Public Defenders are attorneys paid by the government to defend those who cannot afford to hire their own counsel. It is entirely up to you whether you want a Public Defender to represent you or if you'd like to hire private counsel. If you qualify for a Public Defender, it is at no cost to you because the government pays for this through taxes. Public Defenders are practicing attorneys. They work at no cost to you because the constitution guarantees that we all have Assistance of Counsel in court if we are charged with a crime. D. Eric Hannum is a private attorney, which means you pay a price directly to him. Prices for private counsel are determined by the specific circumstances of your case. Public defenders and private attorneys have the same training and licensing. If your experience of their work feels different, it is due to variations in individual skill and expertise, time the attorney has been in practice, style of practice and overall caseload.