Texas RioGrande Public Defender (TRGPD) serves seven (7) rural Texas counties and indigent defendants charged under Operation Lone Star. Currently, TRGPD has public defender offices in Beeville, Eagle Pass, and Harlingen. Each of these offices provides indigent defense for one or more of the counties near the office locations. TRGPD offices are located near various natural and cultural attractions. They are also within reasonable driving distance from metro areas with international airports. 

TRGPD Defenders are frontline advocates who have engaged in the movement to transform the criminal justice system and challenge the injustices faced by indigent defendants in rural south Texas for over a decade. TRGPD Defenders provide complete, vertical representation from intake to resolution. Except for cases involving a conflict of interest or the death penalty, TRGPD Defenders represent persons accused of crimes from initial arrest to final appeal. 

TRGPD delivers client-centered services to address unique needs and limited resources available to clients residing in rural and border communities. Special initiatives within the program include advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction, trauma-informed and mental health advocacy, assistance with applying for government aid and/or housing, and assistance with substance abuse as alternative solutions to incarceration. 

With caseload controls, staff investigators, mental health and substance abuse caseworkers, and a litigation budget, TRGPD is deeply committed to zealous, high-quality representation in rural South Texas. We offer the advantage of having robust staff support with a 2-1 attorney-to-support staff ratio, and the flexibility and willingness to support employee growth.   

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:  

Salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent fringe benefits package, including law school loan repayment, generous paid leave, healthcare insurance, a retirement plan, and training & travel stipends. TRGPD defenders train with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Gideon’s Promise, the National Association for Public Defense, and other associations that are committed to the transformation of indigent defense and criminal justice reform. 

Spring graduates from law school typically start being paid the first week of July but will only report to work after the July bar exam. TRGPD provides reimbursement for the bar application fee and bar preparation course to new employees who haven’t taken the bar exam yet.   

QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES:  

• Must be licensed to practice law in Texas, able to waive into the Texas bar, or willing to take the next available bar exam. Students in their final year of law school or new grads are welcome to apply before they take the bar exam or while they are waiting for results.  

• Proficiency in Office 365, legal research software, and other case management systems.  

• Preferred applicants will demonstrate a commitment to indigent defense and criminal justice reform; have worked or interned in a public defender office; have strong academic credentials; are solution-oriented and creative; are able to work efficiently independently and in a team environment; can assess and prioritize multiple tasks and work effectively in high-stress situations; and want to live and work in communities where TRPD clients have the greatest needs.   

• TRGPD is also looking for attorneys who aspire to become leaders both within the division and in the larger public defender community.     

  PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:  
  

• Provide zealous and holistic defense for indigent persons accused of criminal charges ranging from serious level felonies, misdemeanors, and juvenile cases;   

• Review case facts, examine videos and physical case evidence for legal sufficiency,  

• Prepare, draft, and review motions and other legal documents that conform to current statutes, legislation, and case law;   

• Confer with prosecutors, law enforcement, and witnesses regarding any necessary case investigation and trial preparation;  

• Litigate appointed cases from intake to final resolution, including pretrial, trial, appeals, and additional motion practice, as needed; 

• Manage confidential legal information and documents;  

• Participate in the agency, division, and program meetings and training; 

• Maintain case files and documentation in accordance with agency and division policies;   

• Follow current trends and innovations in indigent defense;  

• Provide client-centered, trauma-informed advocacy; and  

• Collaborate with colleagues in their team, program, and division to contribute to a supportive work environment.  
  
  APPLICATION PROCESS:  
  
  Step One – Submit a completed online application using the bottom at the top of the page. Complete applications include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and professional references. 
  
  Step Two – Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview (videoconference, telephone, or in-person).   
  
  Step Three – Depending on the circumstances, selected applicants will be invited to visit TRGPD offices, meet with staff, and tour the local community. TRGPD will provide travel, accommodations, and meals throughout the visit.   
  
  Step Four – Selected applicants will be offered a position. If an offer is made in the winter to a law student, the offer will remain open until mid-April, near the deadline to apply for the bar exam.  

Salary: $79,000+

Texas RioGrande Public Defender (TRGPD) serves seven (7) rural Texas counties and indigent defendants charged under Operation Lone Star. Currently, TRGPD has public defender offices in Beeville, Eagle Pass, and Harlingen. Each of these offices provides indigent defense for one or more of the counties near the office locations. TRGPD offices are located near various natural and cultural attractions. They are also within reasonable driving distance from metro areas with international airports. TRGPD Defenders are frontline advocates who have engaged in the movement to transform the criminal justice system and challenge the injustices faced by indigent defendants in rural south Texas for over a decade. TRGPD Defenders provide complete, vertical representation from intake to resolution. Except for cases involving a conflict of interest or the death penalty, TRGPD Defenders represent persons accused of crimes from initial arrest to final appeal. TRGPD delivers client-centered services to address unique needs and limited resources available to clients residing in rural and border communities. Special initiatives within the program include advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction, trauma-informed and mental health advocacy, assistance with applying for government aid and/or housing, and assistance with substance abuse as alternative solutions to incarceration. With caseload controls, staff investigators, mental health and substance abuse caseworkers, and a litigation budget, TRGPD is deeply committed to zealous, high-quality representation in rural South Texas. We offer the advantage of having robust staff support with a 2-1 attorney-to-support staff ratio, and the flexibility and willingness to support employee growth.   

