Attorney Training
Robust Attorney Training Program
The Office of the Colorado State Public Defender is committed to delivering exceptional legal representation to individuals without the financial means to secure private legal services. In order to deliver on our mission, it’s critical that our team of attorneys possess the knowledge and skills necessary to serve our clients at a high level. For this reason, we’re committed to delivering a robust attorney training program that provides our team with the tools they need to succeed.
Our attorney training program contains course offerings that support attorneys at every stage of experience and ability level, ensuring our entire team is able to continuously grow their skills throughout their career.
New Attorney Training
All new public defenders receive introductory training which consists of an 8-workshop basic lawyer training series. In addition, we provide courses intended to cultivate the skills needed when representing juveniles charged with a crime.
Intermediate Training
As our attorneys work in the Public Defender Office for a few years, their training needs change. We’ve created a variety of intermediate training programs to ensure our team members continue growing as they become more experienced defenders and start taking on more complex cases.
All of our attorneys participate in our Bootcamp. This typically occurs after practicing law on our team for 1-2 years, and it coincides with the transition from handling misdemeanors and traffic cases to taking on more complex felony cases. Our Bootcamp provides the skills, support and guidance needed to ensure defenders are set up for success as they begin handling felonies.
Advanced Training
Our training continues for even the most experienced members of the Public Defender team, ensuring that these attorneys possess extensive knowledge in a wide range of areas impacting complex litigation. Topics covered in advanced training include:
- Direct file and transfer training
- Forensic science training
- Post-conviction training
- Mental health training
- Advanced homicide training
- Sexual assault litigation training
Summer Legal Intern/Extern Training
Our office is committed to cultivating a new generation of dedicated defenders to assist our clients. One of the ways we achieve this goal is to offer summer internships to law students who are interested in becoming a public defender.
Our summer interns gain valuable experience working under the supervision of a licensed attorney, assisting on a variety of cases involving misdemeanors and traffic charges.
