January 2001

The ABCs of a Career in Public Defense

By Gretchen A. Otto

Perhaps you're just embarking on your legal career or maybe you're looking for a change of pace. A career as a public defender may be an option-it's exciting, continually challenging, and rewarding. The following "ABCs" can help determine if a career in public defense is for you.

Enjoy Greater Autonomy and Promote Your Creativity
Public defenders are no strangers to courtrooms. Realistically, new lawyers in the private sector are more likely to function as support for senior attorneys, who traditionally handle courtroom functions, whereas public defenders gain a wide range of trial experience very early in their careers. Public defenders have almost complete autonomy over cases allowing for more creativity in legal arguments, plea-bargaining, and sentencing. By personally managing litigation, public defenders gain necessary organizational and management skills to handle a complex practice.

Protect the Bill of Rights and Defend Against Bias in the Justice System
Defending and promoting the high standards and ideals engendered by the Bill of Rights is a common goal of all public defenders, regardless of their political ideology. Public defenders help reduce bias in the criminal justice system and work to improve access to the system for groups that traditionally have been denied justice, including the economically disadvantaged. Public defenders ensure equity among economic classes by vigorously defending those who cannot afford legal services, and prevent our justice system from ignoring their rights and inherent worth as fellow citizens.

Develop Excellent Client Service Skills and Give to Your Community
Because public defenders communicate directly with clients, they must develop communication strategies and techniques to overcome their clients' difficulties communicating. Public defenders also improve their speaking and presentation skills through many courtroom appearances, developing the all-important skill of "thinking on your feet."

Writing motions and appellate briefs is an integral part of the public defender experience. Issues of first impression offer many opportunities for public defenders to create new legal precedent in a criminal field that is dynamic, interesting, and often involves poignant human-interest stories.

A career as a public defender fulfills the reason many of us attended law school: to "give back" something to our communities and to help improve people's lives. Most public defenders consider it a rewarding privilege to help ensure the rights of those who sometimes "fall through the cracks."

Public defenders do a great service to society by reminding the court system that people deserve to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect. In doing so, we help to advance society as a whole, to foster the evolution of humanity, and to promote a civilization that can be proud of its legacy.

Gretchen Otto is an assistant state public defender, formerly in New York and now in Minnesota. For more thoughts on careers in public defense contact her at gretchen.otto@state.mn.us.

For more info on careers in public defense, check out the National Legal Aid and Defender Association at www.nlada.org or the career services specialists at your law school. Consult your local phone book's government pages for the public defender organization near you.

READY RESOURCES Lawful Pursuit: Careers in Public Interest Law. 1995. Law Student Division. PC #527-0039. ABA Standards for Criminal Justice: Providing Defense Services, 3rd ed. 1992. Criminal Justice Section. PC #509-0053. To order either title, call the ABA Service Center at 800/285-2221 or visit www.abanet.org/abapubs/home.html.