Public Defender Interview Questions and Answers

Updated on: September 4, 2022

Your resume and cover letter have done their jobs successfully if you are now at the interview stage.

However, the battle isn’t over yet. In fact, it is just beginning!

The information in your resume and cover letter which has convinced the hiring manager to give you a push towards the last stage is no good if you cannot live up to it during the interview session.

During the interview, you will be further tested on your claims of being perfect for the job. Make sure that you come out shining.

Tips? Just one! Revisit your job application documents a couple of times before you appear for the interview so that you are on the same page as the interviewer.

Here are some sample interview questions and answers to prepare:

Public Defender Interview Questions and Answers

1. As a public defender, what is the one thing that you look out for when taking up a case?

It may sound clichéd but I stress obtaining the truth from my clients before I take up their cases.

2. In your opinion, how difficult is it to win a case that is based on half-truths?

There are ways to go about half-truths, converting them into facts – a practice that I do not care for much. My experience says that working without solid facts makes the process of winning a case quite cumbersome.

3. As far as out-of-court representation is concerned, what is the work of a public defender?

Attending police line-ups, monitoring physical examinations such as DNA testing, interviewing witnesses, and gathering facts and proof statements to defend assigned clients are some of the out-of-court duties of a public defender.

4. What in-court representation work have you been performing in the role of a public defender?

Apart from participating in jury selections, I have made opening statements, examined witnesses, presented evidence to the presiding judge, and made closing arguments at the conclusion of each trial.

5. Would you consider this a high-stress job? How do you cope?

Working in law enforcement is high-stress without a doubt. For me, it’s the challenge that keeps me going.

6. What is the one thing that you do as a public defender that can categorize you as someone who is not run-of-the-mill?

While it is not usually required of me to physically collect evidence, I always go the extra mile to do so, while remaining within the limitations established for public defenders. I believe this quality and the will to do something extra is what makes me a little less than ordinary.