) year of trial experience as an attorney.
Deputy Public Defender III: Eighteen (18) months of criminal trial experience as an attorney. -OR- Two (2) years of trial experience as an attorney.
Deputy Public Defender IV: Thirty (30) months of criminal trial experience as an attorney. -OR- Three (3) years of trial experience as an attorney.
Desired Qualifications
Ideal candidates will have performed community service and volunteered time working with indigent defendants and family members. Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
Selection Process
Competitive Evaluation: There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on the application materials.
Application Procedure: Please complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire to be considered. Applications are currently being accepted until a sufficient number have been received; recruitment may close at any time without notice. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application and/or supplemental questionnaire.
To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete and submit your application before the posted filing deadline. Applicants will be automatically logged-out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note, if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application we have not received your application.
All communications regarding the selection process will be via email. Applicants are encouraged to check their e-mail frequently to learn additional information regarding this recruitment. Check your GovernmentJobs account for notifications. Update your firewalls to allow e-mails from San Bernardino County through governmentjobs.com. Update your Spam, Junk, and Bulk settings to ensure it will not spam/block/filter communications from email addresses with the following domain "@hr.sbcounty.gov". Finally, be sure to keep your personal information updated. Taking these steps now will help ensure you receive all communications regarding this recruitment.
EEO/ADA: San Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants.
ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.
Veterans' Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouses or widows/widowers who are not current County employees may receive additional Veterans Preference points. For details and instructions on how to request these points, please refer to the Veterans Preference Policy.
Please click HERE for important Applicant Information and the County Employment Process.
Attorney Unit
San Bernardino County offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of other voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.
Please review the appropriate Summary of Benefits* for more information
Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County's Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787,\ or visit the Employee Benefits website for more detailed information.
01
Specify the level(s) for which you wish to be considered:
02
License: Are you a member of the State Bar of California?
03
Please provide your California State Bar License Number
04
Check the appropriate boxes below to indicate areas in which you have obtained Criminal Law Experience.
05
Briefly describe your experience for the areas checked in question #3. If no experience, indicate "N/A."
06
Do you have experience working with the Indigent Population?
07
If you checked yes to question #5, briefly describe your experience. If no experience, indicate "N/A."
08
Check the appropriate boxes below to indicate your Criminal Trial Experience:
09
Briefly describe your experience for the areas checked in question 7. If no experience, indicate "N/A."
10
ATTENTION GMAIL USERS
We have become aware of an increase in Gmails spam filter sensitivity. Due to this change, it is possible that emails coming from San Bernardino County Human Resources may be marked as spam and will not make it into your Gmail inbox.
For your convenience, the attached PDF document contains a step-by-step guide to create and apply filters within Gmail. To access the guide, download the Gmail Filter Setup Instructions (PDF). Once downloaded, follow the instructions so that you will receive future emails from San Bernardino County Human Resources.
Note: If you apply the filters and still do not receive emails from San Bernardino County Human Resources you can check your www.governmentjobs.com (Neogov) account inbox. All notifications will appear there.
11
Applicant Acknowledgement - Notification via email: As part of our efforts to increase efficiency and promote conservation of resources, human resources uses email to communicate with applicants. Therefore, all future communications regarding this recruitment, including applicant status and testing notifications, will be made via email. Each applicant needs their own email address. We strongly encourage you, as an applicant, to ensure that the email address you have provided us with your application is current, secure, confidential, and readily accessible to you. Adjust Spam and/or other filters so that our emails are accepted. Please carefully read any notices that we send you and follow any instructions provided in a timely manner. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails (i.e., for the non-delivery of our emails or if you fail to check your e-mail on a timely basis).
12
Applicant Acknowledgement - Application Complete: Thank you for taking the time to complete this application and supplemental questionnaire. Please be sure to review all information provided prior to submitting it as you cannot update or revise it once submitted. Your submitted application will be reviewed and evaluated as is. Please do not refer to a resume or other documentation in lieu of completing the employment history section or responding to the supplemental questions; they will not be reviewed or considered.
Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email confirmation will be sent to the email address listed on your application. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note: if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application, we have not received your application.
Required Question
Employer San Bernardino County
Address 175 West Fifth Street, 1st Floor
San Bernardino, California, 92415-0440
Phone (909) 387-8304
TTY Users: 711
Website http://www.sbcounty.gov/jobs