Resources for Law Students and Others Interested in Public Defense Careers

This page includes information that may be helpful to law students and attorneys who are interested public defense work in New York. Many of these resources are also useful to those interested in work as investigators, social workers, sentencing mitigation specialists, and client/parent advocates.

Scope of Public Defense Representation in New York
Public defense in New York includes representation in:

• Criminal cases;
• Family court cases;
• Appeals in criminal and family court cases;
• Parole revocation and appeals;
• Sex Offender Registration Act matters;
• Civil Commitment under Mental Hygiene Law article 10; and
• Related matters

Public Defense Structure in New York
New York's public defense system is county based, with each county selecting one or more types of providers of representation:

• County public defender's office
• County conflict defender's office
• County contract with a legal aid society or association (including appellate-only providers)
• Assigned counsel program (representation provided by private attorneys assigned on a case-by-case basis) 

Some offices provide the full range of public defense representation in County Law 722 (see list above), while others focus on one or more specific types of representation.

• Offices Providing Public Defense Representation
• Links to Offices Providing Public Defense Representation

The New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services and the Indigent Legal Services Board have authority to set standards, evaluate compliance with standards, and make grants to support public defense representation in New York.

The New York State Defenders Association (NYSDA) is a nonprofit organization that provides support to public defense providers and offices through our Public Defense Backup Center and Veterans Defense Program.

Public Defense Funding in New York
Public defense funding comes from several sources, primarily county funding and state funding from the Office of Indigent Legal Services.

 

Public Defense Eligibility in New York

• Eligibility Standards, Related Documents and Resources (Office of Indigent Legal Services)
• Uniform Rules for the Family Court, 22 NYCRR 205.19: Financial Eligibility for Publicly Funded Counsel

Job Opportunities

• NYSDA Public Defense Job Opportunities
• PSJD (Public Service Jobs Directory)
• Western NY Law Center (WNYLC) Job Center
• National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA) Job Board
• National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) Job Search
• Women's Bar Association of the State of New York Job Opportunities

Career Fairs

• NYU Public Interest Legal Career Fair (February 5-6, 2026)
• Equal Justice Works Career Fair (2026 dates TBA)
• New York State Public Defenders Career Fair
  Presented by: Buffalo Law School, NYSDA & Chief Defenders Association of New York 
  

Loan Forgiveness

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (US Department of Education)
• NYS District Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness Program
• John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program
• Loan Repayment Income-Driven Plans (US Department of Education)
• Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (Community Service Society)
• Equal Justice Works