Recruiting Attorneys

Because the Public Defender’s Office enjoys a national reputation for excellence, the hiring process for assistant public defenders is very competitive. We attract high-quality graduates from the nation’s law schools.

Our assistant public defenders graduated from law schools at American University; Baltimore University; Boston College; Boston University; Brooklyn Law School; Catholic University; City University of New York; Columbia University; DePaul University; Emory University; Florida State University; Fordham University; Georgetown University; George Mason University; George Washington University; Golden Gate University; Harvard University; Hofstra University; Howard University; Indiana University; Loyola University; Marquette University; New York University; Northeastern University; Nova Southeastern University; Pace University; Pepperdine University; Rutgers University; Southeastern University; St. Johns University; St. Thomas University; Stetson University; Suffolk University; Temple University; Tulane University; University of California-Berkeley; University of Bridgeport; University of Connecticut; University of Florida; University of Iowa; University of Miami; University of Pennsylvania; University of San Francisco; University of Southern California; University of Tulsa; University of Virginia; University of Wisconsin; Villanova University; Western New England College; Widener University and Yale University.
 

Background

There was a time, despite constitutional provisions to the contrary, when a double standard of justice existed in this country, one for the financially well off and another for the poor. That all changed in 1963 when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, and the Florida Legislature responded by establishing the nation’s first statewide public defender system, with offices in each of its 20 judicial circuits.

The Law Offices of Public Defender Bennett H. Brummer are located in the city of Miami and represent court-appointed clients for Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit, which encompasses all of Miami-Dade County. From modest beginnings, the office today is the equivalent of the largest criminal defense firm in the Southeastern United States, currently employing nearly 200 lawyers and a full complement of paralegals, secretaries, investigators, disposition specialists and other support personnel. We take pride in our record of trial and appellate work, and the number of alumni on the bench and at the top of the private bar.
 

Office Structure

Bennett H. Brummer took office in 1976, when he was elected to the first of eight consecutive four-year terms, the most recent in November 2004. Mr. Brummer is a former president of the Florida Public Defender Association and an internationally recognized expert in the field. He has dedicated his entire career to the representation of indigent clients, as have many others in the office, where nearly a third of the lawyers have been here longer than 10 years and the average tenure is more than six.

Besides our five-story building in the courthouse and detention center complex, we also maintain branch offices at three other locations in the city, serving clients through our Early Representation Unit, Family Court and Juvenile Court divisions. The office administration includes an Executive and a Chief Assistant Public Defender, and 11 Senior Supervising Attorneys with considerable major-case experience. The Senior Supervising Attorneys oversee day-to-day operations and help formulate office policy. Seven of them share responsibility for our Felony Division, while the others are responsible for Appellate, Juvenile and County Court (i.e., misdemeanor and traffic cases), and Mental Health/Drug Court cases.

The Felony Division tries cases in 20 courtrooms, with a team of three or four of our attorneys assigned to each one. The teams receive additional assistance from our Major Crimes attorneys, who share lead responsibility in the handling of most of the capital cases in the office. To ensure that we provide the most effective representation possible to our capital clients, it is office policy that no fewer than two attorneys shall be assigned to each capital case. The office, therefore, encourages our experienced attorneys to become involved in capital litigation, and we provide training to those lawyers demonstrating an interest in the capital area.
 

Emphasis on Training

To ensure truly effective assistance of counsel, it is essential that we provide our attorneys with the tools and the resources that enable them to reach their full potential. And that means training. We take great pride in the fact that we are able to offer our attorneys one of the finest training programs in the nation.

It begins with an intensive one-week schedule of lectures and demonstrations on trial practices and case preparation for new lawyers and participants in our law--student intern program. The strength of our office training activities derives in part from the willingness of veteran attorneys to share their knowledge and experience with those new to the staff. As such, more than 30 of our most experienced lawyers have participated in the training sessions.

Each new lawyer is also assigned to a Training Attorney. These are experienced and effective trial lawyers, who have been relieved of responsibility for individual caseloads so that they may work on a one-to-one basis with the new lawyers. This mentoring allows the new lawyer the opportunity to gain knowledge and develop trial skills at an advanced rate, while gaining the confidence that comes from knowing you have the full support of your colleagues.

Other learning opportunities include lectures and demonstrations that the Training Attorney regularly convenes, often with outside experts speaking on a number of subjects of interest for our lawyers. An example is the monthly death penalty forum that features experienced capital trial lawyers from within the office and as well as the private defense bar. The office also regularly sends our lawyers to seminars and trial practice institutes around the country, such as those sponsored by the National Criminal Defense College.

The training program is supported by our in-house Librarian and a vast array of computer research programs and software that provides our lawyers access to a wealth of information to assist them in getting the job done.

However, despite the impressive formal training program, our most effective training tool is the informal give and take that the lawyers engage in daily as they discuss their cases and the law. They share a strong commitment to providing quality representation to our clients. This attitude is best summarized by Mr. Brummer himself:

"It is a place where we rely on and respect individual judgment on the part of the attorneys. They have primary responsibility for their cases and there is no second guessing or looking over their shoulder. Yet, we have a family atmosphere where people are mutually supportive, and share materials and ideas.”

In short, while our lawyers handle their own caseloads with a good deal of autonomy, the objective is to provide the environment and learning experiences that make it possible for them to do so in a secure and highly competent manner.

We are dedicated to the proposition that any human being facing the loss of liberty or life through criminal prosecution is entitled not merely to representation, but the most effective representation possible. If you are strongly committed to this goal and are interested in our office’s intern program or career opportunities, please contact Rory S. Stein, Training Director.