Capital Area Private Defender Service

The Capital Area Private Defender Service (“CAPDS”) is a Managed Assigned Counsel program that handles the vast majority of indigent defense cases in Travis County. CAPDS uses a holistic defense model, placing the client at the center of the representation. We use a team-based interdisciplinary approach where alternative disposition/mitigation specialists, experts, investigators, and immigration counsel collaborate with the defense attorney to obtain the best possible and least restrictive outcomes for clients. This position is a part of the social services team. As a part of our program, CAPDS provides mitigation investigation and social services to clients who are facing criminal charges. We are looking for mitigation specialist to join our team. The perfect candidate is someone who is organized, has strong communication skills, is a self-starter, and enjoys working as a part of a team.

The specialist will be an integral member of the defense team. They will work closely with attorneys and clients to identify physical or mental health impairments, substance use issues, family history, and medical concerns that will help shed light on the client's life and its impact on the case. Additionally, the specialist is expected to write formal mitigation reports, conduct assessments through field work and investigation, and compile psychosocial histories for trial, sentencing, treatment, conditions of probation, diversion, etc.. The specialist should have experience working in various settings (jail, hospitals, community, courts, office) with individuals suffering from severe and persistent mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

This role requires reliable transportation and a valid driver's license.

Life-History and Social-History Investigation
• Conduct comprehensive, culturally competent investigations into the client's life history, including childhood development, family history, education, employment, relationships, medical and mental health history, substance use, trauma, housing, community connections, and other factors relevant to the client's defense.
• Gather, organize, review, and analyze voluminous records, including medical, mental health, educational, employment, social-service, juvenile, criminal, and other relevant records.
• Trace relevant family and developmental history across multiple generations when appropriate.
• Develop timelines, family trees, chronologies, and other investigative tools to organize complex social-history information.
• Identify information relevant to mitigation, culpability, sentencing, treatment, rehabilitation, and case strategy.
• Conduct investigation into circumstances surrounding the alleged offense when requested by the defense team and consistent with the assigned role.

Client and Collateral Interviews
• Establish and maintain professional, trusting relationships with clients throughout the representation.
• Conduct in-person, telephone, and virtual interviews with clients and collateral sources.
• Locate and interview family members, friends, peers, teachers, employers, neighbors, medical and mental health providers, social-service providers, and other individuals with relevant knowledge of the client's history.
• Travel locally to conduct interviews and investigate cases with a mitigation lens.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with clients and collateral sources and communicate consistently with the defense team regarding significant developments.
Records and Data Analysis
• Obtain and analyze records from schools, hospitals, medical providers, mental health providers, employers, government agencies, social-service organizations, correctional facilities, and other sources.
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies, corroborating evidence, and additional investigative leads.
• Synthesize complex information into clear and useful summaries for attorneys and other members of the defense team.
• Maintain organized and accurate files and documentation.
Mitigation Reports and Written Advocacy
• Prepare comprehensive social-history and biopsychosocial reports.
• Draft investigative memoranda, sentencing memoranda, mitigation summaries, timelines, letters, and other written materials.
• Assist attorneys in developing persuasive narratives concerning the client's background, circumstances, strengths, challenges, treatment needs, and potential for rehabilitation.
• Provide factual and investigative support for plea negotiations and sentencing advocacy.
• When appropriate and requested, assist with preparation for hearings, sentencing proceedings, and testimony.
Expert Collaboration
• Work collaboratively with mental health, substance-use, medical, psychological, psychiatric, forensic, and other experts.
• Assist experts in obtaining records, identifying collateral sources, understanding the client's history, and developing appropriate areas of inquiry.
• Maintain sufficient knowledge of current research and emerging practices related to trauma, mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental disabilities, psychology, neuroscience, poverty, race and ethnicity, and other issues affecting criminal legal-system involvement.
Defense-Team Collaboration and Professional Boundaries
• Work as a full and collaborative member of an interdisciplinary defense team consisting of attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, client advocates, supervisors, and experts.
• Develop mitigation plans in consultation with the defense attorney and other appropriate members of the defense team.
• Coordinate investigative and social-service activities to avoid duplication and ensure that client needs are addressed efficiently.
• Maintain clear lines of communication with the attorney of record regarding substantive client contacts, investigative developments, service referrals, and other matters that may affect case strategy.
• Obtain appropriate authorization from the defense attorney before initiating activities that could affect legal strategy, client representation, court proceedings, bond recommendations, or communications with prosecutors and other justice-system actors.
• Ensure that referrals to social, medical, behavioral-health, housing, treatment, or other services are coordinated with the defense team and consistent with the client's legal representation and informed wishes.
• Participate in regular case-team meetings and maintain timely communication regarding significant developments, concerns, investigative leads, and client needs.
• Follow all office policies concerning client contact, confidentiality, releases of information, memoranda of understanding, stakeholder communications, records access, and referrals.

Client Advocacy and Holistic Support
The Mitigation Specialist recognizes that effective criminal defense often requires understanding and addressing the broader circumstances affecting a client's life. Working within the defense team's established protocols, the Mitigation Specialist may assist in identifying appropriate community resources and supportive services.
Responsibilities may include:
• Identifying treatment, behavioral-health, educational, employment, housing, family-support, and other community resources.
• Maintaining relationships with appropriate service providers and community organizations.
• Helping clients and families understand available resources.
• Coordinating with client advocates and other members of the defense team to ensure that services are not unnecessarily duplicated.

Case Management and Organization
• Independently manage multiple cases with competing priorities, deadlines, and case management demands.
• Develop and implement mitigation plans after consultation with the defense team.
• Maintain accurate case notes, records, interview summaries, correspondence, and documentation.
Minimum Qualifications
• Master's degree or graduate-level study in social work, psychology, sociology, or related field.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong interviewing, investigative, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple cases, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport and communicate effectively with people from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds.
• Demonstrated commitment to indigent defense, criminal legal-system reform, social justice, and/or advocacy.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Ability to work independently while functioning effectively as part of an interdisciplinary defense team.
Preferred Qualifications
• Fluency in Spanish and English.
• Capital defense or serious felony defense investigation experience.
• Experience working in a legal office serving indigent or marginalized communities.
• Experience conducting mitigation, social-history, biopsychosocial, or forensic investigations.
• Experience working with individuals experiencing trauma, mental illness, substance use, intellectual or developmental disabilities, poverty, homelessness, or other significant barriers.
• Familiarity with issues involving race, ethnicity, poverty, trauma, mental health, substance use, disability, and systemic inequities within the criminal legal system.
• Experience interviewing vulnerable populations and conducting sensitive family and collateral interviews.

Working Environment
This position involves regular interaction with clients, including clients who may be incarcerated or otherwise in custody, as well as family members, witnesses, attorneys, investigators, experts, service providers, prosecutors, court personnel, and community organizations.
Other Duties

The Mitigation Specialist will perform other duties reasonably related to the position and assigned by the supervising attorney, supervisor, or defense team.

We offer an excellent total compensation package, including competitive salary and an excellent benefit package. Benefits include 403b, PTO, full coverage medical, dental, and vision.

To apply: Please submit resume and cover letter to jobs@capds.org as one document with “Forensic Social Worker/Mitigation” in the subject line. Only electronic communications will be accepted. Please demonstrate in your cover letter that you meet the minimum qualifications.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: Salary range $63,500.00 - $76,000 based on experience