The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) is a federally funded, independent organization governed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees. PDS provides legal representation to individuals who are facing a loss of liberty in criminal, delinquency, and mental health legal matters in the local District of Columbia legal system but who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation. PDS’s approximately 200 attorneys, social workers, investigators, and administrative and technical staff collaborate with each other to advance the PDS mission. PDS’s main office is located at 633 3rd Street, NW, Washington, D.C. District of Columbia residency is not a requirement for employment. PDS is funded by federal appropriations, and all employees are entitled to participate in the federal health and life insurance plans, the federal retirement plans, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Employees hired from federal agencies will receive recognition of creditable federal service for leave accrual and retirement purposes. Employment at the Public Defender Service is neither federal nor District of Columbia government employment, and all employees are at-will.

The Community Defender Division of PDS (CDD) currently provides its services through two specialized programs – the Prisoner & Reentry Legal Services (PRLS) program for adult clients and the Juvenile Services Program (JSP) for juvenile clients.
PRLS represents newly released individuals and others with criminal records, assisting them as they reintegrate into the community at various stages of a criminal case. The program’s goal is to empower people with criminal records to successfully transition back into their communities and resume their lives by removing the innumerable barriers caused by criminal legal system involvement. In addition, PRLS serves as the PDS liaison to individuals convicted of District of Columbia Code offenses and serving sentences in the District of Columbia Department of Corrections and Federal Bureau of Prisons. We provide representation in administrative hearings, information on institutional policies and procedures to protect clients’ rights, advocate for people regarding their conditions of incarceration, and provide representation, consultation, and guidance on parole and other sentence reduction relief and reentry related legal matters. Further, PRLS engages with the community, offering know-your- rights programs, legal clinics, workshops, and other educational opportunities for people with criminal records and community members and organizations who serve them.

This is a full-time permanent on-site position that is eligible for telework. The exact mix of in-person and telework days will depend on the needs of the Division, assignments that must be performed in person (e.g., hearings in court and institutions, client visits in detention facilities), and office space availability. For this position, it will be the responsibility of the attorney to ensure that any telework they perform complies with the ethical and practice requirements of the jurisdiction in which they are teleworking.

The Prisoner & Reentry Legal Services Program (PRLS) Staff Attorney will primarily focus on providing advocacy and legal representation for clients who are incarcerated by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and for those who are facing obstacles to successful reentry following arrest, criminal prosecution, and/or incarceration.
The PRLS Staff Attorney will:
1. Represent clients in various fora, including before the D.C. Superior Court, the United States Parole Commission, the D.C. Department of Corrections, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and licensing boards. Representation at hearings will require periodic out-of-state and overnight travel. Hearings will be in person except when institutional policies require virtual appearances. In addition, representation of clients includes an extensive written litigation and advocacy practice, consisting of court and administrative pleadings, along with formal and informal advocacy letters and electronic correspondence.
2. Assist the PRLS Deputy Chief in the training and supervision of PRLS law clerks and interns;
3. Develop training materials, conduct and participate in community engagement, and provide education to people directly impacted by the criminal legal system, as well as individuals and organizations that serve them, regarding criminal record relief laws, prisoners’ rights, and reentry;
4. Perform other duties as assigned.
This is not a remote location position.

Excellent research, writing and oral persuasion skills. Staff attorneys must work independently and maintain professional relationships with institutional staff, as well as be able to travel overnight to conduct legal visits and represent clients in legal proceedings.
Bar membership and eligibility required: Applicant must (1) be a member of the D.C. Bar; OR (2) be a member of another state bar and, at the time they submit their application for this position, meet the qualifications for admission to the D.C. Bar pursuant to either paragraph (ii) or (iv) of D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 46(b)(1)(B); OR (3) have a J.D. from an ABA-approved law school and, at the time they submit their application for this position, they have applied to take the bar exam in D.C. or other UBE- jurisdiction. D.C. Bar membership or eligibility should be specifically addressed in the cover letter.

Experience with criminal record sealing, set-aside, and expungement procedures. Familiarity with D.C. Superior Court Criminal Division practice and administrative law, parole, and supervised release are helpful. 

Applicants must submit: (1) a cover letter; (2) a resume that includes a list of three references (name, address, telephone number, and a statement of how each reference is able to evaluate your skills); (3) a legal writing sample, preferably a brief or other advocacy piece; and (4) an unofficial law school transcript. Please submit your application materials as a consolidated pdf at the .
If you have questions about the position, application, or hiring process, contact Jennifer Thomas, Director of Legal Recruiting, at (202) 480-0385 or [email protected].

Applicants must submit: (1) a cover letter; (2) a resume that includes a list of three references (name, address, telephone number, and a statement of how each reference is able to evaluate your skills); (3) a legal writing sample, preferably a brief or other advocacy piece; and (4) an unofficial law school transcript. Please submit your application materials as a single, consolidated PDF where indicated.
If you have questions about the position, application, or hiring process, contact Jennifer Thomas, Director of Legal Recruiting, at (202) 480-0385 or [email protected].