Events Calendar

Learn about career paths in indigent defense in Texas. Attorneys who wish to build careers in Texas representing low-income people accused of criminal offenses must chart paths that usually do not include entry-level employment with a public defender office, few of which exist in Texas.

Panelists will discuss their careers as criminal defense lawyers who work in small law firms or solo practice and who represent indigent clients, and offer advice about how students can locate training and mentorship resources to start a career in public defense outside of a public defender office. Panelists include Charles Blevins, ’12, Associate with Chappell, Lanehart, & Stangl, and who receives indigent defense appointments through the Lubbock County Private Defender Office; Victoria Erfesoglou, ,’10, who participates in the Harris County Future Appointed Counsel (FACT) training partnership between the Harris County Public Defender’s Office and Gideon’s Promise; and Amber Vasquez Bode ’01, president of the Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and a solo practitioner who has received appointments under a traditional judicial appointment system and the new Capital Area Private Defender program in Travis County. Moderated by Andrea Marsh, Director of the Mithoff Pro Bono Program and Founder of the Texas Fair Defense Project.

Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP on Symplicity by selecting the 'Events' tab.