Public Defense Attorney (3rd Year Law Student & Fellow/Clerk), Fall 2027

King County•Seattle, WA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Public Defense (DPD) is recruiting 3rd year law students, judicial clerks, and fellows to begin employment in Fall 2027. This posting will remain open until filled and may close at any time without prior notice. DPD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic advocates to join a dynamic and diverse team of over 520 professionals, including attorneys, mitigation specialists, investigators, paralegals, and legal administrators, who collaborate to advance client goals. DPD prides itself on hiring client-centered advocates and prefers applicants with experience in law school clinical programs, internships with public defender programs, or 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, DPD began implementing a novel case-weight credit model designed to promote sustainable workloads and ensure clients receive adequate attention. This model assigns credits based on the seriousness of alleged offenses, with a goal of no more than 89.4 felony credits or 244 misdemeanor credits per lawyer by 2027. DPD is also engaged in a multi-year phased reduction process to systematically lower caseloads annually, helping public defenders meet their constitutional and ethical obligations. Real-time data analytics are used to monitor caseloads and ensure compliance with limits. The credit model aligns with the Washington State Bar Association’s Standards for Indigent Defense Services. The overarching goal is to create conditions where public defenders can consistently provide constitutionally mandated representation while building sustainable and fulfilling careers serving underserved communities. DPD provides high-quality legal representation to indigent clients facing various charges and legal issues, including felony or misdemeanor charges, dependency and termination cases, and petitions for involuntary commitment. The agency also advocates to reduce the harm and reach of legal systems that restrict client liberty and disproportionately impact marginalized communities. Internally, DPD fosters a flexible, inclusive, respectful, and supportive workplace culture, grounded in a shared commitment to anti-oppression principles and equity.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Sit for the Washington State Bar Examination in July 2027 or, for clerks and fellows, admission to the bar in Washington or another state that would enable qualification under Rule 8.
Be at least 21 years old.
Be able to handle on-call 24-hour coverage – which, per attorney, currently requires approximately one week a year or two Saturday calendars a year.
Have the ability to travel throughout King County.
Develop trial, research, and writing skills.
Provide client-driven representation that includes frequent and detailed communication with the client, choosing the most effective medium for the client.
Champion equity and human rights; possess an understanding of pervasive, systematic racism and its long-term effects; feels comfortable engaging in candid and sincere conversations about race and equity in our work.
Manage the competing needs of multiple clients in a fast-paced environment.
Communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those experiencing stress, trauma, or mental illness, while providing respectful and client-centered representation.
Thrives in a diverse work environment and in service to a diverse clientele—respecting differences in race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, and other lived experiences—while recognizing our shared humanity.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in languages other than English, particularly Spanish.
Clinical training in public defense.
Lived experience as someone impacted by the criminal legal system or family surveillance system.

Responsibilities

Provide high-quality legal representation and advocacy for indigent clients, including individuals with limited English proficiency and those with disabilities.
Handle all stages of representation—from arraignment through trial, and when necessary, sentencing and select post-conviction motions—under DPD’s vertical model of public defense, ensuring continuity of representation by the same attorney throughout the case.
Conduct plea negotiations, mitigation, and other case resolution strategies.
Engage in motions practice, including legal research, drafting, and arguing pretrial motions, often in collaboration with expert witnesses.
Represent and advocate for a diverse client base, including individuals experiencing mental illness, substance use disorder, and/or trauma.
Develop and implement effective legal strategies that address both legal and client-centered needs, in collaboration with investigators, mitigation specialists, and paralegals.

Benefits

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.
Access to mentoring and high-quality training, both in-house and through national programs.
Caseloads, among the most sustainable in the country, grounded in a phased case-weight model based on national research.
Generous vacation and sick leave to support attorney well-being and career sustainability.
Pension plan
Holidays
Transit pass
Training and education opportunities to promote growth and development.
Work life balance