Similarly to how fresh medical school grads don't go straight into being a doctor, they become a resident first. They help treat real people in hospitals and are extra medical personnel instead of the hospital relying on only MDs.
We need a similar system for lawyers. After you graduate law school and pass the bar, you serve at least 2 years as a public defender. Of course, they should be paid a decent salary just as medical residents are.
Ultimately, the goal of this is to have more public defenders and BETTER public defenders. Currently, public defenders are overworked and tend to be people who do this out of passion or couldn't get the top tier law jobs. Under my proposed system, this would result in lower case loads, more attention to the cases, and all lawyers from the top of the class to the bottom would be working. Of course, if a lawyer is incompetent, they would be fire, just as a an incompetent medical resident would.
Too many people, even innocent ones, end up in major debt fighting for lives when their public defender is shitty. We cannot have a fair and working legal system when one side (the state) has adequate representation but the defendant does not.
I am open to changing this view because I understand it's a big order and no one likes being told where to work, but it's not the only job that has mandatory apprenticeships.
I look forward to hearing your arguments! Thanks!
Hi all, I’m a recent graduate (2020) from a lower T14 who got a job as a public defender in California. My grades were above median but below cum laude. I worked as a public defender for one year. I’d like to leave criminal law entirely, and honestly think that litigation in general might not be for me. I dislike the stress of criminal defense, the stakes, the emotion, constantly reviewing horrifying discovery, and the pettiness of litigation.
But, I have no idea how to transition or what to transition to. My experience and skill set all scream criminal defense, and certainly not anything transactional. I’m interested in trusts and estates, but I’m worried I’m just not marketable. I’m feeling a bit discouraged and I’m open to broad suggestions.
Thanks everyone.
I’m a 3L and I’ve been in stuck in this mental block since my last rejection. I thought the interview went well, but alas no job offer. After my second year in law school, I started working as a court certified student and have been able to take on cases under attorney supervision for my law school work experience, and it wasn’t until starting that work that I really felt public defense was where I wanted to take my law degree. I’m unfortunately not one of those students who had a passion for and knew they wanted to do public defense pretty much their whole life (I honestly had no idea what I really wanted to do entering law school—yep, I was one of those), and I still feel like I am just catching up on all the the top, hot issues in criminal law. So.. considering that I can’t help but feel like that’s a disadvantage. New job postings just dropped in locations which I am very interested in and I just am having a mental block because I don’t want to screw it up. I’m not sure what offices look for in a cover letter and so any help would be appreciated. Especially any interview tips as well.
I was recently offered an interview/assessment with a public defender’s office in CA for an investigator role.
I have 15 years of field investigative experience in private industry gathering evidence, facts, reports, locating and interviewing witnesses and subjects, scene canvassing, dealing with 3rd parties and liaising with government and law enforcement agencies.
But I’ve never worked in law enforcement or at a public defender’s office.
What types of interview questions can I anticipate? Any insight would be super appreciated.
I'm trying to figure out where the public defenders' office(s) were in NYC/Brooklyn in 1979 and can't seem to find anything online. Hoping one of you out there can help me!!
What is the path to being a Public Defender? I'm assuming I need to go to law school (or can i apprentice and take the BAR without law school), take the BAR, then what? Do I apply to be a PD at the local courthouse I want to practice at, or is there a selection process or what?
It has been this way for as long as I can remember and it just seems like a strange decision to default to only allowing things through on public networks.
Am I missing something? It's entirely possible that I just don't even know what the option actually does
Specifically in Roswell, NM - we have positions for no experience attorney's and also a position available for an attorney with 4+ years criminal experience. We can hire 3L's planing on taking the summer bar exam.
New Mexico has a terrific statewide office and locally here in Roswell there is a lot of space for training and advancement in criminal law.
Positions are also available statewide.
Here is the link for the Roswell no experience position:
Here is the link for statewide positions:
Hi So like the title says, I was denied a public defender because I apparently make too much only working part time. I cannot afford a lawyer. I’m looking for advice, suggestions, knowledge. A friend of mine had said if I show up without a lawyer and cannot get a public defender than I will be appointed a lawyer. I don’t know if that’s true. HelP
So the scenario I am imagining is as follows:
You are accused of a crime and the police drag you into the interview room, and you assert your fifth amendment right to silence and refuse to answer any questions without an attorney present. The police comply and formally charge you, and arrest you pending your arraignment.
During the arraignment, you are found legally indigent and thus, the judge orders that a public defender is assigned to your case. Later that day you are informed that said public defender would be meeting with you to discuss the details of your case.
The police, unbeknownst to you, intercepts your court-appointed attorney, and delay him or her from meeting with you (maybe using some bogus charge to hold them, even if only for a few hours). Then, a detective puts on a suit and tie and enters the interview room, showing you the intercepted public defender's ID to "prove" that he or she is your attorney (which they got because said lawyer was intercepted earlier).
You then tell your supposed lawyer the truth of the case, assuming your conversation is privileged, when in reality it is being recorded to serve as your confession. Once the lawyer manages to finally get access to you, the confession has already been recorded and entered into evidence and it is too late.
So I guess my question is, what would happen if this occurred? I don't see why the cops couldn't do this, given that they are allowed to lie to suspects - and while they couldn't arrest the lawyer since they hadn't done anything illegal, all they'd need to do is delay the lawyer long enough to extract your confession.
I've been on a legal drama kick recently. Most legal dramas focus on the prosecution, some focus on criminal defense for innocent people, and very few focus on criminal defense for the guilty.
I can't think of a single one that focuses on a trial featuring a public defender, especially not in a positive light.
I found a documentary called Gideon's Army, but that's it. Anyone got any suggestions?
