How much money does a public defender make in New York?
I am not sure what I would like to be when I graduate college, but I know I want to work with the community and law. At first I wanted to be a criminal justice lawyer, then I wanted to be a family lawyer, and then I met this women who was public defender in Bronx. I just wanted to know how much money they make specifically in New York because that is where I would like to stay. #law #salary
3 answers
Renee’s Answer
Typically public defenders make less than $100,000/year. For NY, it appears the range is approximately $60,000-100,000/year
Some salary information is available online. Here are a few links:
http://camlaw.rutgers.edu/sites/camlaw/files/Public_Defender_Handbook_PUBLIC_VERSION_CURRENT.pdf
http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-Federal-Public-Defender-l-New-York,-NY.html
http://publicdefendersalary.com/NY/New-York/salary/Public-Defender-Salary
I have a very good friend who is a public defender. It is a hard job, but can be very exciting and fulfilling. Good luck!
Margaret’s Answer
It is admirable you are interested in helping your community. Upon graduating from law school, I was a law clerk for a Superior Court Judge in New Jersey. Thereafter, I worked as a public interest lawyer where I represented low-income individuals in family law and immigration law matters. If you are concerned about your income as a public interest lawyer due to law school loans, it is important to know that many law schools have loan forgiveness programs for their graduates who pursue such a career.
For more information, you can go to a law school's website to find out if it has a loan forgiveness program. You can also refer to this link which has general information about said programs:
http://apps.americanbar.org/legalservices/probono/lawschools/pi_lrap.html
I would also advise you to look into City University of New York School of Law whose motto is "Law in the Service of Human Needs". I attended CUNY School of Law, and it was a great fit for my career goal of public interest law. One of the main reasons is that it is not as costly as most law schools, especially if you are a New York resident. Many CUNY School of Law alumni work as public defenders in New York for organizations such as The Legal Aid Society.
Mackenzie’s Answer
On average, a public defender in New York can expect an annual salary ranging from around $50,000 to $80,000 or more. However, salaries can differ significantly depending on the county, city, or agency they work for. Public defenders in more urban and populous areas might have higher salaries than those in rural or smaller jurisdictions due to cost of living and caseload demands.
Keep in mind that salaries can change over time due to various factors, including changes in government budgets and cost of living adjustments. For the most up-to-date and accurate information about public defender salaries in New York, I recommend checking official government sources, relevant law organizations, or job search platforms that provide salary information.