NAPD 2023 Rise, Resist, Represent Conference

In many public defender offices, staff and attorneys are overwhelmed, their mental health and well-being is suffering, and they feel stuck and demoralized with little room for professional growth. While the secondary trauma of the job and the lack of sufficient funding for indigent defense are partially to blame, public defense leaders could do more to create a culture where attorneys' well-being is prioritized and client-centered, creative, and zealous advocacy is valued.  In this session, we will talk about national research on the culture of public defender offices and what supervisors and leaders can do to promote a positive environment that makes attorneys want to come and stay in the work.