The Federal Public Defender, District of Nevada is accepting applications for the position of Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Special Projects Unit, located in Las Vegas. The Special Projects Unit litigates and advocates for clients in collaboration with other units in the office. The Special Projects Unit currently represents immigration detainees in federal habeas corpus proceedings brought under 28 U.S.C. § 2241.
Requirements: Applicants must possess strong writing, oral advocacy ability, and litigation experience in at least one of the following areas: criminal law (trial, post-conviction, or appellate litigation), immigration law, or federal court civil litigation. Applicants must be team-oriented and have at least 2-3 years of relevant legal experience.
Selection Criteria: Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong commitment to defending the constitutional rights of indigent persons. Applicants must demonstrate a desire to litigate emerging and complex legal issues and be adept at practicing in multiple areas of criminal defense.
Applicants seeking to work remotely will be considered, but preference will be given to those who live in (or will relocate to) Las Vegas. Those with federal clerkship experience are encouraged to apply. Fluency in Spanish is preferred but not required.
How to Apply: Qualified individuals should submit a single PDF that contains a letter of interest, resume, writing sample, and three professional references. This position will remain open until filled with preference given to those who apply by October 23, 2026. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Please do not call or email regarding the status of your application.
Jennifer Yim
Human Resources Counsel
Office of the Federal Public Defender – Nevada
The Federal Public Defender is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants must be a United States citizen, or a person authorized to work in the United States and receive compensation from this agency. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including an FBI name and fingerprint check.
The Federal Public Defender, District of Nevada is accepting applications for the position of Paralegal in the Special Projects Unit, located in Las Vegas. The Special Projects Unit litigates and advocates for clients in collaboration with other units in the office. The Special Projects Unit currently represents immigration detainees in federal habeas corpus proceedings brought under 28 U.S.C. § 2241.
Requirements: Applicants should have experience in criminal justice, immigration, or complex litigation and possess strong writing skills. Other duties include but are not limited to: gathering records; reviewing, organizing and managing voluminous case files; preparing memoranda and legal pleadings; coding and database entry; and providing support to attorneys and other team members at all stages of the proceedings. Strong computer skills are required.
Selection Criteria: Applicants should have a working knowledge of the criminal justice system. Applicants must be team oriented and comfortable working in multiple areas of federal habeas and criminal defense. Familiarity with immigration law is a plus. Applicants seeking to work remotely will be considered, but preference will be given to those who live in (or will relocate to) Las Vegas. Fluency in Spanish and/or a second language is preferred but not required.
How to Apply: Qualified individuals should submit a single PDF that contains a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references. This position will remain open until filled. Preference will be given to those who apply by October 23, 2026. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Please do not call or email regarding the status of your application.
Jennifer Yim
Human Resources Counsel
Office of the Federal Public Defender – Nevada
The Federal Public Defender is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants must be a United States citizen, or a person authorized to work in the United States and receive compensation from this agency. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including an FBI name and fingerprint check.
The Federal Public Defender for the District of Nevada is seeking a full-time Spanish Language Interpreter. Preference will be given to candidates who live in or are willing to relocate to Las Vegas, though qualified remote candidates will be considered.
The Staff Interpreter works as part of a federal criminal defense team serving indigent clients and provides Spanish-English interpretation and translation in office, jail, courtroom, and appellate settings.
Qualifications & Responsibilities:
How to Apply: Submit one PDF containing a letter of interest, resume, translation sample in English and Spanish and three professional references. Priority will be given to those who apply by October 23, 2026. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please do not call or email regarding application status.
Jennifer Yim
Human Resources Counsel
Office of the Federal Public Defender – Nevada
The Federal Public Defender is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants must be a United States citizen, or a person authorized to work in the United States and receive compensation from this agency. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including an FBI name and fingerprint check.
The Federal Public Defender, District of Nevada, is accepting applications for the position of a legal assistant in our Special Projects Unit. This is a full-time position located in Las Vegas. The Special Projects Unit litigates and advocates for clients in collaboration with other units in the office. The Special Projects Unit currently represents immigration detainees in federal habeas corpus proceedings brought under 28 U.S.C. § 2241.
Requirements: Applicants must have strong oral and written communication skills and strong interpersonal skills. Applicants must be able to handle confidential matters with discretion, exercise mature judgment, work well both independently and on teams, and work on multiple projects with deadlines simultaneously. Applicants must possess well-developed organizational skills, be able to interpret and apply procedural rules of the court, and work well under pressure in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
Applicants must have advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat and Excel. The duties of this job occasionally require lifting and moving boxes that weigh up to 25 pounds. Experience in criminal defense work is preferred. Possessing a paralegal certificate or bachelor’s degree is preferred. Fluency in Spanish is preferred but not required.
