How Much Do Public Defenders Make in California?

How Much Do Public Defenders Make in California?

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According to Salary.com, a public defender in the United States can expect to earn an average annual salary of $54,121 per year, or $26 per hour, as of October 28, 2020. Typical salary ranges for this job are $49,076 and $61,561. Or $24 to $30 per hour. Of course, your own salary will vary depending on your location, the type of degree you have, and the amount of experience you have in the field.

For example, if we want to know what you're building in California, we can look at a few different cities for an idea. Those working in San Francisco earn an average of $67,651 per year, while those in Los Angeles earn a little less than $61,210 per year. Even within the same state, you will notice that salaries vary from city to city.

Steps to become a Public Defender

Step 1: Complete an undergraduate degree program

Most law schools require applicants to hold a bachelor's degree. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that aspiring attorneys have no specific field of study. According to the BLS, many law students have bachelor's degrees in economics, history, or government. There are graduate degree programs available in criminal justice. Completing one of these degree programs gives aspiring public defenders an understanding of how the criminal justice system works.

Step 2: Take the LSAT

Law schools require that applicants submit transcripts and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. The LSAT tests students' critical thinking, reading, and analytical reasoning skills; most students take the exam during their junior year of study.

Success Tip:

• Prepare for LSAT. Since admission to law school is competitive, getting a high score on the LSAT increases a student's chances of getting into the school. Many companies offer multi-week LSAT Prep courses that instruct exam format and test-taking techniques.

Step 3: Graduation from Law School

Law school typically requires three years of full-time study. During the first year, law students complete classes in basic law subjects such as property, tort, contract, and constitutional law. The second and third years are devoted to elective courses, internships, and clinical experiences.

Some schools allow students to focus on their studies in criminal law. This concentration provides aspiring public defenders with comprehensive education about unlawful litigation practices. Classes in these concentrations include capital punishment, evidence, federal criminal law, jurisprudence, and jury instruction.

Success Tips:

• Take elective courses in criminal law. Even though law students complete the concentration, taking elective classes that focus on criminal law subjects gives them a solid foundation in the field. These include mental issues and criminal law, innocence investigation, death penalty law, and criminal procedure.

• Complete a public defender internship. Many schools allow second and third-year law students to complete internships at local, state, or federal Public Guard offices. In an internship, students gain experience working as public defenders.

Step 4: Pass the Bar Exam

The BLS reports that every state requires lawyers to be admitted to their bar association before practicing law. Generally, to be accepted to the Bar Association, a person must pass the Bar Examination. The bar exam format varies from state to state but may involve several days of testing with multiple-choice and essay questions. Trials include constitutional, tort, real property, contracts, criminal law, and evidence.

Success Tip:

• Prepare to take the bar. Many companies offer bar exam preparation courses that provide exam-taking techniques and introduce students to the state's bar exam content. Some of these courses include a practice test exam. Completing one of these courses can increase your chances of passing the bar exam on your first attempt.

Stage 5: Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)

According to the American Bar Association (ABA), all but four states require bar admission applicants to pass the MPRE exam. This test takes two hours and five minutes and is a multiple-choice test with 60 questions. The MPRE measures an aspiring lawyer's knowledge of standards concerning professional conduct and how the law applies in cases of lawyer malpractice. The exam is conducted thrice a year apart from the bar exam.

Step 6: Act as a Public Protector

State, county, and federal governments operate public protector offices. These offices hire fresh graduates or experienced attorneys to act as public defenders. According to a job posting in September 2012, employers are generally looking for people interested in working with the impoverished and with, adolescents, the chemically dependent, and the mentally ill. Want to do. Want to do.

Step 7: Earn a Master of Laws for Career Advancement

Law schools offer Master of Laws (LLM) degree programs in trial advocacy, criminal law, or federal criminal law practice and procedure. These programs, which are designed for licensed attorneys, provide advanced knowledge relevant to working as a public defender. Courses in these programs cover topics such as evidence advocacy, federal sentencing, criminal pre-trial practice, and federal criminal investigation law.

The expectation is that public defenders must earn a bachelor's degree, take the LSAT exam, graduate from law school, pass the bar exam and NPRE, then be eligible for employment as a public defender in a state, county, or federal government office. Must search. Should do.

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