How to hire an assistant public defender

How to hire an assistant public defender, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant public defender hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant public defender job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant public defender
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an assistant public defender do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The assistant public defender hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect assistant public defender also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of assistant public defenders.

   Type of Assistant Public Defender	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Public Defender	Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.	$22-46
   Legal Counsel	A Legal Counsel supervises the legal aspects of a business. They give accurate and timely counsel to executives on a variety of legal topics, such as labor law, partnerships, or international ventures.	$38-103
   Legal Extern	Legal externs are law students who took the opportunity to do on-the-job training at a law firm. Instead of monetary compensation, they receive academic credits... Show more	$11-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Appeals
   • Litigation
   • Legal Research
   • Criminal Defense
   • Mental Health
   • Criminal Law
   • Criminal Cases
   • Post-Trial Motions
   • Public Defenders
   • District Court
   • Legal Issues
   • Bench Trials
   • Felony Offenses
   • Indigent Clients

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage, train and mentore newly hire ADA's in courtroom management and trial advocacy.
   • Achieve not guilty verdicts in DUI, aggravate assault, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and battery trials.
   • Manage homicide cases from investigation stage to trial including complex plea negotiations with other government agencies and the defense bar.
   • Manage and direct all phases of criminal litigation from initial consultation through appeals process.
   • Prepare criminal traffic, misdemeanor, and felony cases for litigation or negotiation through thorough investigation and interviewing.
   • Represent clients charge with misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases, including DUI's.

   More assistant public defender duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your assistant public defender job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An assistant public defender salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, assistant public defenders' average salary in maine is 65% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level assistant public defenders earn 52% less than senior-level assistant public defenders.
   • Certifications. An assistant public defender with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an assistant public defender's salary.

   Average assistant public defender salary

   $68,476yearly

   $32.92 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level assistant public defender salary

   $47,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average assistant public defender salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$72,665	$35
   2	Virginia	$69,971	$34
   3	Arizona	$68,322	$33
   4	Georgia	$66,758	$32
   5	Illinois	$65,518	$32
   6	Maryland	$65,506	$31
   7	Ohio	$59,243	$28
   8	Florida	$58,814	$28
   9	Minnesota	$52,973	$25

   Average assistant public defender salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Columbus Consolidated Government	$73,981	$35.57
   2	State of Rhode Island	$73,685	$35.43
   3	City of Atlanta	$72,942	$35.07	2
   4	City of Tucson	$71,297	$34.28
   5	County of Union	$69,910	$33.61	1
   6	Houston County	$69,907	$33.61
   7	Bexar County	$69,851	$33.58
   8	Monroe County	$69,794	$33.55
   9	NC.gov	$69,168	$33.25	55
   10	Lake County	$69,029	$33.19	5
   11	Fulton County Government Center	$68,364	$32.87	3
   12	State of West Virginia	$67,360	$32.38	47
   13	Minnesota State Fair	$66,479	$31.96	1
   14	Wisconsin	$63,255	$30.41
   15	State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia	$60,842	$29.25	10
   16	State Of Florida	$56,497	$27.16	158
   17	State of Ohio	$55,615	$26.74	10
   18	My Florida Regional Mls	$52,698	$25.34
   19	Florida Department of Transportation	$50,582	$24.32
   20	Florida Dept. of Health	$45,115	$21.69

4. Writing an assistant public defender job description

   An assistant public defender job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an assistant public defender job description:

   Assistant public defender job description example

   Are you looking for a challenging role within an organization that provides rewarding compensation and an excellent benefit package? If so, Lake County Government is the place for you. Comprised of nearly 3,000 employees, it is our goal to positively serve the residents of Lake County while working with a purpose. We believe our employees should take pride in the work they accomplish while truly respecting a collaborative work environment. Do you have a background in criminal defense? If so, this position could very well be for you.
   
   Becoming a Senior Assistant II Public Defender would allow you to be involved with the defense of criminal charges within local government, ranging from negotiating dispositions on misdemeanor and traffic charges, litigating motions, and conducting jury or bench trials. Your day will consist of the preparation of the defense of criminal cases, from arraignment through ultimate disposition. You will have endless opportunities to impact and make a difference within Lake County. Being able to build working relationships with employees, 30 countywide departments and the public, is sure to keep you interested and continuously learning.
   
   In order to be eligible for this role you must have a Juris Doctor degree and be licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois. Individuals should have a thorough working knowledge of the Illinois Vehicle Code and Criminal Law and Procedure; possess the ability to effectively problem solve and have the ability to work both individually and in a team atmosphere. Required 2-4 years of experience in criminal defense.
   
   Lake County offers a competitive salary and benefit package with performance-based incentive plans. We also offer a comprehensive wellness and training program. Visit our Prospective Employee page to get additional information on why you should work for Lake County!
   To learn more about the department you will be working for, visit the Public Defender website.
   
   To learn more about other services Lake County provides and to see some of our employees in action visit our website to view videos.
   
   If you need assistance writing your resume, we have some tools to help you at our Human Resources website.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find assistant public defenders for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant public defender job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant public defender candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with assistant public defender candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant public defender

   Once you have selected a candidate for the assistant public defender position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new assistant public defender first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an assistant public defender?