Hi everybody, i am a first year criminal defense attorney and have been grappling with the decision of switching from private defense and working at the PD’s Office.
I currently work in a small firm and it has been a little stressful to say the least as i feel i do not get the adequate time and opportunity to learn from the more experienced attorneys in the office. I mainly assist in helping my boss with discovery review, court appearances, and drafting filings. I do not feel like I am gaining much knowledge on all the various phases a criminal case goes through from the filing of charges to the judgment/dismissal of a case.
The PD’s office has been working hard in recruiting me in the meantime but the pay difference between their offer and my current salary is minimal. The division I would be working in would be a smallish team with small caseloads.
Being a first year, i think this is such a critical time to really absorb as much knowledge possible to effectively advocate for clients. I also could be feeling overly cautious because my license is new and being a baby lawyer, i do not want to miss anything that could be critical and a potential IAC claim in the future.
I would absolutely love feedback and personal stories from yall’s experience working in either and/or both. Thanks in advance!!