City and County of San Francisco

As an elected official responsible to the electorate, and subject to executive approval and the legislative body with respect to budgets, purchasing, and other functions and activities, plans, organizes and directs a program for providing legal counsel and representation to eligible persons accused of criminal violations of the law; and performs related duties as required.

Requires major responsibility for: developing, coordinating and executing departmental policies and methods; making continuing responsible personal contacts with a variety of responsible officials, representatives and groups and the general public in connection with departmental programs; directing the overall preparation, review, approval and maintenance of legal records and reports of the office.

1. Plans, organizes, and directs the provision of legal services to eligible persons accused of criminal offenses; formulates and applies policies related to the public defender program.

2. Evaluates employee performance; develops and directs an inservice training program; stimulates employees to develop increased competence in their work; initiates and approves personnel transactions and approves the assignment of personnel.

3. Assigns individual attorneys to specific superior and municipal courts; personally reviews all requests for investigations and services, all transcripts of preliminary hearings in felony cases and other materials; assigns controversial or major felony cases to appropriate staff members.

4. Consults with legal staff on the conduct of cases in progress and gives advice and assistance as necessary; reviews selected outgoing correspondence, completed files on closed cases, reports of completed investigations and other materials.

5. Personally appears in court as defense attorney during peak periods, or to obtain first hand knowledge of major cases; decides on borderline cases of eligibility for legal aid; reviews and evaluates summaries prepared by legal staff recommending that cases be contested in superior court; determines whether convictions should be appealed to higher courts.

6. Confers with senior staff members regarding policies, procedures and activities of the departmental program; discusses the public defense program with judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officials and similar persons; keeps up to date on statutory changes affecting the departmental program.

7. Confers with office staff on record keeping and reporting systems and initiates changes as required.

8. Speaks before civic and professional groups to explain and interpret the public defender program; attends professional meetings and conferences. 

9. Directs the preparation of the departmental budget; administers the approved budget and controls expenditures.

All City and County of San Francisco employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.