Recruitment

We at the New Hampshire Public Defender are committed to the principle of equal opportunity for all of our employees, our volunteers, our contractors, and our applicants for employment.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, marital/parental status, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability in our conditions of employment or in our hiring.

In the fall of 2008 we will conduct on-campus interviews at the law schools of: American University, Boston College, Boston University, Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, Cornell University, Pierce Law Center, Fordham, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Harvard, the University of Maine, New England Law School, New York University, Northeastern University, Suffolk University, Vermont Law School, Western New England Law School, and Yale.  By early July 2008, we will post information regarding our participation in the Equal Justice Work’s Job Fair held in the D.C. area, the Black Law Student’s Association Job Fair in New York City, the New Hampshire Legal Job Fair, and the Massachusetts Law School Consortium Job Fair.

 To apply for any of the following positions, send us a cover letter, resume, and a current law school transcript.  The cover letter should explain the basis for your general interest in indigent defense and your specific interest in working for the New Hampshire Public Defender Program.  For Staff Attorney positions, please address your materials to the attention of Jacalyn Colburn, NHPD’s Director of Legal Services, in care of her administrative assistant, Ann-Marie Curry, at acurry@nhpd.org or by mail to New Hampshire Public Defender, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, NH  03301.  For legal internships and investigator internship positions, please address your application materials to the attention of Mary Hawkes, Intern and Investigation Director, again in care of Ann-Marie Curry at the addresses above.

To learn about NHPD’s training, to find a current staff attorney who graduated from your law school, to find out when we are conducting on-campus interviews at your school, or to ask specific questions about the hiring process, please email or call Ann-Marie Curry at her direct number, 603-224-1236, ext. 4134, and she can set you up to speak with the appropriate person to help you.

Staff Attorney Employment

New Hampshire Public Defender seeks applicants who demonstrate a commitment to providing comprehensive and creative legal representation to our clients.  We look for candidates who desire to work on behalf of the poor, who have the writing and research skills necessary to conduct effective litigation, and who have the compassion and energy to assist clients dealing with difficult challenges in a comprehensive way.  Membership in the New Hampshire Bar is not a prerequisite, but, once hired, the nonmember attorney must apply for admission to the bar and sit for the next scheduled examination.  Because of the large investment in training and supervision we make in our new attorneys, it is our expectation that attorneys will join us for a minimum of three years.

Our hiring process begins with one-on-one first-round interviews, conducted in-person at schools and job fairs or, if necessary, over the telephone.  Promising candidates are invited to second-round interviews with our hiring committee.  First-round interviews are conducted by special arrangement throughout the year; however, most occur during the early fall.  Those applicants invited to attend second-round interviews will meet with our hiring committee in Concord.  Successful candidates who are third-year law students usually join us in late August after taking the bar exam or finishing clerkships.  The deadline for applications for positions starting in August of 2009 is November 1, 2008.  In special circumstances late applications will receive consideration.  We sometimes hire experienced attorneys to fill immediate or unexpected vacancies; to learn more please inquire directly.

To apply for a Staff Attorney position, send us a cover letter, resume, and a current law school transcript.  The cover letter should explain the basis for your general interest in indigent defense and your specific interest in working for the New Hampshire Public Defender Program.  Please address your materials to the attention of Jacalyn Colburn, NHPD’s Director of Legal Services, in care of her administrative assistant, Ann-Marie Curry, at acurry@nhpd.org or by mail to New Hampshire Public Defender, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, NH  03301. 

Legal Internship Opportunities for Second-Year Law Students

The New Hampshire Public Defender seeks second-year law students interested in working alongside our attorneys for ten-week periods throughout the year.  Though most of our interns join us for the summer preceding their third year of law school, we will accommodate requests for internships during other semesters.  Our internships are excellent opportunities to become deeply involved in a busy criminal defense practice.  The intern works with several lawyers and under the direction of a supervising attorney.  The intern typically will perform legal research, conduct investigations, second-chair bench or jury trials, and brainstorm with staff about cases.  Students who qualify under Supreme Court Rule 36 will be permitted to represent clients in misdemeanor and juvenile cases under the supervision of an experienced attorney.  Our funding for internships is extremely limited so students are encouraged to avail themselves of external sources of funding whenever possible.   Submit applications for summer employment before November 1.

To apply for an internship following your second year of law school, please send us a cover letter, resume, and a current law school transcript.  The cover letter should explain the basis for your general interest in indigent defense and your specific interest in working for the New Hampshire Public Defender Program.  Please address your materials to the attention of Mary Hawkes, NHPD’s Intern and Investigation Director, in care of her administrative assistant, Ann-Marie Curry, at acurry@nhpd.org or by mail to New Hampshire Public Defender, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, NH  03301.

Legal Internship Opportunities for First-Year Law Students

The New Hampshire Public Defender seeks first-year law students interested in working alongside our attorneys for ten-week periods throughout the year.  Though most of our interns join us for the summer preceding their third year of law school, we will accommodate requests for internships during other semesters.  Our internships are excellent opportunities to become deeply involved in a busy criminal defense practice.  The intern works with several lawyers and under the direction of a supervising attorney.  The intern typically will work with attorneys on legal research and special projects.  These are volunteer positions, and while NHPD pays all job-related expenses, the program does not provide salary or other monetary compensation for work done by the intern.   

To apply for an internship following your first year of law school, please send us a cover letter, resume, and a current law school transcript.  The cover letter should explain the basis for your general interest in indigent defense and your specific interest in working for the New Hampshire Public Defender Program.  Please address your materials to the attention of Mary Hawkes, NHPD’s Intern and Investigation Director, in care of her administrative assistant, Ann-Marie Curry, at acurry@nhpd.org or by mail to New Hampshire Public Defender, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, NH  03301.

Our investigator interns conduct investigation for and provide litigation support to attorneys representing clients in criminal cases.  Supervision is provided by NHPD investigators and attorneys. Interns will work not less than 20 hours per week and up to 37 ½ hours per week for 10 weeks.  Some flexibility is necessary in the intern’s work schedule, because many duties must be performed outside of normal business hours.  These are volunteer positions, and while NHPD pays all job-related expenses, the program does not provide salary or other monetary compensation for work done by the intern.  Interns must be licensed drivers with an insured vehicle.  Interns must obtain a private detective’s license through the State of New Hampshire Department of Safety; the successful applicants will receive the necessary paperwork and assistance in completing applications for the license.  Our hiring process for investigator interns occurs throughout the year.  We encourage applicants for summer positions to contact us as early in the school year as possible because of the volume of applications. 

To apply for an internship as an investigator intern, please send us a cover letter, resume, and a current law school transcript.  The cover letter should explain the basis for your general interest in indigent Mary Hawkes, NHPD’s Intern and Investigation Director, in care of her administrative assistant, Ann-Marie Curry, at acurry@nhpd.org or by mail to New Hampshire Public Defender, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, NH  03301.