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:  Salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent fringe benefits package, including law school loan repayment, generous paid leave, healthcare insurance, a retirement plan, and training & travel stipends. TRGPD defenders train with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Gideon’s Promise, the National Association for Public Defense, and other associations that are committed to the transformation of indigent defense and criminal justice reform. Spring graduates from law school typically start being paid the first week of July but will only report to work after the July bar exam. TRGPD provides reimbursement for the bar application fee and bar preparation course to new employees who haven’t taken the bar exam yet.   

QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES:  

Must be licensed to practice law in Texas, able to waive into the Texas bar, or willing to take the next available bar exam. Students in their final year of law school or new grads are welcome to apply before they take the bar exam or while they are waiting for results.  

Proficiency in Office 365, legal research software, and other case management systems.  

Preferred applicants will demonstrate a commitment to indigent defense and criminal justice reform; have worked or interned in a public defender office; have strong academic credentials; are solution-oriented and creative; are able to work efficiently independently and in a team environment; can assess and prioritize multiple tasks and work effectively in high-stress situations; and want to live and work in communities where TRPD clients have the greatest needs.   

TRGPD is also looking for attorneys who aspire to become leaders both within the division and in the larger public defender community.     

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Provide zealous and holistic defense for indigent persons accused of criminal charges ranging from serious level felonies, misdemeanors, and juvenile cases;   

Review case facts, examine videos and physical case evidence for legal sufficiency,  

Prepare, draft, and review motions and other legal documents that conform to current statutes, legislation, and case law;   

Confer with prosecutors, law enforcement, and witnesses regarding any necessary case investigation and trial preparation;  

Litigate appointed cases from intake to final resolution, including pretrial, trial, appeals, and additional motion practice, as needed; 

Manage confidential legal information and documents;  

Participate in the agency, division, and program meetings and training; 

Maintain case files and documentation in accordance with agency and division policies;   

Follow current trends and innovations in indigent defense;  

Provide client-centered, trauma-informed advocacy; and  

Collaborate with colleagues in their team, program, and division to contribute to a supportive work environment.  

Preference for candidates willing to live in or near Beeville, TX and with 2-years of criminal defense experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS:  Step One – Submit a completed online application using the bottom at the top of the page. Complete applications include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and professional references. Step Two – Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview (videoconference, telephone, or in-person).   Step Three – Depending on the circumstances, selected applicants will be invited to visit TRGPD offices, meet with staff, and tour the local community. TRGPD will provide travel, accommodations, and meals throughout the visit.   Step Four – Selected applicants will be offered a position. If an offer is made in the winter to a law student, the offer will remain open until mid-April, near the deadline to apply for the bar exam.  ion

Texas RioGrande Public Defender (TRGPD) seeks a Managing Attorney to assist in the management and administration of the Operation Lone Star Team. The Managing Attorney assists the Operation Lone Star Legal Team Director in planning, organizing, directing and coordinating the staff assigned to Operation Lone Star Defense.

TRGPD serves indigent defendants in several rural Texas counties, all south of San Antonio. Operation Lone Star is a state initiative that attempts to militarize the border, criminalize seeking asylum, and create a separate and unequal criminal justice system targeting migrants. Attorneys on the Operation Lone Star Team will work under the supervision of the Team Director to provide clients with high-quality representation from intake to resolution, including advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction.

TRGPD’s attorneys are frontline advocates who have engaged in the movement to transform the criminal justice system and challenge the injustices faced by indigent defendants in rural south Texas for over a decade. We provide complete, vertical representation from intake to resolution. Except for cases involving a conflict of interest or the death penalty, TRPD attorney’s represent persons accused of crimes from initial arrest to final appeal.

TRGPD delivers client-centered legal services to address the unique needs and limited resources available to clients residing in rural and border communities. Special initiatives within TRGPD include advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction, trauma-informed and mental health advocacy, assistance with applying for government aid and/or housing, and assistance with substance abuse as alternative solutions to incarceration.

