In addition to education, successful candidates have related job experience and must undergo a rigorous screening, interviewing and testing process. Of the hundreds of applicants each year, only a few are offered attorney positions. Attorneys in the office practice exclusively criminal defense law. The attorneys gain trial experience beginning with misdemeanor cases and progressing to felonies of increasing complexity. It is not unusual for experienced attorneys to have done over 40 jury trials.
Attorneys discuss their cases with more experienced attorneys during staffing meetings.
There are also in-house continuing education training programs for all attorneys. In addition to attorney staff there is an Investigator's Unit, a licensed social worker, and a staff of paralegals and legal clerks who all contribute to providing representation for our clients. Licensed investigators locate and interview defense witnesses and investigate the facts of the case from a defense perspective. The Social Worker helps place some clients in appropriate programs as an alternative to jail. The Social Worker also interviews LPS clients and helps to place or find treatment programs for those cases.