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 facing a loss of liberty in criminal, delinquency, and mental health justice matters within the local District of Columbia justice system who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation. PDS’s staff consists of approximately 100 attorneys and approximately 100 social workers, investigators, administrative, and technical staff. Most employees work at the main office at 633 3rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. District of Columbia residency is not a requirement for employment. 
 
Employment at the Public Defender Service is at will and is neither federal nor District of Columbia government employment. 

PDS was the first indigent defense program in the nation to protect clients facing criminal prosecution from the collateral consequences of their involvement in the criminal justice system by providing them counsel in related civil proceedings. PDS’s civil practice is founded on the understanding that there is a direct and immediate relationship between the criminal legal system, race, poverty, and injustice. Thus, our civil practice is centered around a model of representation that addresses client needs beyond liberty, guilt, and innocence.


PDS’s Civil Division handles a wide array of civil matters arising from our criminal defense practice. This civil work can include housing-related litigation, civil forfeiture defense, tort defense, child custody, employment, bankruptcy, civil protection order cases, restitution proceedings, civil contempt proceedings, child abuse and neglect proceedings, and special education advocacy. While these are the most common types of cases the Civil Division handles, our practice is eclectic due to the complexity of our clients’ lives. It has, for instance, included work in interpleader litigation over the right to receive life insurance benefits, guardianship issues, specific performance suits, wage theft litigation, and probate issues.


Though it is the smallest legal division at PDS, the Civil Division’s two programs provide significant assistance to PDS clients. Three of the Division’s lawyers focus exclusively on special education cases. The other lawyers handle general civil litigation matters referred from one of PDS’s other divisions. Representation is provided in both judicial and administrative forums. The Civil Division’s lawyers handle active litigation matters and also provide counsel and advice to lawyers in PDS’s other divisions to assist clients in resolving the many civil issues that can arise in the context of a criminal or juvenile case.

The client navigator must be able to work well with clients and work collaboratively with colleagues in the Civil Division and across PDS’s other divisions. The successful candidate must commit to a one-year term.

Handle assigned client-related work in current and new Civil Division cases that supports the Division’s legal representation of clients.

Work may include, but is not necessarily limited to: 

• Accompanying clients to specific meetings (DCHA case manager, landlord meetings, CFSA client social worker interactions, informal school-related meetings)
• Collecting documents from third parties
• Speaking with third parties (housing authority or shelter staff)
• Maintaining ongoing communications with clients
• Reviewing documents designated by attorney for specific information (medical, housing, or educational medical   records)
• Collecting information for discovery responses 
• Drafting correspondence 
• Organizing case documents, creating indexes and general formal and informal discovery support work
• Acting as intermediary for client with various agencies (conditions issues, housing recertification, public benefits)      
• Drafting letters to clients regarding the status of the case (open/closing)
• Organizing medical, mental health, and education records
• Scheduling Bureau of Prisons legal calls
• Assisting with organizing exhibits and documentary evidence
• Preparing and assembling litigation binders for hearings and appeals
• Setting up intake appointments with parents
• Notary Public (or willing to become one)
• Assisting clients with DDS/RSA applications.  
• Assisting clients with initial benefits applications (SNAP/SSI)


Other civil legal representation support as assigned by the division chief. 

A minimum of four semesters of college earned coursework credit and two years of work experience with an indigent defense organization or civil legal services provider • Excellent communication and writing skills • Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income populations, and preferably to serving criminalized populations in a supportive service or administrative position in a public defender program or civil legal services program • Willingness to work in a holistic team defense model of advocacy.  

Preferred qualifications include work in one or more of the following areas: family law, abuse and neglect, public and subsidized housing eviction defense work, administrative law, civil asset forfeiture, civil rights, public benefits, disability rights, and disability benefits—fluency in a language other than English, particularly Spanish.

Applicants must submit: (1) a cover letter that explains why you want to serve as a Client Navigator; (2) a resume that includes a list of three references (name, address, telephone number, and a statement of how each reference can evaluate your skills); (3) a writing sample and (4) an unofficial college transcript or list of courses and grades. Submit your consolidated application as a single consolidated PDF below.