With caseload controls, staff investigators, mental health and substance abuse caseworkers, and a litigation budget, TRGPD is deeply committed to zealous, high-quality representation in rural South Texas. Attorney benefits include law school loan repayment assistance, generous paid leave, healthcare insurance, retirement plan, and training & travel stipends. TRGPD defenders train with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Gideon’s Promise, the National Association for Public Defense, and other associations that are committed to the transformation of indigent defense and criminal justice reform.

• Receives direction from the Team Director and the TRGPD Executive Director.

• Assists in administering the programs and operations of Operation Lone Star and managing staff.

• Works in partnership with the Team Director to implement keys strategies and initiatives to achieve Operation Lone Star goals and objectives

• Maintain a caseload that includes high level felonies, misdemeanors and juvenile cases;

• Manage cases from intake to final resolution, including pretrial, trial, appeals, and additional motion practice, as needed;

• Work with the Team Director to identify systemic issues within their service area;

• Mentor and train newly licensed attorneys within Operation Lone Star, by assisting in case file reviews, developing trainings, attending court hearings with young attorneys, and serving as lead counsel or co-counsel on trials with new lawyers, as needed;

• Maintain a supportive and positive work environment for their team; and

• Contribute to the progress and development of TRGPD as a whole.

Qualifications:

• Licensed to practice law in Texas or willing to take the next available Texas bar exam;

• At least five years of criminal litigation experience as a licensed attorney;

• At least 3 trials before a jury as lead counsel;

• Demonstrated management and leadership skills;

• Proficiency in Office365, legal research software, and other case management systems; and

• Professional fluency in Spanish (highly preferred).

Preferred applicants will demonstrate a commitment to indigent defense and criminal justice reform; have worked in a public defender office; have exceptional advocacy, management, and leadership skills; are solution oriented and creative in their ideas on how to solve systemic issues within the criminal justice system; are passionate about the development and training of the new generation of the indigent defense attorneys; and want to live and work in communities where TRGPD clients have the greatest needs. TRGPD is also looking for attorneys that aspire to become leaders both within the organization and in the larger public defender community.

TRGPD is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an equitable workplace. This position requires, consistent with TRGPD’s policy and subject to applicable law, a candidate to provide proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination prior to commencing employment.

EAGLE PASS

$95000 - $140000 / yr + plus eligible for moving expenses and other incentives

Texas RioGrande Public Defender (TRGPD) seeks attorneys with a demonstrated commitment to rural, indigent defense and exceptional advocacy skills to serve in rural southwest Texas. TRGPD intends to increase its presence along the Texas-Mexico border by providing defense to those charged with a crime in Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties due to Operation Lone Star (OLS). OLS is a state initiative that attempts to militarize the border, criminalize those seeking asylum, and create a separate and unequal criminal justice system targeting migrants and refugees.   

TRGPD contracts with many rural Texas counties to provide public defenders in cooperation with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. TRGPD’s Defenders are frontline advocates who have engaged in the movement to transform the criminal justice system and challenge the injustices faced by indigent defendants in rural south Texas for decades. OLS has brought on a whole new set of challenges and injustices, and TRGPD needs those interested in stepping up. TRGPD expects its public defenders to provide complete, vertical representation from intake to resolution, initial arrest to final appeal.    

TRGPD delivers client-centered legal services to address the unique needs and limited resources available to clients residing in rural and border communities.  Special initiatives within TRGPD include advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction, trauma-informed and mental health advocacy, assistance with applying for government aid and/or housing, and assistance with substance abuse as alternative solutions to incarceration. 

With caseload controls, staff investigators, mental health and substance abuse caseworkers, and a litigation budget, TRGPD is deeply committed to zealous, high-quality representation for its clients.  We offer the advantage of having robust staff support with a 2-1 attorney-to-support staff ratio and the flexibility and willingness to support employee growth.  

Beyond salary, benefits include law school loan repayment assistance, generous paid leave, healthcare insurance, retirement plan, and training & travel stipends. TRGPD Defenders train with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Gideon’s Promise, the National Association for Public Defense, and other associations that are committed to the transformation of indigent defense and criminal justice reform. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

All attorneys will work with clients arrested under OLS collaboratively with other team members and under the supervision of the Project Manager. The attorneys’ duties will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

• Defend individuals charged with felony cases under Operation Lone Star;  

• Review, assess and analyze discovery, and draft correspondent legal memoranda;  

• Provide individual client communication and know-your-right presentations to migrants charged under Operation Lone Star; 

• Conduct legal research and draft pleadings and briefs; 

• Collaborate with Asylum Defense Project on immigration-related issues impacting Operation Lone Star clients to mitigate adverse immigration consequences; 

• Maintain accurate and complete client files and administrative records; and 

• Manage cases from intake to final resolution, including pretrial, trial, appeals, and additional motion practice, as they arise. 

  QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES: 

• Licensed to practice law in Texas or willing to take the next available Texas bar exam; 

• At least three years of criminal litigation experience as a licensed attorney; 

• Experience with appeals; 

• Proficiency in Office and legal research software; and 

• Professional fluency in Spanish (highly preferred). 

