Who We Are
We represent people across the vast landscape of far west Texas. Our clients are among the poorest in the country. We re-imagine and implement humane public defense methods in and out of court.
This work isn’t resume-building. It’s character-building. The work doesn’t just make us better lawyers, investigators, and social workers. It makes us better people. This, in turn, powers the fulfillment of our Constitutional obligations, while also fulfilling our personal and professional goals—the reasons why we pursued this career in the first place.
Why You’re Reading This
“What kind of lawyer do you want to be? What kind of person to want to become?” Does that sound familiar? People lobbed similar questions at us when we started out. But the better question is, “What kind of lawyer do you want to become?” Because the best lawyers—those possessing equal parts expertise and humility, a collaborative mindset, and an unyielding commitment to growth—can have any career they want.
Most Public Defender offices operate like assembly lines. You’re handed a caseload and you learn to do it pretty well—well enough where people leave you alone. It’s either that, or join a crowded field competing for attention and trying to snag one of a handful of “plum” positions governed more by status than merit.
You’re reading this job description because you don’t want to settle for the mundanity of repetitive tasks. Nor do you want to get thrown into the deep end of the pool in a sink-or-swim culture.
There Is No Public Defender’s Office Like Ours
You can tell where we’re going with this. There’s nothing ordinary about the Far West Texas Regional Public Defender.
On Day 1, you might join one of our assistant public defenders, an investigator, and a social worker to go to a jail to meet with a new client. Afterwards, the four of you share notes as your team begins to formulate a strategy for the court hearing scheduled tomorrow morning.
You might be familiar with vertical and horizontal approaches in law firms. Our office employs a different strategy that optimizes caseload coverage across our staff. We call it “ensemble” representation. Our lawyers, investigators, and social workers are more productive with an improved work-life balance. Our clients are better served. To understand why this approach is so effective, we suggest you listen to our interview on episode 115 of the Public Defenseless podcast:
You will work really hard. We all do. Because what we do matters—for our clients, for their families, and for our own personal drive and sense of purpose. There’s no rat race here. There’s simply people, the law, and a commitment to each other to deliver the best outcome possible.
One of the Last Vestiges of the American Frontier
From our offices in Alpine and Del Rio, we serve 65,000 people across more than 40,000 square miles—a region approximately the size of West Virginia and that includes about half of the Texas-Mexico border. Our jurisdiction includes these seven Texas counties: Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Terrell, and Val Verde.
Our Del Rio office is on Lake Amistad. The area is rich in native history and outdoor activities, including national recreation areas, state parks ,and nature preserves owned by the Nature Conservancy. Del Rio also has a thriving art scene and community theater. Ciudad Acuna is right across the border. San Antonio is a day trip with a large international airport.
Additional Information
As a county-based program, employment benefits include health insurance, low-cost dental and vision coverage, and participation in the Texas County & District Retirement System. Also included are annual leave, sick leave, earned comp time, and a generous holiday schedule of 20 days per year.
Requirements: Doctor of Jurisprudence or anticipated graduation by June 2026. Must sit for the Texas bar exam at the first reasonable opportunity or obtain waiver. Must have or obtain by date of hire a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
Salaries:
· Licensed attorney with 3+ years’ experience and more than 5 jury trials to verdict: $100,000 to $125,000
· Licensed attorneys with 1 to 3 years of experience and 1 to 5 jury trials to verdict: $90,000 to $100,000
· Entry-level lawyer: $84,262.50
· Law students graduating in December 2025 or May 2026: $78,000 with paid time to study for the bar exam and a raise to the full entry-level salary upon licensure
We look forward to reviewing your application. Apply by sending a resume, letter of interest, and references to: recruitment@farwesttrpd.org