Public Defender Services of Lane County, Inc., is seeking lawyers to join us in September, 2025 for next year’s hiring class. We will be hiring at least two lawyers for 2025 – or more, depending on the needs of the office. We’re interested in current third-year law students, and attorneys who are presently working in placements such as year-long court clerkships at the trial or appellate level.
The ideal candidates for this role should have a strong interest in our clients and our work. Experience in law school with criminal defense or clinical work is a plus, but we gravitate towards lawyers who are willing to invest the time needed to become exceptional advocates. This is a hard, incredibly rewarding job that requires a commitment to training and putting in the time needed to become great lawyers.
Job Responsibilities
Our office strives to provide consistently excellent representation to our clients, and we constantly strive to do better. Our lawyers are fighters, thinkers and doers. They know when to call out bad faith arguments and when to let things go unsaid. But most importantly, they are committed to their clients, and fight to redeem those that society says are unredeemable. Attorneys are generally responsible for a caseload of 10 to 25 new cases a month, once they have been trained. Attorneys in our office are the first person a client sees in the jail, and they are responsible for the case from the day the Court appoints us to whenever the case is finally resolved, including referring cases for appeal and fixing sentencing issues. Attorneys are tireless advocates in and out of the courtroom, with strong client skills, professional in their dealings with everyone in the criminal legal system, and able to interact successfully in a large office with a professional support staff including legal assistants, secretaries, and licensed private investigators.
Applicants must take the February or July bar exams and have completed all other licensing requirements – or be members of the Oregon State Bar in good standing. Starting pay is $76,320. PDSLC is an equal opportunity employer. We also have excellent benefits, and we’re a dog-friendly office. To apply, please contact Caitlin Plummer, Executive Director, at attorneypersonnel@lanepds.org. Include a resume and cover letter explaining why your values align with this work and how you plan to be a client-centered lawyer at this office. You can include references if you want, but we won’t contact references without your permission. We will be interviewing and hiring candidates on an ongoing basis, so please submit your materials as soon as you’re able. If you would like to be considered in the first round of candidates, apply no later than November 15.
Training and Onboarding
Thanks to ongoing investments by the State of Oregon in public defense, our office has changed the way we bring new lawyers to our office. You won’t have a caseload for the first several weeks, and you’ll have a reduced caseload for several weeks after that. You’ll join a team of 5 to 7 other attorneys working collaboratively to improve client outcomes and help you be a better lawyer. Your first several trials will also be second-chaired with another attorney. We’re committed to this plan, which has greatly improved client outcomes, reduced turnover and made the office a better place to work.
About Public Defender Services of Lane County
Public Defender Services of Lane County is a private non-profit organization committed to defending the rights of people who are facing a loss of their personal liberty due to the actions of the state. We represent adults and juveniles charged with everything from trespass to murder. We fight for the rights of people who are accused of violating their probation, and for those who are facing jail because they are behind on their child support payments. We fight for the rights of parents and children when the State becomes involved in termination proceedings, and we fight for the rights of those afflicted with mental illness when the state tries to hold them in the state hospital against their will.
The office has a rich history of defense advocacy, and has been a non-profit public defender since 1977. You’ll have the benefit of mentorship from experienced attorneys, as well as perspectives from newer members of our team. Our office qualifies for public interest loan forgiveness. We offer excellent starting benefits including three weeks of vacation, a generous retirement plan, and competitive health insurance.
Our Mission Statement: We treat our clients with dignity, empower them to make informed choices and fight to defend their rights.
Our goals (how we fulfill our Mission):
1. We deliver outstanding legal services.
2. We uphold the presumption of innocence without regard to the accusations against our clients.
3. We deal ethically with our clients, witnesses, the courts, and all other representatives of the criminal justice system.
4. We strive to lead by example in the criminal justice community.
5. We provide a supportive environment where employees and clients are treated with respect and dignity, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, economic and cultural background, religion, age or disability.