How to apply: Qualified individuals should submit a single PDF containing a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references. This position will remain open until filled. Preference will be given to those who apply by October 23, 2026. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please do not call or email regarding the status of your application.
Jennifer Yim
Human Resources Counsel
Office of the Federal Public Defender – Nevada
The Federal Public Defender is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants must be a United States citizen, or a person authorized to work in the United States and receive compensation from this agency. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including an FBI name and fingerprint check.
The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Nevada is accepting applications for an Investigator in its Special Projects Unit. The Special Projects Unit litigates and advocates for clients in collaboration with other units in the office. The Special Projects Unit currently represents immigration detainees in federal habeas corpus proceedings brought under 28 U.S.C. § 2241.
Requirements: Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to indigent criminal defense. A minimum of three years of felony investigative experience for defense teams or equivalent, is required. Duties include locating and interviewing witnesses and other individuals; meeting with clients; strategizing with teams; writing reports and memoranda; gathering records through open sources, online resources, social media and in-person investigation.
Selection Criteria: Applicants must possess excellent interviewing skills, and strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. Strong computer skills are required. Applicants should have a working knowledge of the criminal justice system. A demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively on team-based work is required. Familiarity with immigration law is a plus. Fluency in Spanish and/or a second language is preferred but not required.
How to Apply: Qualified individuals should submit a single PDF containing a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references. This position will remain open until filled. Preference will be given to those who apply by October 23, 2026. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please do not call or email regarding the status of your application.
Jennifer Yim
Human Resources Counsel
Office of the Federal Public Defender – Nevada
The Federal Public Defender is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants must be a United States citizen, or a person authorized to work in the United States and receive compensation from this agency. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation, including an FBI name and fingerprint check.
Our office values excellence. Our clients deserve the best federal criminal defense representation possible and we provide every client with exemplary advocacy. A cooperative and collaborative environment achieves those results. The office seeks candidates who have proven, successful and relevant legal experience. We hire individuals who want to be a part of an organization that values professionalism and respect for our clients, our clients’ family members, court personnel, management and each other. We believe in and strive to facilitate an appropriate work/life balance for every member of the office. Communication and transparency are a necessary and important part of a healthy office culture. We honor diversity and believe we are stronger when we value and respect each other -- regardless of race, ethnicity, color, gender, religious affiliations, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or mental or physical abilities.
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program provides health care coverage for millions of federal employees, retirees, former employees, family members, and former spouses. As a federal employee, you are entitled to enroll yourself and eligible family members in one of the many health plans offered under the FEHB Program. You are also eligible to take FEHB coverage into retirement if you meet the requirements set by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
Health benefits are provided by insurance carriers, which vary based on your geographic location. Each health plan carrier under the FEHB Program charges a different premium.
Advantages of FEHB include:
The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Program (FEDVIP) is a benefit to supplement your health insurance. FEDVIP allows dental and vision insurance to be purchased on a group basis, which means competitive premiums for you and your family. There are no pre-existing condition limitations. FEDVIP is an employee-pay-all benefit.
The Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program is the group term life insurance program for federal government employees. Your life insurance coverage through FEGLI consists of two parts: Basic insurance and Optional insurance. Basic insurance is automatically granted, but can be waived if you do not wish to participate. Optional insurance for yourself and your family is fully voluntary, but you must be enrolled in Basic insurance and you must submit election forms in order to participate. Because it is term life insurance, FEGLI does not build up any cash value or paid-up value.
Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
FERS stands for the Federal Employees Retirement System. If you started your service in 1984 or after, or you specifically elected FERS when it was offered, you are covered under FERS. FERS is a retirement plan made up of three components that work to build your retirement savings in different ways: the Basic Benefit Plan, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). You contribute a percentage of your base pay to the FERS Basic Benefit throughout your career.
401K Plan
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement benefit offered to employees of the federal government. Administered by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, the TSP gives you the opportunity to participate in a long-term retirement savings and investment plan.
It is your responsibility to set your financial goals for retirement and saving through the TSP plays an important role from your first day of employment on. Participating in the TSP can significantly increase your retirement income, but starting early is important. Contributing early gives the money in your account more time to increase in value through the compounding of earnings.
Federal employment offers 10 paid federal holidays and a generous amount of vacation and sick leave.
411 E. Bonneville Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89101
200 S. Virginia St., Suite 340
Reno, Nevada 89501