• Must reside in Eagle Pass, Texas. 
  

  Preferred applicants will demonstrate an interest in providing justice to those who need it most, have worked in a public defender office, have strong academic credentials, and want to live and work in communities where our clients have the greatest needs. TRGPD is also looking for attorneys who aspire to become leaders both within our division and in the larger public defender community.    
  
  APPLICATION PROCESS: 
  
  Step One – Submit a completed online application. Complete applications include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and professional references.
  
  Step Two – Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview (videoconference, telephone, or in-person).  
  
  Step Three – Depending on the circumstances, selected applicants will be invited to visit TRPD offices, meet with staff, and tour the local community. TRPD will provide travel, accommodations, and meals throughout the visit.  
  
  Step Four – Selected applicants will be offered a position. If an offer is made in the winter to a law student, the offer will remain open until mid-April, near the deadline to apply for the bar exam. 

DEL RIO, UVALDE, BRACKETVILLE

$95000 - $140000 / yr + plus eligible for moving expenses and other incentives

Texas RioGrande Public Defender (TRGPD) seeks full-time public defender attorneys to provide zealous legal representation to clients charged under Operation Lone Star (OLS) with felonies. Operation Lone Star is a state initiative that attempts to militarize the border, criminalize seeking asylum, and create a separate and unequal criminal justice system targeting migrants. Attorneys within the OLS Project will work with the OLS Team under the supervision of the Project Manager to provide clients with high-quality representation from intake to resolution, including advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction. 

TRGPD contracts with many rural Texas counties to provide public defenders in cooperation with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. TRGPD’s Defenders are frontline advocates who have engaged in the movement to transform the criminal justice system and challenge the injustices faced by indigent defendants in rural south Texas for decades. OLS has brought on a whole new set of challenges and injustices, and TRGPD needs those interested in stepping up. TRGPD expects its public defenders to provide complete, vertical representation from intake to resolution, initial arrest to final appeal.    

TRGPD delivers client-centered legal services to address the unique needs and limited resources available to clients residing in rural and border communities. Special initiatives within TRGPD include advice on the immigration consequences of a criminal conviction, trauma-informed and mental health advocacy, assistance with applying for government aid and/or housing, and assistance with substance abuse as alternative solutions to incarceration. 

With caseload controls, staff investigators, mental health and substance abuse caseworkers, and a litigation budget, TRGPD is deeply committed to zealous, high-quality representation for its clients. We offer the advantage of having robust staff support with a 2-1 attorney-to-support staff ratio, and the flexibility and willingness to support employee growth.  

Attorney benefits include law school loan repayment assistance, paid vacation, healthcare insurance, retirement plan, and training & travel stipends. Our defenders train with the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Gideon’s Promise, the National Association for Public Defense, and other defender-minded associations.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

All attorneys will work with clients arrested under OLS collaboratively with other team members and under the supervision of the Project Manager. The attorneys’ duties will include, but not be limited to, the following: 

• Defend individuals charged with felony cases under Operation Lone Star;  

• Review, assess and analyze discovery, and draft correspondent legal memoranda;  

• Provide individual client communication and know-your-right presentations to migrants charged under Operation Lone Star; 

• Conduct legal research and draft pleadings and briefs; 

• Collaborate with Asylum Defense Project on immigration-related issues impacting Operation Lone Star clients to mitigate adverse immigration consequences; 

• Maintain accurate and complete client files and administrative records; and 

• Manage cases from intake to final resolution, including pretrial, trial, appeals, and additional motion practice, as they arise. 

  QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES: 

• Licensed to practice law in Texas or willing to take the next available Texas bar exam; 

• At least three years of criminal litigation experience as a licensed attorney; 

• Experience with appeals; 

• Proficiency in Office and legal research software; and 

• Professional fluency in Spanish (highly preferred). 

• Must reside in Eagle Pass, Texas. 
  

  Preferred applicants will demonstrate an interest in providing justice to those who need it most, have worked in a public defender office, have strong academic credentials, and want to live and work in communities where our clients have the greatest needs. TRGPD is also looking for attorneys who aspire to become leaders both within our division and in the larger public defender community.    
  
  APPLICATION PROCESS: 
  
  Step One – Submit a completed online application. Complete applications include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and professional references.
  
  Step Two – Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview (videoconference, telephone, or in-person).  
  
  Step Three – Depending on the circumstances, selected applicants will be invited to visit TRPD offices, meet with staff, and tour the local community. TRPD will provide travel, accommodations, and meals throughout the visit.  
  
  Step Four – Selected applicants will be offered a position. If an offer is made in the winter to a law student, the offer will remain open until mid-April, near the deadline to apply for the bar exam.