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Contact our team
Monday – Friday · 8:00am – 4:30pm
Main Office
201 Poplar Ave, Suite 2-01
Memphis, TN 38103
Learn more about us
Before you apply
- 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 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 · Mental Health
- Full-time
- 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis
- General Sessions Court & Criminal Court
What you'll do:
- Represent clients at all stages — arraignment, preliminary hearings, motions, trial, and sentencing
- Conduct client interviews, review discovery, and develop case strategy
- Collaborate with investigators and social workers to build comprehensive defenses
- Maintain regular contact with clients and their families throughout the case
- Participate in office training and contribute to team development
What we're looking for:
- Tennessee bar admission or eligibility to sit for the Tennessee bar
- We hire at all experience levels, including new graduates
- Commitment to public defense as a career — not a way station
Legal Fellows
Post-graduate fellowship programs
- Fellowship
- 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
- All divisions
What you'll do:
- Handle a full caseload with structured mentorship
- Participate in regular training intensives through the Gideon's Promise network
- Access a nationwide cohort of fellow public defenders for peer support and collaboration
What we're looking for:
- Recent law school graduates or attorneys within their first two years of practice
- Tennessee bar admission or pending admission required
Interns & Law Clerks
1L · 2L · 3L · Recent graduates
- Summer Internship (10 weeks)
- 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
- Trial divisions
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
- Academic Year Clerkship
- 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
- Multiple divisions
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)
- Summer Internship (10 weeks)
- 201 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN
- Mental Health Defense · Jericho Project
What you'll do:
- Shadow and support licensed social workers on psychosocial assessments
- Help connect clients with mental health, housing, and substance-use resources
- Support Jericho Project intake and case monitoring
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
Don't see the right fit?
Send us your résumé and a note about your interest. We keep strong candidates on file and reach out when the right opening comes up.