If youre interested in interviewing for a position as a public defender, its important to prepare for the different questions you might answer. Its common for employers to ask interviewees why theyre interested in the open position. Understanding why employers ask this question can be helpful for developing a thorough, educated and relevant answer. In this article, we discuss why employers ask why you want to become a public defender, explain how to answer this question and provide sample responses to give you insight prior to your interview.
Interview Questions for Public Defenders:
Why do you want to be a public defender? …
A client admits to you that he committed a violent crime and confesses that he would do it again. …
How do you prepare a bail application in this state? …
How do you handle high caseloads and difficult clients?
Answering Tough Questions about being a Public Defender
#8 Imagine you have a client that is incarcerated, has a long criminal record, and does not trust public defenders. How are you going to establish trust with that client?
This common public defender interview question is all about your personal style and instincts. Your answer may also overlap with your answer to the “difficult client experience” question. There is no right or wrong answer.
At the end of the day, it is vital for any attorney, let alone a public defender, to maintain active communication with their clients. Your client has a right to know what is going on with their case.
Send them letters with updates. Send them copies of their discovery (unless it is a sex case or violent crime against a child In that instance, you will want to ask them first if they want those materials sent). Do check up calls. And if they are incarcerated VISIT THEM EARLY AND OFTEN!
I’ve had clients that I have had to see once a week for months, even when I did not have any updates for them, until enough trust was built up. Clients need to see you investing time in their case. They need to feel that you have their back and are not just mailing it in. Always remember, they did not choose you. it is incumbent upon you to EARN their trust.
While you are thinking about this question, read my article on building trust in your client interview.
Questions You Should be Prepared to Answer and Ask
Tell me about yourself.
How would your friends describe you?
How would you describe yourself as a person?
Why this particular geographic area?
What is the latest non-legal book you’ve read?
What are your outside interests and hobbies?
Who is your hero/heroine?
Why did you choose law?
What is your biggest accomplishment?
What are your strengths/weaknesses?
What would make you a good trial advocate?
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
How would you go about building a trusting relationship with a client?
What is something interesting that’s not on your resume?
What one thing have you done that you’re proudest of?
What is the most difficult/rewarding thing you’ve ever accomplished?
How do you work under pressure?
What type of people do you work with best or would have trouble working with?
Are you a team player or do you prefer to work on your own?
What do you feel are things that help a person become successful?
What constitutes success in your mind?
What kinds of things give you the most satisfaction in your work?
How do you feel about representing alleged child abusers?
Is there any crime you would have trouble defending?
How do you feel when defense of the First Amendment conflicts with other rights?
How do you feel about accountability versus reconciliation?
What type of responsibilities have you had in prior work experiences?
Why did you choose to work at these specific organizations?
What did you particularly like/dislike about that work?
Why did you leave your prior jobs?
Why did you choose your undergraduate major?
What did you do between college and law school?
Why did you decide to switch from your previous field to law?
Why did you go to law school? Have your goals changed since then?
What extracurricular activities have you participated in during law school?
What was the issue you argued in Moot Court? What was the argument on the other side?
What clinical work have you done in law school?
Tell me about your participation on the journal, in your externship, your clinical program, or your research project.
Tell me about your thesis/journal article.
Why did you only get an “LP” in…?
Tell me about your interest in rock climbing, course on Islamic law, etc.
What have you done that shows initiative and creativity?
Are you a self-starter or do you prefer guidance on projects?
How do you feel about working for someone younger than you or who has less work experience?
Why do you want to work at our office?
Why do you want to work in our office, as opposed to other offices that do similar work?
Which of our legal practice areas and/or areas of interest are you most interested in?
Why our practice setting? Why our issues?
Why are you looking at this area of specialization?
What qualifications do you have that will make you successful at this job?
What would the greatest drawback of this job be for you?
Why should we select you over all the other candidates?
How are you prepared to work with clients/colleagues who are different from you?
What two or three things are most important to you in a job?
What kind of training or supervision are you looking for in a job?
How would you describe your ideal job?
What criteria are you using to evaluate the employer for which you hope to work?
Why did you decide to switch from private sector to public interest work?
How much experience have you had in your field of interest?
What fields interest you other than the one you are in?
How much experience have you had with public interest organizations?
What community service project do you believe allowed you to make the greatest impact and how?
What has been the greatest challenge you have faced during your volunteer efforts? How did you overcome such a challenge?
What are your short/long term career goals?
Where do you see yourself in 5 (or 10) years?
Where else have you applied for a job?
What do you like most about law school? What do you find most challenging?
What was your favorite class in law school? Why?
Who was your favorite professor in law school? Why?
What qualities do you think a good lawyer should have?
Tell me about your legal writing sample/note.
Tell me about a legal memo you wrote this year.
Tell me about a recent Supreme Court case you disagreed with and why.
Tell me about your hardest law school exam question.
Tell me about a complex legal issue you worked on.
If you were a court, how would you rule on the following issue…?
How to answer “Why do you want to be a public defender?”
Here are some steps for successfully answering this question during a job interview:
Public defenders have a wide skill set that makes them effective as both lawyers and public officials. Here are some of the skills you can mention when interviewing for a public defender position:
Written communication: As attorneys, public defenders write lengthy case briefs and reports necessary for court and client records. Strong written communication skills can make these components of the job much easier.
Public speaking: As defense representatives, public defenders are usually excellent verbal communicators. Try to make your public speaking skills focused, concise and effective.
Empathy: Due to the nature of the job, public defenders should exhibit empathy when working with clients. As a public defender, youre expected to listen to the experiences of your clients and treat them with the same respect as anyone else.
Negotiating: Negotiation is one of the most important skills for anyone interested in working as an attorney. Public defenders should be good decision-makers and confident in their abilities to fight for their clients.
Organization: Because public defenders work for the government, they have little say when it comes to picking clients. Try to stay organized and always pay attention to details as a public defender to ensure that the correct information and procedures apply to each client.
Emphasize the different ways you can bring these skills to the agency and the fair representation of all eligible individuals seeking your services.
Employers also ask this interview question to gauge your experience level. You may consider including anecdotes detailing some of your most memorable experiences while working in the field of law. For example, while completing a law apprenticeship, you may have dealt with a case that affected your outlook on the legal system and inspired you to go into public defending. Stories like this can help the employer better understand why you want to work in this field.
Employers want to hire goal-oriented individuals who are enthusiastic about their careers. As a public defender, youre choosing to forgo the typical prestige of owning or partnering with a law firm with the purpose of helping the disadvantaged. Describe what you are specifically looking to gain from this work and why. Prepare by outlining what goals you want to accomplish throughout your career as a public defender. Consider the reasons why you enjoy helping and defending disadvantaged people and apply them to your response.
As a candidate, you want the employer to know why you chose public defending as a career. Use this question as an opportunity to show your passion for public defense. While preparing for your interview, try to recall a single event that opened your eyes to the injustices faced by disadvantaged people, particularly within the legal system. Connect this experience to the work you currently undertake as a public defender and why it makes the job rewarding.
