Public Defender Job Description

Public Defender Job Profile and Description

Many times in a legal case a person accused of an offence has poor financial condition and cannot afford to pay fees of private lawyers. In such cases, court appoints a public defender to represent the charged person. It is the duty of public defender to defend his client in the legal proceedings.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The Public defender is responsible for organising, execution and coordination of his office.
• He has to direct the staff assigned for providing justice to the people who are underprivileged and charged of crime.
• He has to interrogate the client.
• He has to conduct interviews for the public defender’s office.
• He has to upgrade the working procedures on regular basis.
• He has to meet the client along with his family members, explain them about the case and collect details.
• He has to manage and have a dialogue with the eyewitnesses.
• He has to plan policies for defending his client.
• He has to scrutinize initial hearings for the case.
• He has to oversee legal documents of suits and trials.
• He has the responsibility of serving his post dedicatedly when entrusted by the court

Skills and Specifications

• A public defender should have the ability to work efficiently on many cases at one time.
• He should be able to accept challenges and be very confident in speaking.
• He should have the capability of handling staff and be computer literate.
• He should be comfortable with long working hours with commitment towards the assigned work.
• He should have good interpersonal and communication skills.
• He should be a good observer.

Education and qualifications

A public defender must have a graduate and masters degree in law. He must have passed

the bar exam and also have experience of working in the field of law.