Associate Criminal Defense Attorney

A law firm located in Monterey, CA, is seeking an Associate Criminal Defense Attorney to join their team. This role is ideal for a professional with at least 2 years of criminal defense experience, including handling complex cases at federal, state, and local levels. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of the Managing Criminal Defense Attorney and will be involved in all aspects of criminal defense, from client interaction to court proceedings.

Job Duties:

• Report directly to the Managing Criminal Defense Attorney.
• Manage a caseload of criminal defense cases, ensuring all legal responsibilities are handled efficiently.
• Regularly interact with clients, advising them on their legal rights and the details of their cases.
• Collaborate with a team of attorneys and legal assistants to provide comprehensive defense strategies.
• Attend pretrial hearings on behalf of clients and provide strategic advice following each hearing.
• Handle court appearances, trials, and the drafting of motions.
• Conduct interviews with witnesses and perform extensive legal research to support case preparation.
• Analyze probable outcomes of cases using a deep knowledge of legal precedents.
• Manage workload effectively to ensure timely progression of cases.
• Provide legal analysis to determine potential case benefits and accrue additional evidence to support client positions or counter-prosecution charges.
• Prepare clients for depositions and determine the essential goals of case strategy.
• Gather information from witnesses and experts to support the client’s case in court.

Requirements:

• At least 2 years of experience in criminal defense.
• Experience handling complex criminal cases at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred.
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice law in the state of California.

Education:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Admission to practice law in California.

Skills:

• Strong legal analysis and reasoning skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective client interactions and teamwork.
• Ability to manage high caseloads and multitask effectively under pressure.
• Proficient in drafting legal documents, performing legal research, and preparing for court proceedings.
• Adept at negotiating and formulating defense strategies.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid parking.
• Generous paid time off policy.

This position is suited for a motivated and diligent attorney eager to further develop their skills in criminal defense within a dynamic and supportive law firm environment. The firm offers professional growth opportunities and the ability to make a significant impact on the lives of clients facing legal challenges.

This medium-sized firm specializes in immigration, criminal, employment law, and personal injury. Committed to excellent customer service, the firm provides focused personalized attention to every client's needs. The firm consists of highly experienced and aggressive attorneys and associate attorneys who strive to make a difference in immigration law and criminal defense law. The firm has a collaborative teamwork environment where everybody shares ideas, motivates each other, and solves issues together. The firm is an equal employment opportunity employer dedicated to providing an open and diverse work environment. The legal community has recognized the firm for professional achievements and customer service, including Super Lawyers, The National Top 100 Trial Lawyers, Nationally Ranked Top 10 Attorney Award, 10 Best Law Firms Client Satisfaction, Avvo's Client Choice Award, and other accolades.