Public defender offices, which exist at both the state and federal levels in the United States, are structured similarly to private litigation firms. Attorneys, administrative support staff, and investigators all have job openings. In addition to paying jobs, clerkships, and internships, many public defender offices hire undergraduate and law students. Larger metropolitan offices may have their own libraries and IT staff.
Since the landmark US Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright in 1963, all states and the federal government have been required to provide legal representation to indigent people charged with a crime. If there is a possibility of incarceration, this includes traffic offenses. Public defender offices in each state are organized at the county level, and each county has its own public defender. Federal defender offices are organized around the federal district courts’ jurisdiction, which can span multiple counties within a state.
Attorneys can apply for a variety of public defender positions. A public defender office may be staffed with a single attorney to scores of lawyers assigned to different divisions and specialized tasks, depending on the size of the county. The three main areas of criminal law, traffic, misdemeanors, and felony cases, are the focus of most office divisions. Subdivisions within larger divisions may exist in metropolitan areas. For example, in major cities like Chicago or New York, assistant public defenders in the felony division may specialize in cases involving sexual assault, arson, or murder.
The majority of public defender offices handle a large number of cases. In most cases, attorneys are assigned to a specific courtroom and spend the majority of their time there. In most offices, public defender jobs for investigators play an important role. Police reports are frequently the only initial information available to the lawyer handling the case. The investigator’s job is to locate and interview potential witnesses as well as gather other information for the attorney.
Legal secretaries, paralegals, receptionists, and other support staff are available at the public defender’s office, just as they are at other law firms. Many law or criminal justice students work part-time or during the summers in public defender offices. They may be paid law clerks who conduct legal research for attorneys or organize data to aid in trial preparation. Some students work as interns in exchange for course credit toward their degrees. Internships are frequently followed by permanent employment.
There are also public defender jobs for those interested in library services and information technology systems in many offices, particularly larger ones. For legal research and electronic record keeping, the legal profession has its own specialized software. Many public defender libraries now supplement published hardcover materials with online research programs. Much of the information in case files is stored electronically, including privileged client information, research, and trial preparation.