Assistant Federal Public Defender

ABOUT US
The Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Missouri is a law firm operating under the authority of Title 18, United States Code, Section 3006A(g)(2)(A), providing legal representation to people accused of federal crimes who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. We represent the accused at all stages of criminal proceedings - from arrest through trial and appeal, including appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Our team works together to uphold every person's right to be presumed innocent, to have a fair trial, to mitigation, and, if convicted, to have a fair sentence. Our defense is vigorous, both at trial and on appeal. We advocate for humane sentences through client-centered representation, honoring an individual’s life experience.

THE OPPORTUNITY
We seek an Assistant Federal Public Defender to join our main office in Saint Louis, Missouri.
The Assistant Federal Public Defender position primarily involves legal representation of indigent persons charged with criminal offenses in the United States District Court.

REQUIREMENTS
To qualify, the applicant must have the following:
• Be a law school graduate, a member in good standing of any state bar (i.e., licensed to practice law before the highest court of any state in the United States or the District of Columbia), and eligible for admission to the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Must have the capacity, within several months of hiring, to develop sufficient skills to defend serious criminal cases in federal court, from arraignment through post-conviction motions and on appeal.
• A commitment to working with diverse communities and with clients from a wide range of backgrounds.
• The ability to work in a paper-lite environment.
• Three or more years of state or federal criminal defense experience is preferred but not required.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Our office’s collegial and collaborative culture make it a great place to work for the pursuit of fairness and equal justice under the law. Applicants should be team-oriented and collaborate with other attorneys and staff. They must possess excellent written and oral communication skills and be able to communicate thoughtfully with clients, colleagues, adversaries, judges, and court personnel. The successful applicant must have an established capacity or a clearly demonstrated aptitude for excellence in criminal defense practice, a commitment to representing indigent accused persons, and a reputation for integrity.

SALARY AND BENEFIT DETAILS
The salary of the successful applicant will be commensurate with the applicant’s qualifications and experience. The position offers federal employment benefits, including paid vacation, paid sick time, paid holidays, health insurance, life insurance, a retirement plan, and participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (401 (k)). Telework days may be approved per office policy. The position is excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit).

Appointment and retention are subject to a background security investigation, including an FBI name search and IRS tax check. Fingerprints and photographs will be taken. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a security investigation and a favorable report.

We value diversity and support inclusion. We aspire to create a culture of mutual respect, collaboration, openness, and humility that honors the people we represent. We seek lawyers who share this belief and commitment. We encourage individuals who are members of the BIPOC community, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized and underrepresented groups to apply. Above all, we are interested in applicants’ talents, dedication, and desire to ensure that all individuals, irrespective of race, ethnicity, nation of origin, culture, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, education, opinions, age, languages spoken, veteran status, disability, religion, and socioeconomic circumstance who are charged with a federal crime, receive effective assistance of counsel, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

HOW TO APPLY
To apply for this position, interested applicants should email a letter of interest, a resume, a writing sample, and the names and contact information of three professional references in one PDF document to the attention of:
Ereka Tosh, Administrative Officer via email to: Ereka_Tosh@fd.org

DEADLINE
Applications must be received by December 16, 2025. One or more positions may be filled from this announcement, subject to need and budget. Position is subject to the availability of funds.

Only submissions following the required format will be considered. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to quality representation, diversity, and inclusion. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Salary/Compensation: $75,815 - $177,887 per year

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