Job Details for Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Coordinating Attorney
| Court Name/Organization | Tennessee Eastern Federal Defender Services, Inc. |
| Overview of the Position | We are in search of a full-time Criminal Justice Act (CJA) coordinating attorney based in our Knoxville office. The CJA coordinating attorney oversees the administration and management of the Eastern District of Tennessee’s CJA panel attorney program. The CJA coordinating attorney works closely with the federal courts, the Defender Services Office of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and members of the CJA panel to ensure high quality representation and assist in efficient management of CJA resources and support for panel attorneys. Duties include recruiting panel attorneys and assisting with the mentoring panel; assisting with the efficient processing of vouchers; reviewing vouchers for reasonableness; consulting about case budgets and funding requests for expert and other service providers; providing training and assistance to panel attorneys; and serving on the CJA panel selection committees. The CJA coordinating attorney works under the direct supervision of the federal defender and in collaboration with the district’s panel administrator. |
| Location | Knoxville, TN |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 06/16/2025 - 06/23/2025 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 9/1 to JSP 15/10 |
| Salary | $61,111 - $190,424 |
Qualifications
J.D. degree from an accredited law school; must be an active member in good standing of a federal and state bar (Tennessee bar not required but encouraged). Applicants must have some defense experience. Preference will be given to applicants who have a familiarity with federal criminal practice and CJA guidelines. Additionally, preferred applicants have some familiarity with case budgeting, invoicing, and program coordination. Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and insurance and own a vehicle for business purposes.
A working knowledge of Word, Outlook, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat is required.
Employee Benefits
Salary is commensurate with years of experience and qualifications in accordance with the Defender Organization Classification System and the Federal Judicial Salary Plan (JSP). The current salary range is JSP 9/1 at $61,111 to JSP 15/10 at $190,424 annually.
FDSET offers a generous benefits package, which includes paid vacation and sick leave, 11+ paid annual holidays, medical, dental, vision, life/AD&D, long-term disability, and 401K retirement. FDSET provides medical (employee-only plans), dental, vision, basic life/AD&D, and long-term disability at no monthly premium cost to employees.
Application Info
Qualified individuals may apply by sending ALL the following documents in a combined PDF file to Sharon_Buckingham@fd.org by Monday, June 23, 2025.
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Three references
An email confirming receipt of the application materials will be sent to all applicants. Only those selected for interviews will receive further communication.
FDSET values a diverse workforce and is an equal opportunity employer.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.