On August 5, 2021, Public Defender Robin Lipetzky informed the County Administrator that she would be retiring effective January 1, 2022. The County contracted CPS HR Consulting to conduct the recruitment to fill the vacancy. In August 2021, the recruitment for a new Public Defender commenced. Ads were placed with appropriate industry publications and websites. Invitations and recruitment brochures were sent via traditional and electronic mail to potential candidates targeted by the executive search firm.
The five -week recruitment garnered three (3) applications for further consideration. With the assistance of CPS HR Consulting, applications were screened, and three (3) semi-finalists were forwarded to the County panel and scheduled for interviews on October 20, 2021. Prior to the interviews, one applicant accepted a job in another county and withdrew from the interview process. The County Interview panel was comprised of Monica Nino, County Administrator, Contra Costa County, the Honorable Rebecca Hardie, Presiding Judge, Contra Costa Superior Court; Kathleen Pozzi, Sonoma County Public Defender (Retired), and Esa Ehmen-Krause, Contra Costa County Chief Probation Officer and were facilitated by Andrew Nelson of CPS HR Consulting. Follow-up candidate interviews were conducted by Contra Costa County Administrator Monica Nino on November 17, 2021, along with thorough reference checks. Following the interviews, Ellen McDonnell was selected by the County Administrator for the position of Public Defender.
Ms. McDonnell holds a Juris Doctor from University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Spanish and Italian from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. She has been a member of the California State Bar since 2001. Ms. McDonnell has served as the Contra Costa County Interim Public Defender since August 2021, with a 20-year history in the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office, beginning as a Graduate Law Clerk and working through the levels of Public Defender I through V and as Chief Assistant Public Defender for two years prior to her service as interim Public Defender. Ms. McDonnell has not only worked in every division of the Public Defender’s office, but she has also appeared in courtrooms throughout the County. She is also an experienced manager and has been responsible for the operations of the Public Defender’s Office for the past two years, including a $36 million-dollar annual budget and a personnel roster of 145 employees. Ms. McDonnell has led efforts to ensure diversity in recruitment and retention practices, has worked to increase equity in departmental policies and enhance training and accountability within the Public Defender’s Office; and she has developed strong partnerships with other stakeholders to improve public safety and the criminal justice system outside of the office. Even though Ms. McDonnell has been Interim Public Defender for four months, changes have been made in the area of the number of overloads, and she has been working to resolve concerns with the justice partners. She is dedicated to excellence in all aspects of providing criminal defense to the indigent population of Contra Costa County. As the successful incumbent, Ms. McDonnell is qualified to serve as this County’s Public Defender.
The Public Defender position will remain vacant, leaving a vulnerable management position in the Department.