Chief of Homicide Unit

The Homicide Unit Chief is a skilled attorney with extensive knowledge and practice experience in criminal law, and specifically in capital and/or non-capital homicide cases. Responsibilities include representing clients in court during preliminary hearings, pretrial motions, jury trials, and related hearings, as well as the through the filing of post-sentence motions. Further responsibilities include conducting legal research, filing pretrial and trial motions, and providing legal advice to clients on their rights, court process, and interests. This is an attorney manager position requiring the Homicide Chief to supervise, support, train, and work in cooperation with an Assistant Chief, Assistant Public Defenders, and non-attorney staff on a case by case basis. The successful candidate must be able to work collaboratively with our investigative and social services units as well as internal and external experts to form the best defense strategy to ensure a fair trial and the best possible outcome for the client.

• Representation of all adult criminal defendants charged in both capital and non-capital homicide cases where the office of the Public Defender has been appointed.
• Representation of adult criminal defendants in other high-publicity or complex cases as assigned by the Chief Public Defender
• Reviewing case files, meeting with clients, and interviewing other pertinent witnesses in preparation for hearings and trials.
• Making in-depth referrals to the investigations and social services units and coordinating with those units to advance homicide cases to resolution.
• Representation at preliminary hearings, pre-trial conferences, motions hearings, and trials.
• Preparation of pretrial and post-sentence motions, briefs, legal memoranda, or any other legal research and writing necessary to the litigation of assigned cases.
• Perform additional duties as specified by the Chief Public Defender

Education and Credentials

• Juris doctorate from an ABA accredited law school.
• Active bar license in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• Capital Qualification pursuant to Pa. Rule of Criminal Procedure 801 strongly considered but not required.

• Minimum of seven years of criminal litigation experience.
• Must have served as lead or co-counsel in a minimum of 8 significant cases that were given to the jury for deliberations. A 'significant case' for purposes of this rule is one that charges murder, manslaughter, vehicular homicide, or a felony for which the maximum penalty is 10 or more years.
• Must have completed or complete within 6 months of employment, the educational requirements of Pa. Rule of Criminal Procedure 801.
• Experience in using Office 365.
• Must be willing to accept both non-capital and capital cases.
• Fluency in Spanish preferred, but not required.

• Office and Court environment with frequent trips to jails, detention centers, State Correctional Institutions, placements, and treatment facilities.
• Prolonged sitting, standing, walking in an office and court environment.
• Significant and repeated use of a keyboard.
• Ability to travel to other in and out of County locations to meet with clients, observe evidence, or complete tasks related to client representation.