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For those looking to go into public defense, what are the most prestigious offices where one could work over the summer? Obviously anything in New York City or DC is going to look very good. I've heard great things about OPD in New Orleans, and I know San Francisco pays a six-figure salary which is unheard of.

PDS (Wash DC)
Bronx Defenders
Brooklyn Defender Services
Legal Aid (NYC)
Orleans Public Defenders
San Francisco

I don't know much about Los Angeles or Chicago, but I assume they would be very prestigious and tough to get on with given the size of the city and the amount of crime. What about Miami? Atlanta? Nashville? Denver? Texas?

Anyone interested in public defense want to offer their own rankings and/or thoughs?

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Nothing is prestigious about defending child rapists.

Yes, I realize that the two are not usually used in the same sentence. But there are certainly offices, such as PDS, who take only the best and are very difficult to get jobs with. Obviously they are not prestigious to laymen, but in this day and age public interest jobs are far from a fallback. But maybe most competitive might be a better title.

And as far as the child rapist comment goes, same can be said for working at a big firm that defends evil corporations, but that is still seen as prestigious. I'd rather have to defend the rare child rapist than have to ruin lives by prosecuting recreational drug users or addicts.

I would focus far less on prestige and more on the experience they will give you. Some are known for providing better mentorship and more opportunities for interns to learn.

RickyRoe wrote:Yes, I realize that the two are not usually used in the same sentence. But there are certainly offices, such as PDS, who take only the best and are very difficult to get jobs with. Obviously they are not prestigious to laymen, but in this day and age public interest jobs are far from a fallback. But maybe most competitive might be a better title.

And as far as the child rapist comment goes, same can be said for working at a big firm that defends evil corporations, but that is still seen as prestigious. I'd rather have to defend the rare child rapist than have to ruin lives by prosecuting recreational drug users or addicts.

(guy who thinks people go to jail for simple possession)

Tom Joad wrote:

RickyRoe wrote:Yes, I realize that the two are not usually used in the same sentence. But there are certainly offices, such as PDS, who take only the best and are very difficult to get jobs with. Obviously they are not prestigious to laymen, but in this day and age public interest jobs are far from a fallback. But maybe most competitive might be a better title.

And as far as the child rapist comment goes, same can be said for working at a big firm that defends evil corporations, but that is still seen as prestigious. I'd rather have to defend the rare child rapist than have to ruin lives by prosecuting recreational drug users or addicts.

(guy who thinks people go to jail for simple possession)

82.2% of drug-related arrests are for possession..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/1 ... 35412.html

radikal_eyes wrote:

Tom Joad wrote:

RickyRoe wrote:Yes, I realize that the two are not usually used in the same sentence. But there are certainly offices, such as PDS, who take only the best and are very difficult to get jobs with. Obviously they are not prestigious to laymen, but in this day and age public interest jobs are far from a fallback. But maybe most competitive might be a better title.

And as far as the child rapist comment goes, same can be said for working at a big firm that defends evil corporations, but that is still seen as prestigious. I'd rather have to defend the rare child rapist than have to ruin lives by prosecuting recreational drug users or addicts.

(guy who thinks people go to jail for simple possession)

82.2% of drug-related arrests are for possession..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/1 ... 35412.html

You don't necessarily go to jail after being arrested...

radikal_eyes wrote:82.2% of drug-related arrests are for possession..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/1 ... 35412.html

Were they simple possession or possession with intent to distribute? AFAIK, the feds don't prosecute simple possession; if you've got 30 kilos of marijuana on you, you're getting charged with possession, but it's with intent to distribute. (Admittedly, I have no idea how the states handle this, but I don't think those stats make clear that anyone's prosecuting drug users for just using drugs themselves.)

As to the OP, I agree that the work you get to do is more important than where you are or any name brand. My impression is that Colorado gives people a lot of responsibility early on (they hire semi-nationally, too).

without getting into the politics of prosecutorial charging, PWID, particularly at the local/state level, is not always a legitimate charge but rather, an attempt to by pass regulations and restrictions against the seizure and forfeiture of a defendant's property and assets.

radikal_eyes wrote:without getting into the politics of prosecutorial charging, PWID, particularly at the local/state level, is not always a legitimate charge but rather, an attempt to by pass regulations and restrictions against the seizure and forfeiture of a defendant's property and assets.

it's a subtle distinction, but you can always tell when they're doing this because the flag will have a yellow fringe on it indicating that the proceedings are governed by maritime law.

Using the term "prestige" might be raising the ire of the TLS crowd, but there are certainly PD offices that are comparatively well respected in the legal community and that will provide their interns with both a good summer experience and a solid resume line. You've already listed the programs that cast a long shadow, though I hear positive things about Bronx Defenders a lot more than I do the other NYC offices. The Federal Defenders Office is also generally well respected.

A more important question is why you want to work for the most prestigious office. When it comes to hiring, public defenders don't really care about where you interned, unless it was with them.

Everyone above has already picked up on it, but seeking out prestige in PI work is antithetical to the ideals of PI.

That's not to say that PI lacks prestige though.

Southern Center for Human Rights?

L’Étranger wrote:Everyone above has already picked up on it, but seeking out prestige in PI work is antithetical to the ideals of PI.

Yeah, but a prestigious internship can help you actually get a job, and jobs are pretty important even for non prestige whores.

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Maybe prestige was a bad phrasing given this board, perhaps I should have asked which offices were the toughest to get internships in or which offices had the best lawyers. But I do believe it is important to work at a defenders office where you are not only given a lot of responsibility but you are also able to learn from the best. I know offices like the Bronx Defenders are staffed with lawyers from HYS and other top schools. I'm sure many federal public defenders are the same way, but I was more interested in local offices. I have a friend who wants to do an 0L internship with one, so he is looking more for name recognition than anything. I was just wondering if I left any off the list.


To Tom Joad (guy who is obviously an over privileged white guy from the suburbs): People go to jail every day for as little as a few simple marijuana possessions. Especially in the south, where three simple marijuana possessions can get you 20 years or more in some jurisdictions. Just because the Fed only prosecutes dealers does not mean that the majority of the states won't ruin your life for something that is legal on the west coast. And that is just marijuana, it is much easier to get hard time for nothing more than simple possession of other drugs. I would have thought someone with your screen name would be more in touch with social issues.

I've heard good things about the NJ Public Defender.