Applying for a Public Defender
Applying for a Public Defender
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303-764-1400 Applying for a Public Defender

Join Our Team

The Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) is committed to maintaining a culture of inclusion and collegiality, where you can bring your whole self to work each day and where you have an opportunity to have your work and your values align in the meaningful work of protecting people’s constitutional rights and delivering America’s promise of justice for all. OSPD offers excellent benefits and statewide programs to support overall health and well-being. OSPD invests in each new Defender by providing a full complement of training opportunities both at the beginning of a career as well as growth opportunities along the way.

Depending on the position, applications are either handled centrally by our State Administrative Office or locally by one of our twenty-one regional trial offices or appellate office. Please refer to the specific job category for more information.

Main Job Roles

These are the main job categories here at the OSPD, but there are more positions outside of these.  See job postings for all roles.

Attorneys

We employ almost 600 attorneys who represent clients in state trial and appellate courts. The attorneys’ work cannot be successful without dedicated core staff in all of the offices.

Criminal Defense Investigators

Every trial office employs a crew of criminal defense investigators who work as a part of the multidisciplinary team to explore the facts of each case and seek a narrative of innocence for every client.

Forensic Social Workers

The OSPD employs a small but mighty team of forensic social workers who investigate the lives and experiences of our clients and advocate for less punitive outcomes.

Administrative Staff

Our administrative staff meet our clients at the front door of the office and over the phone to assist them with applying for representation, contacting members of the client’s team, and other questions. They help ensure that the client files are updated with upcoming court events and new discovery.

Paralegals

Paralegals are legally trained professionals who support the team directly in preparing a case for court presentation, researching legal issues, writing letters and pleadings, and communicating with clients.

State Administrative Staff

The State Administrative Office employs professionals of various expertise to support the trial and appellate offices. Professionals working out of the State Office include:

Defender Positions

Click here to see all of the open positions in the Colorado State Public Defender's Office.  You can also learn more about major roles with the OSPD.

Learn More