Public Defender Corps

Across the country, public defender offices are underfunded, understaffed and burdened with insurmountable caseloads. With too few public defenders handling too many cases, those who cannot afford representation are being denied their fundamental right to counsel.

Equal Justice Works and the Southern Public Defender Training Center have launched a new initiative to combat this growing problem. Public Defender Corps will provide intensive training and mentoring to new attorneys with the goal of supporting the public defender community and raising the standard of representation across the country.

The inaugural class of 18 Public Defender Corps members have completed training and joined public defender offices in Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee where they will receive ongoing training and mentoring.

The 2012 Public Defender Corps application is now open. Applications for the 2012 Public Defender Corps class are now being accepted. Applications must be completed and submitted online by 5 p.m. EDT, Friday, September 30, 2011.