Imperial County DA expands prosecutor recruitment with five post-bar clerks, four paralegals

The participants have completed law school and taken the California bar exam, with results expected in November. Those who pass will be hired as deputy district attorneys, according to the release.

The post-bar program was established earlier this year as part of the District Attorney’s Office’s efforts to address recruitment and retention challenges faced by prosecutor’s offices in rural areas of California.

Rather than waiting for their bar exam results, the law clerks are gaining courtroom experience and training in the day-to-day work of a prosecutor’s office.

According to the release, the clerks are certified by the State Bar of California to perform certain legal services and appear in court under the supervision of a licensed attorney. Their training includes preparing court calendars, evaluating criminal cases, conducting evidentiary hearings, making court appearances and preparing and filing criminal charges.

“We want these young attorneys to be ready to hit the ground running the moment they receive their law licenses,” Marquez said in the release.

The program is funded through a grant from the Community Benefit Program, with additional funding approved by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, according to the DA’s Office.

The office said the program also could help introduce recent law school graduates to Imperial County as a potential place to establish their careers and families.

For those who pass the bar and join the District Attorney’s Office, additional trial training is planned for December. The training will be led by retired Supervising Attorney General Melissa Mandel and will focus on trial skills, courtroom confidence and practical courtroom experience.

“Our goal is not simply to hire attorneys—we want to develop prosecutors,” Marquez said.

The post-bar program is part of a broader recruitment effort that includes on-campus interviews, prosecutor job fairs, partnerships with other district attorney’s offices and expanded online recruitment, according to the release.

Marquez said he has personally participated in campus interviews and job fairs to promote Imperial County as a place to practice law and live.

“I am selling the idea that Imperial County is a great place to practice law, but more importantly, it is a great place to live, raise a family, and become part of a community,” Marquez said in the release.

Alongside the prosecutor recruitment effort, the District Attorney’s Office has hired four new paralegals to provide additional support to deputy district attorneys.

The paralegals will assist with trial preparation, discovery review and organization, evidence preparation and other litigation-support duties. The office said the positions are intended to give prosecutors more time to focus on legal analysis, court appearances, witness preparation, negotiations and trials.

“Modern prosecution requires more than simply having enough attorneys,” Marquez said. “Cases are increasingly complex, discovery is increasingly voluminous, and prosecutors are facing more demands than ever before.”

The DA’s Office also said it is working to modernize its operations, including how digital evidence is obtained, processed and stored, as well as its investigative practices and technology.

“We are building for the future,” Marquez said. “These five post-bar law clerks represent the next generation of prosecutors, and our four new paralegals will immediately strengthen the work of the attorneys serving Imperial County today.”

The office said it will continue evaluating its operations and looking for ways to improve its staffing, technology and resources.