Employment Opportunities

All employment opportunities with the Yolo County Public Defender's Office are listed at governmentjobs.com. Click on the link and set up a free account to receive email alerts regarding new job postings.

Internships:

Opportunities for Attorneys

Attorneys who are licensed to practice law in the state of California may apply for volunteer attorney positions. Although these positions are unpaid, volunteer attorneys will be given the opportunity to litigate cases which will provide them with a significant advantage in a competitive job market. Volunteer attorneys will meet with clients, author and argue motions, represent clients in court, handle court calendars, and represent clients at all stages of proceedings including arraignment, preliminary hearings, and trials. If you are licensed to practice law and are interested in a volunteer attorney position please send your resume and cover letter to PubDefInterns@yolocounty.org.

Opportunities for Law Students and Post-Bar

Each year the Yolo County Public Defender's Office selects several law students to participate in volunteer or paid internships. Typically, law students will be selected to work at the Yolo County Public Defender's Office through an interview process during on campus interviews at McGeorge School of Law and UC Davis School Law. Law students who are certified to appear in court will, under the supervision of an attorney, represent clients in court proceedings, draft and argue motions, and may be given the opportunity to represent clients during a jury trial. Law students who are not certified to appear in court will undergo extensive training to prepare them for representing clients in later semesters, as well as interview clients, conduct research and writing assignments for attorneys, and attend court to watch their work in practice. If you are a law student attending UC Davis or McGeorge, and are interested in an internship or a post-bar placement with the Yolo County Public Defender's Office, please apply through your school’s OCI program. If you do not attend either of those schools, please send your resume and cover letter to PubDefInterns@yolocounty.org according to these timelines:

• Fall Semester/Post-Bars: by the first Friday in May
• Spring Semester: by the first Friday in September
• Summer: by the first Friday in March

Opportunities for Undergraduate & Pre-Law Students

We are currently developing our undergraduate internship program. Please email attorneys Dan Hutchinson (daniel.hutchinson@yolocounty.org) and Sara Johnson (sara.johnson@yolocounty.org) for more information.

Opportunities for Social Workers

The Yolo County Public Defender’s Office works with local undergraduate and graduate degree programs to interview and select social work students for placement in one of our four field internship positions. Interns who are placed at the Public Defender’s Office will gain experience in the field of forensic social work under the supervision of master’s level social workers. Social worker interns working with the juvenile justice system will gain experience making a significant impact on the lives of young people in our community by collaboratively working with juvenile delinquency clients, their Public Defender(s), and their families to develop case plans for juveniles.  Interns on the juvenile team will have the opportunity to assist juveniles with educational, mental health, and substance use needs as well as assisting with connecting juveniles to local pro-social activities such as employment, sports, clubs, etc.  Additionally, juvenile social work interns may accompany juvenile clients to court and assisting attorneys in advocating for clients by highlighting their strengths and promoting plans that support community-based services.  Social worker interns working with the adult criminal justice system will primarily work with clients in the custody of the Yolo County Jail (inmates).  Duties of the adult social work intern may include conducting in-custody interviews with clients; phone interviews with client’s circle of support; advocating for post-release services & supports; collaborating & communicating with Probation & Parole; court accompaniment; requesting and reviewing client’s criminal, educational, and treatment records; developing discharge plans; and writing detailed social histories for court.  Interning as an adult social worker is an opportunity to help give second chances to criminal justice involved individuals and make a real difference to our community.

If you are a bachelor’s or masters’ social work student and are interested in an internship with the Yolo County Public Defender’s Office, you may send your resume and cover letter to: Tonya Jacobs (tonya.jacobs@yolocounty.org) – Juvenile Social Worker

Questions or comments?
Email Public Defender's Office