Office hours: Mon–Fri · 8:00am – 4:30pm · 201 Poplar Ave, Suite 2-01, Memphis

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(901) 222-2800
The law office of the
Shelby County Public Defender
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Join Our Team

We are the largest criminal defense firm in Tennessee. We’re looking for mission-driven attorneys, investigators, social workers, law clerks, and administrative professionals who believe that equal justice is worth fighting for.
Shelby County Public Defender staff gathered on the courthouse steps

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Hiring questions?

Contact our team

(901) 222-2800

Monday – Friday · 8:00am – 4:30pm

Main Office
201 Poplar Ave, Suite 2-01
Memphis, TN 38103

Learn more about us

Before you apply

Our History
Leadership
Our Mission & Values
Staff Directory
  • Internship program

Law students: our internship coordinator manages all summer and academic-year placements. Applications for Summer 2026 close February 28, 2026.

Questions? Call (901) 222-2800 and ask for the internship program.

At SCPD, the work is hard and it matters. Every person on our team — from the courtroom to the front office — is part of why more than 20,000 people a year get real representation.

Why SCPD

We are not a stepping stone. We are a destination. SCPD attorneys try more cases than most lawyers will see in a lifetime. Our investigators, client services specialists, and social workers work alongside counsel from the first interview to the last appeal. Our administrative and support staff run one of the most complex public law offices in the state.

We invest in our people. That means training and support, manageable caseloads, a trauma-informed culture that takes staff wellbeing seriously, and leadership that sees mission alignment — not just job performance — as the measure of a great colleague.

Our hiring approach

We recruit for values first. We want people who believe deeply in the presumption of innocence, who see clients as whole human beings, and who understand that a public defender’s work is inseparable from the broader fight for racial and economic justice. Experience matters — but so does who you are.

Open Positions

Click any role to see the full description and how to apply. Positions update regularly — check back or contact us if you don’t see the right fit below.

Attorneys

Trial · Appellate

View Openings
  • Full-time
  • 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis
  • General Sessions Court & Criminal Court
Now Recruiting
We are hiring Assistant Public Defenders to provide high-quality, client-centered legal representation to qualified people in the criminal legal systems of Shelby County, Tennessee. Competitive candidates will have a deep and demonstrated commitment to public defense; excellent communication, analytical, problem-solving, and time-management skills; the proven ability to work both collaboratively and independently; and a strong work ethic.
Apply for this position

Legal Fellows

Post-graduate fellowship programs

View Openings
  • Fellowship
  • 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
  • All divisions
Now Recruiting
Our Legal Fellows program provides opportunities for outstanding law school graduates who have not yet passed the bar exam to help provide high-quality, client-centered legal representation to qualified people in the justice systems of Shelby County, Tennessee. Competitive candidates, who may be hired as full-time assistant public defenders after becoming licensed attorneys, will have a deep and demonstrated commitment to public defense; excellent communication, analytical, problem-solving, and time-management skills; the proven ability to work both collaboratively and independently; and a strong work ethic.

Duration: 6-month fellowship

Apply for this position

Interns & Law Clerks

1L · 2L · 3L · Recent graduates

Applications Open
  • Summer Internship (10 weeks)
  • 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
  • Trial divisions
open
Our summer internship program places law students alongside attorneys in our trial divisions for ten weeks of immersive public defense experience. Interns do real work, not busy work — many of our current staff attorneys started as summer interns.

What you'll do:

  • Attend hearings
  • Assist with client interviews and case investigation
  • Conduct legal research
  • Draft motions

What we're looking for:

  • 1L and 2L law students

Duration: 10 weeks · Summer 2026

Application deadline: February 28, 2026

Apply for this position
  • Academic Year Clerkship
  • 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
  • Multiple divisions
open
Law clerks work part-time during the academic year alongside attorneys in our Adult Division, Youth Trial Division, Special Litigation Unit (Mental Health), and Appellate Team. Work is supervised and may count toward clinical education or externship requirements at many law schools.

What you'll do:

  • Assist with legal research
  • Draft documents
  • Prepare cases
  • Under the student practice rule, advanced 3L clerks may appear in court under attorney supervision

What we're looking for:

  • 2L and 3L law students
  • Work counts toward clinical education requirements at most Tennessee law schools
  • Rolling applications: August 15 (Fall) and December 15 (Spring)

Duration: Fall & Spring semesters

Apply for this position
  • Summer Internship (10 weeks)
  • 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
  • Mental Health Defense · Jericho Project
open
Social work interns support the holistic, client-centered work of our attorneys and client services specialists. This placement is designed for BSW and MSW students seeking field experience in a criminal-legal setting and includes on-site supervision by an attorney with a MSW.

What you'll do:

  • Shadow and support attorneys and client services specialists
  • Help connect clients with mental health, housing, and substance-use resources
  • Develop mitigation and help prepare sentencing memorandums

What we're looking for:

  • BSW or MSW students in good standing
  • Interest in criminal-legal system involvement and trauma-informed practice
  • Placement can count toward field-education requirements

Duration: Summer or academic-year placement

Apply for this position

Questions about applying?

Email Vincent Ores at .

Send a General Application