Exit options for a public defender? Forum

[Anonymous User]

It’s been a good run - but financial circumstances/starting a family have resulted in me needing to make a change. Without disclosing, I just finished my 3rd year in one of the most prestigious PD offices. Prior to that, I clerked on the state appellate level.

Does anyone have thoughts on where I might be most marketable? I’m not opposed to private practice, but I just have no idea what the lateral process/competition looks like for someone in my position. I’ve also considered a clerkship on the federal level (which would ideally lead to more prestigious exit options thereafter), though I know how competitive those are and I’m not sure I have the stats for it.

Any advice/thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.

[LBJ's Hair]

at the risk of sounding facetious...have you considered criminal defense ?

Federal clerkship might not be a bad idea to move to BigLaw, what are your stats

[nixy]

The former PDs I know have mostly gone into private criminal defense; some have gone into prosecution (probably not really an improvement based on your concerns). Pay for FPDs is also usually pretty decent (though some offices require fluency in Spanish, depending where you are).

[andythefir]

I’ve prosecuted in 3 jurisdictions now, and in all 3 the PDs got paid much better than the prosecutors (at the federal level it gets ridiculous, AFPDs get $20k or more than the AUSAs). I think that’s in part because prosecutors have better exit options.

By far the best deal in the markets I’ve been have been people taking contract/conflict PD cases, supplemented by DUI/drug possession cases for hire. Those folks make great money, in southern NM those guys clear $200k+/year.