How to hire a defense attorney

How to hire a defense attorney, step by step

Here's a step-by-step defense attorney hiring guide:

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

What does a defense attorney do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The defense attorney 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a defense attorney to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a defense attorney that fits the bill.

   This list presents defense attorney salaries for various positions.

   Type of Defense Attorney	Description	Hourly rate
   Defense Attorney	Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.	$33-73
   Lawyer	A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts... Show more	$30-100
   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:

   • Litigation
   • Insurance Defense
   • Law Firm
   • Legal Issues
   • Legal Research
   • Civil Litigation
   • Federal Courts
   • Arbitration
   • Oral Arguments
   • Trial Preparation
   • Motion Practice
   • Legal Representation
   • Mediation
   • Court Appearances

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage cases from intake through arbitration, trial, or settlement.
   • Excel at client relations, court advocacy, arbitration, counseling, and composing demurrers and motions for summary judgment.
   • Provide legal representation covering all facets of insurance litigation, including extensive fraud and exaggerate claims.
   • Represent clients in civil litigation matters including workers' compensation, automobile liability, commercial, and general liability cases.
   • Experience with plaintiff's personal injury from inception through settlement.
   • Enforce compliance with state ethics, education, and business laws.

   More defense attorney duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your defense attorney job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A defense attorney can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, defense attorneys' average salary in maine is 54% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level defense attorneys 55% less than senior-level defense attorneys.
   • Certifications. A defense attorney with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a defense attorney's salary.

   Average defense attorney salary

   $103,209yearly

   $49.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level defense attorney salary

   $69,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 14, 2026

   Average defense attorney salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$130,541	$63
   2	New York	$110,355	$53
   3	Nevada	$108,508	$52
   4	Washington	$107,289	$52
   5	Massachusetts	$106,887	$51
   6	Oregon	$106,742	$51
   7	New Jersey	$103,731	$50
   8	Texas	$94,569	$45
   9	Utah	$93,584	$45
   10	Illinois	$92,933	$45
   11	Connecticut	$91,456	$44
   12	Maryland	$91,018	$44
   13	Colorado	$91,006	$44
   14	Pennsylvania	$88,544	$43
   15	Arizona	$87,539	$42
   16	Georgia	$86,975	$42
   17	Rhode Island	$85,904	$41
   18	Ohio	$83,573	$40
   19	Florida	$79,958	$38
   20	Missouri	$77,831	$37

   Average defense attorney salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Taylor English Duma	$138,130	$66.41
   2	Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith	$136,671	$65.71	138
   3	Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker Llp	$135,274	$65.04	2
   4	Monster Products	$117,067	$56.28
   5	The Hanover Insurance Group	$112,867	$54.26	4
   6	Attorney Resource	$108,759	$52.29	5
   7	Wegman	$104,164	$50.08	25
   8	JBA International	$103,239	$49.63	212
   9	Randstad North America, Inc.	$102,977	$49.51
   10	Law Firm	$101,777	$48.93	4
   11	Conroy Simberg	$101,607	$48.85	1
   12	GREAT LAKES BEHAVIORAL	$101,607	$48.85
   13	Door’s	$101,593	$48.84
   14	Kubicki Draper	$101,291	$48.70	20
   15	Hinshaw & Culbertson	$100,350	$48.25	48
   16	BCG Attorney Search	$98,858	$47.53
   17	PrideStaff	$98,404	$47.31
   18	Robert Half	$97,449	$46.85	365
   19	Jobot	$97,339	$46.80
   20	Liberty Mutual Insurance	$97,136	$46.70	10

4. Writing a defense attorney job description

   A defense attorney 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 a defense attorney job description:

   Defense attorney job description example

   Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) is seeking an experienced attorney (Article 10) for the Family Defense Practice Team.
   
   BDS is a public defense office representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters. Our work with clients is focused on the intersection of the legal systems that disproportionately impact people in Brooklyn who are primarily Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) living below the poverty level.
   
   BDS represents thousands of people each year who have diverse, complex, and multi-faceted legal needs. In addition to a zealous legal defense, our interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers and advocates provide a wide range of legal and advocacy services, including for housing, public benefits, education, and employment. BDS staff work collaboratively and across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services that serve the people we represent, their families and communities in Brooklyn.
   
   BDS's Family Defense Practice (FDP) represents low-income parents in Article 10 (abuse and neglect) proceedings in Brooklyn Family Court. Our mission is to fight the removal of children from their families and advocate for families to be reunified as quickly as possible. FDP defends parents' due process rights by fighting unwarranted state intervention in their lives. Using a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, our teams of attorneys, social workers and paralegals help families obtain the benefits and services they need to keep their families safe and stable. The office also advocates for systemic change in the family court and family regulation systems.
   
   FDP is a client-centered practice which involves a great deal of contact with clients. Attorneys spend most of their time in court proceedings with frequent hearings and trials, often on an emergency basis. Staff attorneys are expected to provide high-quality and zealous representation at all court appearances and throughout the course of a case. Our office takes a collaborative team approach to representation and attorneys work closely with supervisors, social workers, paralegals and our administrative team to provide inter-disciplinary representation.
   
   Under the direct supervision of a Supervising Attorney, the Attorney will represent clients in Article 10 (abuse and neglect) proceedings in Brooklyn Family Court.
   Responsibilities: Meet clients and arraign new cases on intake Work collaboratively with supervisors, social workers, paralegals, and administrative staff to develop case strategy, investigate facts and build trusting relationships with clients. Communicate regularly with clients to understand their goals and to provide them with the information they need to make decisions about their case. Represent clients at emergency hearings, fact finding trials, dispositional hearings, permanency hearings and termination of parental rights trials. In collaboration with our law and appeals team and paralegal team, write motions, memos of law and appellate papers. Maintain case files, notes, and court appearance data on our case management and document management systems. Additional responsibilities as assigned. Qualifications: Admission to the New York Bar, or ability to become admitted in New York. Experience in Article 10 (abuse and neglect) law or related experience. Excellent litigation skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Bilingual English and Spanish speakers are strongly encouraged to apply. Demonstrated understanding of the challenges facing low-income people in Brooklyn; and an interest in representing parents involved in the family regulation system. Position Information This is a full-time, Exempt, salaried position. The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. The position is based at BDS’s offices, and the courts located in Downtown Brooklyn. At time of posting, BDS staff are working a hybrid schedule of remote and in-person work. Applicants should be prepared to move flexibly between in-person and remote work as court and office policies shift. All BDS employees are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or be eligible for a religious or health exemption. BDS determines salary on a pay scale based on education and experience. For this position there is a salary range starting at $74,000 for a 2021 law school graduate. BDS offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance and a 403(b)-retirement plan. In order to support work/life balance and family-friendly policies, BDS has generous vacation, sick, holiday, family, and medical leave policies. Application Instructions Click “Apply Now” to submit a cover letter and resume. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Brooklyn Defender Services is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, expressions, orientations, disabilities, and experiences to apply. If you are eligible an accommodation due to a disability or another reason, please contact the Director of Human Resources, Christina Wallace, at cwallace @ bds.org .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find defense attorneys 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 defense attorney job on Zippia to find and recruit defense attorney candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with defense attorney 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 defense attorney

   Once you've found the defense attorney candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new defense attorney. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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