Staff Attorney, Civil Legal Services Division

Open Date: Aug 14, 2026
Position Type: Permanent Full-Time
Job Vacancy #: PDS-2026-33
Location: 633 3rd Street NW Washington, DC 20001

About The Job

PDS Overview:

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 freedom in the District of Columbia’s criminal,  delinquency, and mental health systems. PDS’s approximately 230 employees, comprising attorneys, social workers, professional counselors, mitigation specialists, investigative specialists, administrative, and technical staff, collaborate to advance the PDS mission. PDS’ main office is located at 633 3rd Street, NW, Washington, D.C. District of Columbia residency is not a requirement for employment.

Employment at the Public Defender Service (PDS) is neither federal nor District of Columbia government employment, and all employees are at-will.

Division Overview:

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 counsel in related civil proceedings. 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, civil protection order cases, restitution 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 and 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. The Division provides representation 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 legal services issues that can arise in the context of a criminal or juvenile case.

Position Description:

The Civil Division’s general civil practice is sophisticated and complex, encompassing all phases of litigation, including:

• Discovery: Conducting discovery, utilizing expert resources, and preparing for pretrial motions and trial.
• Litigation Strategy: Developing case strategies and making tactical and strategic decisions to represent clients     effectively.
• Client Representation: Handling a broad range of civil matters and coordinating, when appropriate, with PDS’s criminal defense attorneys.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Working closely with attorneys and staff across the Civil Division, Criminal Defense Division, and other PDS divisions to provide comprehensive client representation.
• Trial Preparation and Advocacy: Preparing for and participating in trials involving complex legal and scientific issues.
• Courtroom Advocacy: Appearing and litigating in different civil forums to handle jury trials, bench trials, and a range of evidentiary hearings across substantive areas, not infrequently on an emergency basis.
• Complex Legal Issues: Analyzing and resolving matters involving multiple and overlapping legal issues, including constitutional concerns, discovery disputes, and work-product protections.
• Effective Advocacy: Applying the highest level of legal skill and judgment to identify issues, develop solutions, and achieve favorable outcomes for clients.
• Responsiveness and Accessibility: Working effectively across a broad range of civil matters and responding to urgent or emergency legal needs. 
• Practice Development: Assisting with the development of practice guides and other materials addressing civil legal issues for use by PDS attorneys.
• Professional Guidance: Advising PDS attorneys in other divisions on a wide range of civil legal issues.

 

The Civil Division’s general civil practice requires attorneys who are intellectually curious and rigorous, strategic, collaborative, and comfortable handling complex and unfamiliar areas of law while maintaining a strong, client-centered approach.

Required Qualifications:

J.D. and a minimum of two years of general civil litigation experience. A federal or state court appellate or trial court level clerkship that was primarily served on a civil docket may substitute for one year of the general litigation experience.

Excellent research, writing, and oral advocacy skills; Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income 
populations, and preferably to serving criminalized populations as a public defender, civil rights attorney, or Legal Services attorney; A willingness to practice in a holistic team defense model of advocacy; 

Membership in the District of Columbia Bar or eligibility to practice pursuant to either D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 49(c)(8) or 49(c)(9)(B). Bar membership and eligibility to practice in D.C. should be specifically addressed in the cover letter. Successful applicants are required to make a three-year commitment to the Civil Legal Services Division.

 

Work Schedule: 
This is a full-time permanent position. Due to the nature of the position, civil attorneys are often required to work nights, weekends, and other non-traditional schedules. Currently, civil lawyers must work in-office at least three days a week and may work remotely up to two days a week. Absent unusual circumstances, certain duties must be performed in person, such as oral arguments, moot courts, and visiting detention facilities. For this position, the attorney will be responsible for ensuring that any remote work they perform complies with the ethical and practice requirements of the remote jurisdiction.

This is not a remote location position.

Preferred Qualifications:

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.

Application Evaluation:

Applicants will be evaluated based on the quality of their application submissions, information provided by references that relates to the specific qualifications for the position, prior relevant experience, information obtained through the interview process, and their demonstrated commitment to poverty law work.

Number of vacancies:

1

Pay Series:

0905

Compensation:

$83,830 - $125,827 DOE

Benefits:

PDS is funded by federal appropriations, and employees are entitled to participate in federal benefits plans, federal retirement systems, and the workers compensation program. Transferring federal employees will receive recognition of creditable federal service for leave accrual and retirement purposes (as applicable). Benefits include:

Federal Employees Retirement Systems (retirement annuity)
Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401K program)
Federal Employees Health Benefits (health insurance)
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (life insurance)
Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program
Flexible Spending Accounts (for health care and dependent care)
Public Transportation Subsidy (funding contingent)
Employee Assistance Program
Federal Occupational Health (access to health clinic and services)

Who May Apply:

This vacancy is open to US Citizens or those authorized to work in the United States.

How to Apply:

Applicants must submit: (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume that includes a list of three references (name, email address, telephone number, and a statement of how each reference can evaluate your skills), (3) a legal writing sample, preferably a brief or other advocacy piece, (4) a response to the question (no more than three double-spaced typewritten pages): Why do you want to be a Civil Litigation Public Defender? and (5) a law school transcript.  Submit all materials online as a consolidated PDF HERE. 

If you are unable to apply through the portal or have questions about the position or our office, contact:

Jennifer Thomas, Director of Legal Recruiting
[email protected] 
(202) 480-0385

Disclaimer

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 freedom in the local criminal, delinquency, and mental health systems in the District of Columbia. PDS’s approximately 275 attorneys, social workers, investigative specialists, administrative, and technical staff collaborate with each other to advance the PDS mission. PDS’s main office is located at 633 3rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. 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 (FERS, FERS-RAE, FERS-FRAE, CSRS, CSRS-Offset), and the Thrift Savings Plan. Transferring employees will receive recognition of creditable federal service for leave accrual and retirement purposes. Employment at PDS is neither federal nor District of Columbia government employment, and all employees are at-will.

PDS is an E-Verify participating agency. Please see the Right to Work Poster and the E-Verify Participation Poster for more information.

 

PDS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and E-Verify Participant.