Special Counsel - Two Positions

Special Counsel – Civil Policy and Practice, Training, and Employee Development

Special Counsel – Criminal Policy & Practice

The Department of Public Defense (DPD) is committed to providing legal representation to indigent clients in King County. King County is a vibrant community with residents who represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. 

DPD provides legal representation to adults and juveniles who have been charged with a crime and cannot afford an attorney, as well as people facing civil commitment, parents who could lose their children in a dependency petition, and people seeking to vacate a past felony or misdemeanor conviction. The Department works to address racial disproportionality in the criminal legal system, the collateral consequences of justice involvement, and other structural and/or systemic issues that undermine the rights of the criminally accused. It employs not only attorneys, but also skilled investigators, mitigation specialists, paralegals, and other support staff. 

Expert services are regularly funded, in keeping with state court rules. King County public defense has also been a leader in the development of diversion alternatives to support clients who have entered or are at risk of entering the legal justice system due to drug involvement, mental illness, or other issues.