Champaign County
Job Description

Job Title: First Assistant State's Attorney
Department: State's Attorney
Reports To: State's Attorney
FLSA Status: Exempt
Grade Range: M
Prepared Date: August, 2009

SUMMARY Supervises and performs litigation work in the State's Attorney's Office.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Assumes personal responsibility for the litigation of major felony cases including homicides. Ensures that all major cases are litigated in accordance with statutory requirements to assure fairness and success of prosecution and convictions. Co-ordinates Grand Jury proceedings, initiates criminal prosecutions, handles plea negotiations and personally directs prosecutional functions for major cases.

Manages the activities of felony trial attorneys. Distributes new felony cases according to the experience and ability of the staff attorneys and advises attorneys on matters of law and office policy.

Assigns extra hours, co-ordinates requests for search warrants and/or eavesdropping devices during felony investigations, authorizes dismissal of cases when prosecution is not warranted, prepares the State's Attorney's Office list of priority cases to be tried each month for submission to the Presiding Judge and maintains the felony warrant calendar.

Co-ordinates other legal business of the office including distributing the workload of misdemeanor, delinquency, neglect, child abuse, Grand Jury, probation revocation, traffic management and mental petition cases among staff attorneys.

Assigns attorneys to appear at weekend and holiday bond court.

Performs general criminal prosecution including the investigation of felony, misdemeanor, juvenile delinquency, conservation and other types of cases. Reviews police reports and determines criminal charges, secures additional information from law enforcement personnel when required, prepares felony cases for Grand Jury indictment and schedules trials.

Formulates trial strategy, determines sentence to be sought, conducts plea negotiations, investigates case data and researches applicable case law.

Secures witnesses and required expert testimony, prepares witnesses for trial, assembles case files, attends pre-trial hearings and files or responds to pre-trial motions.

Communicates information on case status to all involved parties including defense attorneys, police officials and victims. Prepares or responds to post-trial motions and represents the County at sentencing hearings.

Handles on-going investigations through the preparation of search warrants, arrest warrants, Grand Jury subpoenas, subpoenas duces tecum and authorizations for eavesdropping devices.

Appears as the representative of the State's Attorney's Office at appellate court hearings, executive clemency/commutation hearings, parole hearings and other meetings connected to law enforcement.

Responds to emergencies such as homicides and performs as legal advisor to the law enforcement agency conducting the homicide investigation.

Co-ordinates the performance of professional and clerical employees by assigning, supervising and reviewing work. Supervises the ethical performance of subordinate attorneys in trial practice, general law and office policies and procedures.

Performs managerial and administrative functions including advising the State's Attorney on the development of office policies, identifying problem areas of the law which require research and planning for solutions and advising the Probation Office, Sheriff's Office and Circuit Clerk on a variety of legal issues. Performs liaison with the media and law enforcement agencies.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Directly and indirectly supervises 16 to 40 employees including attorneys, paralegals, investigators, victim services coordinators, counselors, law students, administrative assistants, and clerical staff. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the County's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising work performed and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE Law degree and licensed in Illinois; ten years of trial experience dealing with serious crimes and have experience in the trial of homicide cases.

LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret legal documents and interpretations, technical journals, and financial data. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from the general public, law enforcement, regulatory agencies, or judges and other attorneys. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication using original or innovative techniques and style. Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to judges, public groups and other attorneys.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.

REASONING ABILITY Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Licensed in Illinois

PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk; or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and color vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the primary functions of this job. Normal office conditions. Potential problems may exist with clients or defendants exposed to stressful situations. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.