How to hire a public defender

How to hire a public defender, step by step

Here's a step-by-step 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 a public defender job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new public defender
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a public defender do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a public defender, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   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 public defender 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 public defender that fits the bill.

   This list presents public defender salaries for various positions.

   Type of Public Defender	Description	Hourly rate
   Public Defender	Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes.	$23-47
   Attorney At Law	An Attorney at Law is responsible for preparing and examining contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, etc. They advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, or legal rights and obligations.	$33-79
   Attorney	Generally, an attorney's responsibility is to advise the client with an ongoing lawsuit on the legal procedures and provide strategies to resolve the case as early as possible. An attorney compiles necessary documents or any records for appeal and client's defense... Show more	$33-82

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Mental Health
   • Law Enforcement
   • Criminal Cases
   • Legal Research
   • Litigation
   • Criminal Law
   • Criminal Justice
   • Legal Issues
   • Police Reports
   • Appeals
   • Jury Trials
   • Court Proceedings
   • Felony Cases
   • Subpoenas

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Achieve not guilty verdicts in DUI, aggravate assault, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and battery trials.
   • Research, file, and present all types of pretrial motions, trial motions, writs and appeals.
   • Perform all aspects of criminal defense litigation, including felony preliminary hearings, and felony and misdemeanor jury trials.
   • Engage witnesses on direct and cross-examination.
   • Present felony DWI cases to the grand jury for indictment.
   • Handle some appeals and post-sentencing issues: violations of probation, protective order mod., etc.

   More public defender duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, public defenders' average salary in maine is 68% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level public defenders earn 51% less than senior-level public defenders.
   • Certifications. A 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 a public defender's salary.

   Average public defender salary

   $69,052yearly

   $33.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level public defender salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

   Average public defender salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$108,341	$52
   2	Washington	$72,594	$35
   3	Nevada	$72,280	$35
   4	Massachusetts	$69,473	$33
   5	Illinois	$65,572	$32
   6	Colorado	$64,225	$31
   7	Utah	$63,339	$30
   8	Iowa	$61,825	$30
   9	Idaho	$58,842	$28
   10	Ohio	$58,140	$28
   11	Florida	$54,178	$26
   12	Kansas	$53,525	$26
   13	Arkansas	$52,918	$25
   14	Montana	$51,189	$25
   15	South Dakota	$50,943	$24

   Average public defender salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	United States Courts	$88,419	$42.51	49
   2	Department of Public Social Services	$85,783	$41.24
   3	San Bernardino County	$82,930	$39.87
   4	City and County of Denver Government	$79,400	$38.17	3
   5	City of El Dorado	$76,390	$36.73
   6	Ventura County Community Foundation	$76,250	$36.66
   7	County of Riverside	$76,013	$36.54	18
   8	Clark County	$75,333	$36.22	3
   9	Skagit County	$75,052	$36.08
   10	Minnehaha County	$74,403	$35.77
   11	Fort Bend County	$72,420	$34.82	4
   12	Canyon County	$71,830	$34.53	1
   13	SHASTA COUNTY	$71,510	$34.38	8
   14	Iowa Department of Transportation	$71,443	$34.35
   15	COUNTY OF MERCED	$69,612	$33.47	4
   16	S.C. Department of Commerce	$69,497	$33.41
   17	County Of Los Angeles Public Library	$69,431	$33.38
   18	City of Aurora	$69,294	$33.31
   19	County of Yolo	$69,144	$33.24	4
   20	Lake County	$69,036	$33.19	6

4. Writing a public defender job description

   A good public defender job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a public defender job description:

   Public defender job description example

   Are you looking for a challenging role within an organization that provides rewarding compensation, an excellent benefit package and career growth opportunities? 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.
   
   The Lake County Public Defender's Office represents indigent criminal defendants charged with crimes punishable by incarceration. The goal is to assure an excellent quality of legal representation that is not dependent on the wealth and status of the accused. Under the direction of the Public Defender, an Assistant Public Defender represents clients in court for arraignments, motions, trials, sentencing and all other related proceedings.
   
   •Provide legal representation, consultation, and advice to indigent clients charged with felony criminal offenses.
   
   •Conduct pretrial investigations, perform legal research and analyze and apply legal principles, interview clients and witnesses and conduct plea negotiations. Prepare defenses, including pretrial motion practice, litigate motions and trials.
   •Work closely with clients, provide and discuss information, strategies, and developments.
   •Write motions, pleadings, and present legal arguments. •Prepare legal documentation and represent clients throughout the legal process.
   •Litigate pretrial discovery and pretrial motions.
   •Negotiate plea bargains.
   •Conduct jury and bench trials.
   •Thorough knowledge of criminal law and procedure.
   •Strong research, analysis, decision-making and negotiation skills.
   •Ability to litigate criminal trials with aggressive motions practice and persuasive oral advocacy.
   •Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
   •Knowledge of criminal law, the judicial system, court practices, and procedures.
   •Able to work under pressure with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
   •Strong computer literacy.
   •Prior experience handling felony charges, conducting trials involving expert witnesses, developing and presenting mitigation, and conducting sentencing hearings is essential.
   •Ability to meet clients in detention/jail/office
   •Ability to spend entire day in court
   
   Lake County offers a competitive salary and benefit package. We also offer flexible working hours, and a comprehensive wellness and training program. Visit our Prospective Employee page to get additional information on why you should work for Lake County!
   
   Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background screening, drug and alcohol testing and may include a pre-employment medical exam.
   
   Lake County is committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right public defender for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your public defender job on Zippia to find and recruit 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 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.

   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 public defender

   Once you've decided on a perfect public defender candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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 public defender. 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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How much does it cost to hire a public defender?