Employment

Attorneys

The Office of Public Advocacy hires new and experienced attorneys to represent indigent clients in a range of cases: criminal, juvenile delinquency, Child in Need of Aid, guardianships, appeals, post-conviction relief, and more.

Compensation includes a comprehensive benefits package: medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement, and a minimum of five weeks of paid leave. Salary range is commensurate with experience and dependent on location (COLA included):

20% pay increase as of 10/31/2022 -

  • Anchorage, Kenai, Palmer: $82,914.00 - $128,544.00 annually

  • Bethel: $124,371.00 - $192,816.00 annually

  • Fairbanks: $85,410.00 - $132,405.00 annually

  • Juneau: $87,067.50 - $134,979.00 annually

 

Benefits Information: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/benefits/

We are currently accepting applications for attorneys in multiple locations and for multiple positions. Openings for attorney positions are posted below.

Statewide

Contract Attorney (Multiple Locations)

The Office of Public Advocacy (OPA) is looking for contract attorneys to handle civil, appellate, and criminal matters on behalf of the agency and its various sections. OPA provides legal advocacy and guardianship services to vulnerable Alaskans in addition to providing attorney services to indigent clients in conflict criminal cases received from the Public Defender Agency.

Contract attorneys are expected to work cases in a fully competent, high-quality manner and see them through to completion. Contracts are issued on either a flat fee or hourly basis, and payment is processed every month.

Certain case-related expenses such as travel, interpretation services, and expert witness are reimbursable with prior approval, while general office costs such as postage and office supplies are not reimbursable. Contractors must be active members of the Alaska bar, possess an active State of Alaska business license, and maintain professional liability insurance to be eligible for contract work.

For more information and to apply, please contact Jonathon Torres at jonathon.torres@alaska.gov.

Anchorage

Criminal Trial Attorney - Anchorage Office of Public Advocacy

The Office of Public Advocacy is seeking a criminal trial attorney for its Anchorage Conflict Counsel section. This Anchorage-based position is responsible for representing indigent criminal defendants in criminal cases in the trial courts. Some travel around the State is required. The qualified candidate will have trial experience, including the ability to analyze complex fact patterns, direct investigations, analyze scientific evidence, engage in extensive motion practice, and present evidence effectively in court. A Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited school is required, as well as bar licensure in Alaska or the ability to become licensed. Alaska does have reciprocity with many states. This position will be an Attorney II, III or IV depending on experience.
The ideal candidate will have prior experience working with indigent clients, litigating criminal cases, and handling a high-volume caseload. We also prioritize a dedication to high-quality representation of our clients, a desire and ability to work in a close-knit team environment. Preference will be given to experienced practitioners.
Compensation includes a comprehensive benefits package: medical, dental and vision insurance, retirement, and a minimum of four weeks of paid leave.
To apply, please email your resume, cover letter, and writing sample to emily.cooper@alaska.gov. Salary range is commensurate with experience, between $92,704 and $139,035 annually.This position will remain open until filled with a suitable candidate; applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Fairbanks

Palmer

Kenai 

Criminal Section Supervising Attorney - Kenai Office of Public Advocacy

The Office of Public Advocacy (OPA) is seeking a supervising attorney for its Kenai Criminal Section. The OPA Kenai Office represents indigent clients in court proceedings across the entire Kenai Peninsula area of Alaska. This position provides specialized legal representation to indigent clients accused of committing the highest level of criminal offenses including Unclassified felonies as well as representing parents in Child In Need of Aid (CINA) cases which are some of the most difficult civil cases to litigate. This position also provides legal representation for respondents in adult guardianship cases. This attorney makes determinations on how to deal with a variety of legal problems that may arise and supervises two other attorneys along with support staff.
The qualified candidate will have trial experience, including the ability to analyze complex fact patterns, direct investigations, analyze scientific evidence, engage in extensive motion practice, and present evidence effectively in court. A Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited school is required, as well as bar licensure in Alaska or the ability to become licensed. Alaska does have reciprocity with many states.The ideal candidate will have prior experience working with indigent clients, litigating criminal and CINA cases, and handling a high-volume caseload. We prioritize dedication to high-quality representation of our clients as well as a desire and ability to work in a close-knit team environment. Preference will be given to experienced practitioners.Compensation includes a comprehensive benefits package: medical, dental and vision insurance, retirement, and a minimum of four weeks of paid leave.
To apply, please email your resume, cover letter, and writing sample to jonathon.torres@alaska.gov. Salary range is commensurate with experience, between $129,675 and $154,460 annually.This position will remain open until filled with a suitable candidate; applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Juneau 

Bethel 

 

Non-Attorney Staff

The Office of Public Advocacy hires Guardians Ad Litem, Public Guardians, and other non-attorney staff, including legal investigators, paralegals, and law office assistants. Job postings for these positions are found on Workplace Alaska. Current job openings can be found below.

Anchorage

On-Call Law Office Assistant

The Office of Public Advocacy (OPA) is seeking an on-call Law Office Assistant to provide clerical and legal support to our administrative section’s case assignment unit. This is a non-benefited position that offers a flexible work schedule in a fast-paced, friendly, and professional work environment.

The successful candidate will possess strong organizational skills, be detail and goal-oriented, and possess a strong work ethic. Prior legal experience is preferred. OPA is a very fast-paced work environment where the ability to prioritize workloads and meet competing deadlines is essential.

The position’s duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Draft, type, format, edit, and proofread correspondence and legal documents in a variety of formats;

  • Track incoming case assignments and assist with distributing emails to OPA’s various sections;

  • Research case discovery to aid in conflict analysis;

  • Assemble appellate briefs along with other case-related documents;

  • Prepare files for archiving

The position's salary is $19.98/hour. Interested candidates must possess one year of clerical experience and should email a cover letter, resume and writing sample to Amy Hoagland electronically at amy.hoagland@alaska.gov. This position will remain open until filled with a suitable candidate.

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