Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia

PDS offices will be CLOSED on Friday, August 30, 2024, at 2 p.m. and on Monday, September 2, 2024, in observance of Labor Day. The D.C. Courts will be closed on Monday, September 2, 2024; except for Adult Arraignment Court (C-10), Juvenile New Referral Court (JM-15), and scheduled preventive detention hearing courtrooms. Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being. A heartfelt thank you to #PDSDC staff, interns, law clerks, alumni, and board members for their dedication to our mission and clients.

Shout-out to Sidley Austin LLP's pro bono fellowship program that brought lawyers Ethan Arrington, Summer Boyd, Leena Dai, and Dominique Hall to our Trial Division this summer. The fellows are all about working hard and delivering results. We greatly appreciate their commitment to our mission and clients. Thank you, Ethan, Summer, Leena, and Dominique for selecting PDS for your fellowship experience! #PDSDC #Fellows #ProBono #Sidley

#EmployeeSpotlight: We are delighted to highlight Sara Childress, client services coordinator with our Defender Services Office. Sara joined PDS in 2003 as an eligibility examiner, and we have LOVED every minute with her! She is a take-charge person and there is no challenge Sara cannot meet. DSO is fortunate to have her on their team! Sara enjoys working at PDS because “I am, just like the rest of us, a Champion of Liberty. I wholeheartedly believe in PDS’s mission and strive everyday to make a difference in our clients lives. I am proud to be a member of this tight knit family who all share the same passion – Justice.” Sara has worked in the field of criminal legal justice for 35 years. Career highlights include working at the DC Jail as an office manager for the Classification & Parole Unit, the U.S. District Court as a supervising probation clerk, and, of course, PDS!! A fun fact about Sara? “History is my favorite subject. I just can’t get enough of it. If it happened, I want to learn all about it. I believe that if a person doesn’t know where they came from, then how will they know where they’re going.” Sara’s favorite quote? “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” - Maya Angelou We adore you, Sara! Thank you for your many years of outstanding service to PDS! ❤️ #ClientServicesCoordinator #PDSDC

Calling all Washington University in St. Louis School of Law students: Apply now to join your incredible alumnae at #PDSDC - Rebecca, staff attorney with our community Defender Division; Eleanor, immigration attorney with our Trial Division; Kelly, staff attorney with our Special Litigation Division. Also check out Kelly Miller’s summer 2024 law clerk spotlight. #Hiring #LawClerks #Lawyers #PublicDefenders #Alumni

Congratulations to #PDSDC Appellate Attorney Will Collins on the publication of The Case for Eyewitness Identification! #PublicDefenders #Lawyers

We’re #Hiring TRIAL LAWYERS!! Apply now to join our tenacious and talented team of public defenders. Our public defenders tirelessly work to ensure quality legal representation for those who need it most. https://lnkd.in/ern863YQ) #PublicDefenders #PDSDC

Thank you to the children at ST Marks and to St Mark’s Commitment to Social Justice and Support for supporting #PDSDC and for designing this BEAUTIFUL and THOUGHTFUL poster! #PublicDefenders

Sharing - Professor Andrew Ferguson is a #PDSDC alumnus!

#Farewell: Extending our gratitude to Social Media Intern Taraji Ellington for his successful collaboration with #PDSDC that beautifully documented our interns and law clerks through photography and video this summer. Of his social media internship experience, Taraji shared: “Like other interns at PDSDC, I aspire to become a lawyer to serve my community. However, my role was unique-Although I wasn’t an investigative intern, I was a social media intern. Instead of focusing on cases, I highlighted the essence of the organization through graphics, videos, and photography. This internship has been incredibly fulfilling, as it allowed me to interact with passionate individuals in a way that mirrored the dynamic between a journalist and their interviewees. Each interaction helped me grow, and allowed me to understand why these individuals are passionate about their work. Which allowed my own interest to continue to grow.” Best wishes to you, Taraji (American University)! We’ll miss your positive energy and artistic expression. Thank you. Do you have stellar design, video, and photography skills? Are you interested in joining an organization filled with good people doing meaningful work? We are looking for a Winter/Spring 2024 intern! https://lnkd.in/exWTpqPg #Intern #Internship #Externship #SocialMedia #SocialMediaIntern

Walking down the hall early Wednesday morning I was struck by the quiet peacefulness and power of Intern Investigator Pilar Diaz ironing a shirt for a client’s court appearance. My colleagues across the agency achieve incredible results every day with the love they pour into their work. To me, this image says everything.