Brand new Texas Office of Capital Writs seeks a Director. The state-funded office, with a $1 million approximate annual budget, will be based in Austin. This is a capital post-conviction office, charged with representing death sentenced inmates in state post-conviction habeas corpus and related proceedings. The Director will be responsible for opening the office, hiring, and supervising the staff and the litigation. This is an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in Texas.

By the terms of the legislation establishing the Office, the Director must "exhibit proficiency and commitment to providing quality representation to defendants in death penalty cases, as described by the Guidelines and Standards for Texas Capital Counsel."
See http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/SB01091F.pdf
(legislation establishing the Office); 69 Tex. B. J. 966 (2006) (Texas Guidelines and Standards for Capital Counsel).

Desired Qualifications. Membership or eligibility for admission to the Texas Bar;. Significant experience in the defense of death-sentenced inmates;. Qualified to serve as lead counsel in a Texas capital habeas case (see http://www.courts.state.tx.us/courts/ajr.asp );.
Commitment to the highest level of quality representation of indigent criminal defendants;. Experience training and supervising other attorneys; . Experience managing and administering an office, ideally in a public defender agency setting (e.g., hiring staff, budgeting, financial reporting, creating effective practices and policies, and dealing with other agencies whose work intersects with that of the Office, such as the courts).. Familiarity with and connection to the national capital defense community, such that s/he will have immediate and ongoing access to the developments and resources necessary to facilitate the highest quality legal representation;. Experience with and commitment to a client-centered approach; . Experience with and commitment to a team-based approach that includes attorneys, mitigation specialists, investigators, experts, and staff; and. Experience and training concerning mental health issues that commonly arise in quality capital defense litigation;

Salary: $89,682 to $147,976, DOE.

How to Apply: By March 31st, 2010, Applicants should submit the attached Application, a statement of interest and a resume / CV (with references noted)

to: Maurie Levin at mlevin@law.utexas.edu.