Mt. Vernon

Assistant Appellate Defender in Mt. Vernon

POSITION: Assistant Appellate Defender in the 5th District, Mt. Vernon

STATUS: Full-time, Hybrid Work Schedule

The Office of the State Appellate Defender is a state agency created by the State Appellate Defender Act (725 Illinois Compiled Statutes, Act 105). The principal function of the Office of the State Appellate Defender is to represent indigent persons on appeal in criminal cases when appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court, the Appellate Court or the Circuit Court.

The Office of the State Appellate Defender is nationally recognized for excellence in providing indigent criminal services. It is the policy of the Office of the State Appellate Defender that services shall not be denied due to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, or disability.

The Office of the State Appellate Defender seeks a mission-driven Assistant Appellate Defender for the 5th District, Mt. Vernon

Duties, Responsibilities, Skills, And Credentials

Assistant Appellate Defenders provide criminal appellate representation to indigent clients in the Illinois Appellate Court and Illinois Supreme Court.
Responsibilities include reading records, conducting research, drafting briefs and other documents, and presenting oral arguments.
We seek attorneys with exceptional written and oral advocacy skills who bring creativity and passion to the defense of their clients.
Criminal defense experience is a plus but not a necessity.
Candidates should have graduated from an ABA-accredited law school and be licensed in Illinois, or be licensed in another jurisdiction and be eligible to obtain a license in Illinois.
Must enjoy doing research and writing, and working in a collaborative environment.

The Office of the State Appellate Defender is committed to a culture of diversity and inclusion while providing a congenial atmosphere, a competitive compensation package, and an excellent benefits plan.

The successful candidate may be eligible to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Start date: September 16, 2026

The starting salary is between $88,000 and $98,240, depending on the candidate’s relevant experience.

Relevant qualifying experience includes employment as a law clerk for a reviewing court, and as an attorney in a criminal appeals office and/or public defender’s office.

Benefits include health, dental, vision and life insurance, details of which can be found at https://cms.illinois.gov/benefits/stateemployee.html.

Please submit a resume and cover letter to the OSAD Human Resource department at osadhr@osad.state.il.us by August 7, 2026.

Illinois State Bar Association

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Assistant Appellate Defender in Mt. Vernon