Public Defense Attorney; 3rd Year Law Student & Fellow​/Clerk), Fall

DPD is recruiting 3rd year law students, judicial clerks and fellows to begin employment Fall 2027. The posting will remain open until filled and may close at any time without prior notice. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Applications submitted by 11:59 p.m. on September 4, 2026, will be given priority consideration.

The Department of Public Defense (DPD) seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic advocates to join our dynamic and diverse team which includes a staff of over 520 including attorneys, mitigation specialists, investigators, paralegals, and legal administrators who collaborate to advance our clients’ goals.

DPD prides itself on hiring client-centered advocates. We prefer applicants who have participated in a law school clinical program, interned for a public defender program, or who have lived experience in the criminal legal or family surveillance systems.

DPD is a well‑resourced public defense agency in a state that was the first to adopt new caseload standards grounded in the National Public Defense Workload Study (RAND). In July 2025, we began implementing a novel case‑weight credit model designed to promote sustainable workloads and ensure that every client receives the time and attention their case requires. Felony pretrial cases are assigned between 1 and 8 credits based on the seriousness of the alleged offense and misdemeanor pretrial cases are assigned either 1 or 1.5 credits per case.

In 2027, DPD expects to assign no more than 89.4 felony credits or 244 misdemeanor credits per lawyer. We are making significant progress on a multi‑year phased reduction process aimed at helping public defenders meet their constitutional and ethical obligations to each client by systematically reducing caseloads each year. DPD uses real‑time data analytics to monitor caseloads to ensure lawyers caseloads comply with caseload limits.

Our credit model is based on the Washington State Bar Association’s Standards for Indigent Defense Services (revised September 2024), which apply to both criminal and family defense. The goal is to create conditions where public defenders can consistently provide the level of representation the Constitution demands—while building sustainable and fulfilling careers serving underserved communities.

DPD provides high‑quality legal representation to indigent clients facing felony or misdemeanor charges in adult or juvenile court, loss of family integrity in dependency and termination cases, and petitions for involuntary commitment because of alleged mental illness or substance abuse.

We also advocate to reduce the harm and reach of the criminal and civil legal systems that restrict our clients’ liberty and disproportionately impact marginalized communities. Internally, we strive to foster a flexible workplace culture that is inclusive, respectful, and supportive—grounded in a shared commitment to anti‑oppression principles and equity across lines of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, class, and other identities.

To learn more about DPD, visit our website.

• Competitive Pay.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including a pension.
• Support from a unionized workplace.
• A chance to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those navigating the criminal and civil legal systems.
• Extensive courtroom and trial experience, supported by a team that includes supervisors, investigators, paralegals, legal assistants, and mitigation specialists.
• Opportunities to work across multiple practice areas, including adult criminal, juvenile, dependency, and involuntary commitment courts.
• Resources to mount a robust defense, including funding for expert witnesses.
• Ac…