Assistant Public Defender for 2027
About The Position
The Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office, 15th Judicial Circuit (PD-15), is a client-centered, dynamic advocacy office providing representation to people whose lives and liberty are at stake. The office handles close to 30,000 cases per year and has approximately 200 employees including lawyers, investigators, social workers, and support staff. The main office, housing the trial and appellate divisions, is in downtown West Palm Beach and there are four branch offices in other areas of the county. Divisions include: County Court; Felony; Mental Health; Major Crimes; Youth Defense; Appeals; and Investigative & Social Services’ Units. PD-15 seeks upcoming law school graduates (December 2026 and May 2027) to join our assistant public defender team in spring and summer 2027 protecting, defending, and upholding the constitutional rights of indigent persons to receive high quality legal representation, fair treatment, and equal justice. Our interview and hiring process is continuous throughout the year, though for new attorneys we like to start classes in March and August. We also accept applications from barred criminal defense attorneys. We provide training and orientation for those joining PD-15. Our attorneys collaborate with other attorneys, investigators, mental health experts, forensic experts, and social service specialists to provide holistic client supports, court advocacy, as well as appellate advocacy. PD-15 hires motivated attorneys from all backgrounds who are dedicated to representing indigent clients.
Requirements
- Upcoming law school graduates (December 2026 and May 2027)
- Barred criminal defense attorneys
- Strong legal research and writing skills.
- Experience with client interaction.
- Trial experience (clinic, internship, Certified Legal Intern, etc.)
Responsibilities
- Provide excellent and timely representation by obtaining timely pretrial release, investigating and filing all appropriate motions, trying cases, and preparing and presenting sentencing mitigation.
- Participate in available training sessions including attending FL Law Weekly updates.
- Pursue investigative avenues with support from the investigation unit.
- Provide holistic client service with support from Social Services division.
- Collaborate with mental health experts, forensic experts, or others to assist in pretrial, trial, and sentencing proceedings.
- Communicate regularly – and in a meaningful way – with clients, either in the office or at the jails.
Benefits
- Florida State benefits
- Opportunity to qualify for student loan and housing cost relief
- Approximately 13 annual holidays when the office is closed
- Eight hours per month of annual leave (with annual increases based on years of service)
- Two annual observance days
- Eight hours per month of sick leave
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
