TRAINING & SUPPORT
We place a significant investment in our newly appointed lawyers.
The Public Defender invests heavily in its new lawyers, with the hope that lawyers stay with the program for many years. Over a 1/3 of our attorneys have been practicing for more then ten years and it is not uncommon for a new attorney to work alongside lawyers who have been here for fifteen years, twenty years, or more. To achieve this goal, the program provides extensive training for new lawyers, a mentor program for the new lawyer’s first year, litigation and technological support, and continuing training.
All new lawyers are matched with mentors who co-counsel cases and accompany them to court in the first months. New lawyers are never alone or flailing; there is always someone there to learn from, which benefits your development as an attorney and benefits your clients. In addition to mentorship, larger offices have case conferences tailored to new lawyers, creating a weekly space to feel comfortable asking questions and preparing cases independently.
Alayna T., Staff Attorney
NEW LAWYER TRAINING
New staff attorneys begin their career at the Public Defender in a New Lawyer Training program.
The goals of New Lawyer Training are to work on skills critical to the success of every public defender. Our training program is crafted to be highly interactive, providing new attorneys with the skills they need to hit the ground running. Over the span of the 5-week program, you’ll engage with 80-100 attorneys from across the state, each contributing to different parts of the training. Many sessions will involve breaking into small groups, offering you the chance to try new things in a supportive environment. During the course of the 5 weeks there are two overnight stays paid for by NHPD, with the final stay serving as the pinnacle of our trial skills training. Led by a team of exceptional trial lawyers and educators, this component helps attorneys break down cases and hone their trial skills. By the end of the 5 weeks, you’ll have been exposed to nearly every aspect of the job, providing you with a solid foundation for your career ahead.
New lawyers will tour correctional facilities, observe court sessions, and meet judges. They will also spend time during New Lawyer Training in their home offices, where they will get acclimated to their new offices and meet the court personnel and prosecutors. Training is conducted primarily by the program’s staff attorneys, each of whom have extensive experience in the area of law or practice on which they are instructing. In the past, new lawyers have also been addressed by judges, mental health professionals, drug treatment providers, and former clients who have served prison sentences.
MENTOR PROGRAM
New Hampshire Public Defender has a longstanding mentoring program that is deeply ingrained in our culture. Every attorney who joins NHPD is paired with a mentoring attorney who has undergone specialized training to fulfill this role. Your mentoring attorney serves as your go-to person, ready to answer any questions and provide support as you navigate your role as a new public defender in New Hampshire.
In addition to the formal mentoring program, informal mentoring is also prevalent within our organization. Weekly staff meetings are held in each office, providing attorneys with opportunities to brainstorm and seek advice from their colleagues on specific cases or situations. Larger offices often host additional meetings specifically for attorneys in their first three years of practice, offering further collaboration and guidance under the supervision of a manager.
NHPD prides itself on fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. Open doors and opportunities for collaboration are always available throughout our offices, ensuring that as an NHPD attorney, you have access to the help and guidance you need.
LITIGATION & TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT
The program is fortunate to have an Information Technology Department that stays current with technological trends, and ensures that staff have access to hardware and software options that are essential in today’s internet-dependent world. With the help of the Information Technology Department, attorneys and staff can access case files remotely and securely, support hybrid and remote work, provide AI driven research tools, and provide access to software to assist with managing their cases and discovery. One of the most important features of the program’s support network is its intranet web site, which is loaded with useful resources, including a collaborative Forum feature that allows staff to share information or seek help resolving issues as they arise in cases.
Attorneys have access to the program’s extensive Practice Guide, which contains over 600 pages of information about New Hampshire criminal practice.
Over the years, some of the program’s attorneys have developed interests in specialized areas of law. These attorneys voluntarily provide advice and support to staff attorneys in such areas as competency to stand trial, youth charged with a delinquent act, driving while intoxicated offenses, and expert witness litigation.
When it comes to technology, my team’s commitment to all staff at NH Public Defender is simple; provide fast, exceptional support and provide technological services that not only increases productivity, but also offers a competitive advantage. The lack of technology should never impede our staff from performing at their best.
Chris Z., Manager of Information Technology
OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
NH Public Defender is privileged to maintain a full-time HR and Finance team, delivering indispensable operational support. Our HR department is committed to tasks ranging from recruitment and benefits management to ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations, fostering employee engagement, addressing conflicts and grievances, promoting diversity and inclusion, and providing resources accessible to all NHPD staff through the NH State Health Plan. Similarly, our Finance team supervises the NHPD budget and financial performance, ensuring compliance with accounting standards and tax laws, managing payroll, and offering financial analysis and forecasting. Both departments play multifaceted roles critical to the program’s efficiency and operational support.
CONTINUING TRAINING
The New Hampshire Public Defender is committed to the continuing education of its attorneys. The program conducts two training’s each year for the entire attorney staff, covering updates on recent cases and legal developments, ethics, and special topics such as dealing with expert witnesses, litigating sexual assault cases, and sentencing. Attorneys who attend these training sessions fulfill their Continuing Legal Education requirement for the year. In addition to this, the trial skills team also offers training throughout the year which includes areas like youth law, major crime, and various other areas as needed or requested.
The program also sends attorneys to relevant training sponsored by the New Hampshire Bar Association and the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In addition, in recent years, the program has sent attorneys to out-of-state training sponsored by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, as well as training on cross-examination, handling driving while intoxicated cases, forensic DNA analysis, and neuropsychology.