Deputy District Attorney

If you wake up every morning with a desire to “do the right thing” and make a difference in someone’s life, a career in the Clackamas County District Attorney’s office is exactly where you should be.

Working in the DA’s office is more of a calling than a job. It’s the impact you make every day on the lives of the people of Oregon that drives people to become prosecutors. Law school was only the beginning.

• How to navigate the court system:
  Some days you’ll be assigned the docket for all the cases coming before a judge that day. Since every judge is different, you will learn the nuances of working within the system efficiently and professionally as you represent the entire office.
• The thrill of preparing for and conducting trials:
  You will experience firsthand the excitement and complexity of everything from preparing witnesses for trial, jury selection, and trial presentation to help the jury make an informed and just decision.
• Plea negotiation with defense attorneys:
  In your first year, you’ll be negotiating with highly seasoned and skilled litigators. It will be a crash course in negotiation techniques, judgment, fairness, and doing the right thing (our motto!).
• The influence of a prosecutor:
  You will review criminal cases, decide on whether to charge, and which, if any, charges are appropriate. You will decide a plea offer that best serves the community, and when negotiations fail, how to win your case at trial.

While your journey starts in the misdemeanor unit, advancement and opportunity can come quickly. Sometime soon, you will get a call in the middle of the night, inviting you to shadow one of our top prosecutors at the scene of a homicide. We encourage you to increase your learning, skills, and experiences to eventually prosecute the most challenging and difficult felony cases.

• We support you at every step along the journey. You’ll have access to, and be mentored by, some of the best, brightest, and most seasoned prosecutors in the State of Oregon. Our environment is not sink or swim. You will have true and trusted mentors who will guide you throughout your career.
• This office distinguishes itself from others by allowing each DDA the autonomy to do what’s right, while offering guidance, support, collaboration with peers, and resources needed to get the job done.
• With over 400,000 citizens and 1800 square miles that include Oregon’s tallest mountain and its second largest river, this County has it all!
• We have one of the highest retention rates because people like working and living in Clackamas County. It’s not just a job, it’s a lifelong career.
• Each DDA in this office carries a caseload from charging to sentencing -- always advocating for what is ethically, morally, and legally right.

We embrace and insist on diversity, including ethnic, cultural, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and diversity of ideas and viewpoints. Our ability to serve our community requires varied perspectives and insights. We invite you to bring your ideas and life experiences and apply those to the work of the DA’s office.

If you are up to the challenge of this rewarding career and want to make Clackamas County a better, safer place to live, then apply now!

This recruitment may close at any time. Any changes to the recruitment timeline will be communicated to all applicants who have initiated or submitted an application.

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Clackamas County proudly offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including competitive wages, cost-of-living adjustments, merit increases (for eligible employees), and a robust sick and vacation plan. We encourage and support employee health and wellness by offering health and wellness events and alternative care benefits, so you can customize your wellness needs to fit your lifestyle.

Entry level

Full-time

Legal

Government Administration, Law Practice, and Courts of Law

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• Pension plan
• Disability insurance