Public Defender Applications - 2022 Forum

[Anonymous User]

However, many office would rightly question why you chose to help cage people if you want to work for them and help them protect themselves from the state.

God I hate this mentality.

Ok, well if you want to be a PD, get ready to encounter it. Prosecutors do something that is fundamentally at odds with what PDs do. There is ideological conflict.

[Anonymous User]

However, many office would rightly question why you chose to help cage people if you want to work for them and help them protect themselves from the state.

God I hate this mentality.

Ok, well if you want to be a PD, get ready to encounter it. Prosecutors do something that is fundamentally at odds with what PDs do. There is ideological conflict.

I don't see the conflict. Our justice system needs both sides. People will break laws, so we need prosecutors. Our system is complex, so they need representation. Some people won't be able to pay for that representation, so we need high quality public defenders. Both will have significant experience in investigations/criminal procedure, both will understand what the other side does. Frankly, I'd expect an ex-prosecutor to be a better PD than someone who had just done PD work their whole life, and get better results for their clients as a result (which is why we have PDs, after all).

I get that this is the current culture and probably can't change without someone in elected office putting significant pressure on FPD offices, but it's very frustrating from a student perspective that you have to be a mission purist from the get-go to have a shot at one of these places.

[Anonymous User]

it's very frustrating from a student perspective that you have to be a mission purist from the get-go to have a shot at one of these places.

It is not at all weird that offices where the pay is bad (putting aside federal defenders, which this convo doesn't seem limited to), the work is grueling, and your clients routinely are forced to choose between bad and very bad outcomes, often with no choice but to go to one of our hellhole prisons, would want someone who is ideologically committed to the work. The offices reasonably think that commitment will help fuel the young defender through inevitably challenging periods. And as someone who has worked with prosecutors turned defense attorneys (very few of whom go to PD offices; they tend to go private), for every decent one whose experience is helpful, there are ten who are jaded, made the transition for money or lifestyle reasons, despise their clients, and can't truly see things from a defense point of view so end up acquiescing and not fighting hard enough.

On the flip side, I am familiar with a few "old school" PD offices that are not "mission purists." And let me tell you: it's bad. Too friendly with the DA, too friendly with the judges, secretly and not so secretly hate their clients. Plea mills. Again, they do not fight because fighting is hard.

I agree that prior prosecutorial experience, as an intern or clinic student for instance, should not be an automatic strike. But it does require explaining.

[Saami]

However, many office would rightly question why you chose to help cage people if you want to work for them and help them protect themselves from the state.

God I hate this mentality.

Ok, well if you want to be a PD, get ready to encounter it. Prosecutors do something that is fundamentally at odds with what PDs do. There is ideological conflict.

Are all public defenders prison abolitionists or something? They seriously don't recognize that there is at least some potential need for prosecution and imprisonment in a functioning society?

[Anonymous User]

However, many office would rightly question why you chose to help cage people if you want to work for them and help them protect themselves from the state.

God I hate this mentality.

Ok, well if you want to be a PD, get ready to encounter it. Prosecutors do something that is fundamentally at odds with what PDs do. There is ideological conflict.

Are all public defenders prison abolitionists or something? They seriously don't recognize that there is at least some potential need for prosecution and imprisonment in a functioning society?

.. A lot of public defenders are prison abolitionists, yes.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know if the memo for the fed defender fellowship is supposed to be single or double spaced? Also, when it says “add two or three cases,” does that mean we are limited to citing only 3 cases or does it seem like more of a reminder that cases should be cited?

[Saami]

Are all public defenders prison abolitionists or something? They seriously don't recognize that there is at least some potential need for prosecution and imprisonment in a functioning society?

.. A lot of public defenders are prison abolitionists, yes.

Quite disturbing.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know if the memo for the fed defender fellowship is supposed to be single or double spaced? Also, when it says “add two or three cases,” does that mean we are limited to citing only 3 cases or does it seem like more of a reminder that cases should be cited?

Excellent question and one I was also wondering.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know if BDS has given any offers for the September class?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone gotten their time and date for the second interview for the Defender Services Diversity Fellowship?

[Anonymous User]

Has anyone gotten their time and date for the second interview for the Defender Services Diversity Fellowship?

Got mine earlier.

[Anonymous User]

I haven’t gotten mine yet. Did you get yours today?

[Anonymous User]

I reached out since I hadn't heard anything and they sent me my time and date immediately.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have a sense of how many people are interviewing for the fed defender fellowship? The availability surveys each had 44 time slots… hoping there are fewer candidates still being considered.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have a sense of how many people are interviewing for the fed defender fellowship? The availability surveys each had 44 time slots… hoping there are fewer candidates still being considered.

I dropped out to accept an offer so there is at least one less in the running. I heard there were "over 40" finalists that made the cut so your number seems right.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone have a sense of how many people are interviewing for the fed defender fellowship? The availability surveys each had 44 time slots… hoping there are fewer candidates still being considered.

I dropped out to accept an offer so there is at least one less in the running. I heard there were "over 40" finalists that made the cut so your number seems right.

I'd guess 20/24 make it to the final round interview from here. No idea when those interviews will be announced

[Anonymous User]

What did you guys think of the second round interview? I found it *Stressful*

[Anonymous User]

Did everyone get the email for the Defender Services fellowship that they are doing reference checks?

[Anonymous User]

Yes. Based on the wording, it sounds like it went to everyone.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how many finalists will be selected for the fed defender fellowship?

[Anonymous User]

Nope. Have you heard back yet?

[Anonymous User]

Nope, nothing yet.

[Anonymous User]

I got an interview for the final round. Looks like there’s 30 time slots to choose from, but not sure how many received invitations.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone get their final round time slot yet? Nervous I will find out tomorrow that I mine early Monday morning

[Anonymous User]

Nope, haven’t gotten a date or time yet. Hopefully they won’t schedule same day interviews!