Jobs

Public Defender Client Advocate – New Locations Available!

Posted on: January 19, 2021 Apply Now
Expires April 26, 2021

Fight for people caught in the criminal legal system with Partners for Justice
Help keep someone out of jail. Fight to get a struggling student back in school. Support parents to keep their kids at home. Structure a safety net for a person returning from incarceration. These are just a few of the vital, life-changing services you can provide for communities in need as a PFJ Advocate.
Overview

Partners for Justice seeks to disrupt the cycle of poverty and incarceration by helping low-income people entangled by the criminal legal system stay out of jail, avoid the non-judicial penalties of arrest, and improve their life circumstances. We place recent graduates as Client Advocates in public defender offices, where you’ll work directly to shield clients from the devastating impacts of arrest and help them achieve their goals.

What You’ll Do as an Advocate

Every day is different as an Advocate, whether you’re working directly with a client, building awareness of your services in the community, or collaborating with a community partner. Advocate responsibilities include:

  • Learn about the problems your clients face, identify potential non-criminal penalties of arrest, and work with clients to come up with creative solutions
  • Partner closely with attorneys to provide relevant information and documents for clients’ criminal case and other legal issues; ensure seamless coordination across interdisciplinary legal and social service teams
  • Depending on your clients’ needs and attorney direction, assist clients with issues like clearing past criminal convictions, preparing for child services interventions, accessing public benefits, maintaining work licenses, finding and maintaining housing, and obtaining mental health or substance abuse treatment
  • Develop partnerships with local government agencies and community organizations, and maintain deep knowledge of their services so that you can appropriately refer and advocate for clients
  • Maintain detailed knowledge of court processes and requirements so you can help your clients navigate these institutions
  • Advocate for clients with service providers, attorneys, judges, landlords, employers, and others (as appropriate); tell your clients’ stories in a compelling way that gets results
  • Collect and report data about your work and your achievements

Who You Are

Partners for Justice is deeply committed to equity and inclusion in our advocate selection. We urge people who share identities or lived experiences with our public defender clients to apply. For our placement with the Tribal Defender’s Office of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, advocates must be Native American and CSKT members are preferred.

We are looking for candidates who would describe themselves as:

  • Committed to working side-by-side with people who are marginalized, knowing that everyone in the criminal justice system is resilient and deserving of support
  • A creative problem-solver who is able to find innovative and efficient solutions to unusual obstacles
  • Tenacious: The kind of person who will chase down an issue to its conclusion, regardless of the challenges in your way
  • A proactive and independent thinker who can make progress even with limited direction
  • Emotionally durable: You have developed strategies that allow you to witness traumatic situations and come back to fight again the next day

What You’ll Need

  • A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
  • Availability to attend training in July 2021 and to start work in August 2021 (exact dates TBD)
  • The ability to commit to staying in this position for two years
  • Demonstrated interest in public service, social justice, civil rights or criminal justice
  • A record of academic achievement and personal leadership
  • Bilingual / fluency in Spanish preferred for Texas and Delaware candidates

Candidates should also be interested in one of PFJ’s current public defender placements:

  • The Delaware Office of Defense Services in Dover, DE
  • The Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office in Miami, FL
  • The Harris County Public Defender’s Office in Houston, TX
  • The Tribal Defender of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes in Pablo, MT
  • The Yolo County Public Defender’s Office in Woodland, CA
  • The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office in Los Angeles, CA

What You Can Expect to Gain From Your Time as an Advocate

  • Satisfaction in having made a concrete difference in individual lives and the overall community where you serve
  • Absolute confidence in your ability to face down new challenges and navigate them successfully in a variety of contexts
  • Skills in negotiation, mediation, persuasion and storytelling that will serve you in whatever career path you decide to pursue
  • A deep understanding of the real-world workings of the legal system and government institutions
  • Access to mentorship, training, and coaching during your time with PFJ and as you prepare for your next step
  • An annual self-care stipend and reimbursement for professional development expenses
  • Relocation support available
  • A salary competitive with other non-profit organizations and benefits typical of Public Defender’s office employees in your host jurisdiction
Apply Now