Client Advocate

Make a meaningful impact as a PFJ Client Advocate Become a Client Advocate and work directly with clients in the criminal legal system. Apply today or register for office hours to learn more. Advocates work directly to help clients avoid the devastating impacts of arrest and support clients to move forward from the criminal legal system with their future opportunities intact. Meanwhile, Advocates also receive first hand exposure to the criminal legal system and a life-changing public service experience. Every day is different as an Advocate, whether you're working directly with a client, building awareness of your services in the community, or collaborating with a community partner. Substantial impact in communities Increased confidence in your ability to face new challenges As a Partners for Justice Client Advocate, you’ll engage in a meaningful fellowship experience designed to make a concrete difference in clients’ lives. With training, mentorship, and ongoing support, Advocates are integrated as full‑time employees within public defender offices across the country, offering real life exposure to the criminal legal system. As a Client Advocate you will: Connect with clients to learn more about the problems they are facing and their goals Depending on your clients’ needs, creatively assist with issues like clearing past criminal convictions, preparing for child services interventions, accessing public benefits, maintaining work licenses, finding and maintaining housing, and obtaining mental health counseling or substance use treatment Partner closely with attorneys to provide relevant information and documents for clients’ criminal case and other legal issues Build a network of local services, community organizations, and civil attorneys so that you can appropriately refer and advocate for clients Use your detailed knowledge of court processes and requirements to help your clients navigate these institutions Advocate for clients with service providers, attorneys, judges, landlords, employers, and others, telling your clients’ stories in a compelling way that gets results Collaborate with your teammates at your host office and nationwide to share knowledge, brainstorm solutions, and build a community Application Process How to apply To help applicants learn more about the PFJ program and prepare for our Advocate selection process, we offer office hours with our national team, along with resume and interview workshops. Application: Please complete the application to apply for the Partners for Justice Professional Fellowship Program. Office Hours: For those interested in becoming an Advocate, office hours are a great chance to learn more about the role and the PFJ program. This event is hosted by a PFJ national team member and is held on a drop‑in basis in hour and a half blocks, depending on attendance this event may be one‑on‑one or in a group. Office hours are not part of our interview process and they are not evaluative, so we invite everyone to bring questions. This workshop helps attendees put their best foot forward when applying to be a PFJ Advocate or in any job they choose. Candidates who receive an interview will be invited to attend the Advocate Panel. This virtual panel provides candidates an opportunity to hear from current Client Advocates about their day‑to‑day experiences and ask any questions about the Advocate role or PFJ Program. More information will be provided to candidates with their interview invitation. This panel is made available to candidates invited for a final interview. PFJ organizes panel discussions with the public defender supervisors from each office where we are currently placing Client Advocates. Candidates will have the opportunity to meet potential supervisors, learn more about the placement offices, and ask any questions. More information will be provided to candidates with their final interview invitation. The timelines below are for PFJ's standard Spring and Fall recruiting cycles for the Client Advocate Professional Fellowship. We are currently also recruiting for special placements in Siskiyou County and San Bernardino County, CA which will start on March 5, 2026. Applications for these special placements will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we encourage you to apply early! Spring Timeline Applications open: January 8, March 22 Applications submitted by: February 16, March 22 First round invites: February 19, March 25 First round interviews: February 20‑25, March 26‑April 1 Second round invites: March 6, April 10 Second round interviews: March 9‑13, April 13‑17 Placement offers: End of April, July 13 Fall Timeline Applications open: September 8, October 19 First round invites: October 23 First round interviews: October 24‑28 Second round invites: November 7 Second round interviews: November 10‑14 Placement offers: December Job starts: January 12 How we work

CHANGING LIVES

Advocates in action One of our Advocates had a client who was a retired veteran with severe and chronic PTSD. He had gotten into an argument with his landlord and was being held in jail when our Advocate met him. Based on information the Advocate shared about the client’s background, the prosecutor agreed to drop the charges down to misdemeanors and let the client out of jail—if he had a place to go. The Advocate didn’t just call a housing program for veterans. She refused to take “no” for an answer and worked her way to the program’s Executive Director, impressing him with her client’s story and convincing him to offer the client a bed the next day. To secure the agreement, the Advocate promised to personally drive her client from the jail to his new housing. As a result, the prosecutor gave this client a favorable disposition and a veteran has a new home. As a Client Advocate Fellow, you'll serve as a full‑time, in‑person, entry‑level employee within a public defender office for up to two years. Opportunities for employment beyond the fellowship's duration are at the discretion of the public defender's office. Advocates play a pivotal role in providing client‑led direct service to people facing criminal charges. Each day presents new challenges and opportunities, from direct engagement with clients to collaborative efforts with community partners. As a Client Advocate you will: Build relationships with and interview clients to understand their challenges and priorities, as well as identify potential consequences of an arrest. Provide clients with streamlined access to wraparound services, including but not limited to housing, employment, social and medical benefits, and treatment needs. Advocate for clients by engaging with service providers, landlords, employers, prosecutors, judges, and others, conveying clients' stories and needs in a compelling way that gets results. Coordinate with legal and social service teams to support to facilitate collaboration and communication on client cases. Partner with attorneys to compose persuasive narrative reports, support arguments, and provide relevant information and records. Maintain detailed knowledge of court processes and requirements. Collect and report data about work and your achievements. Actively participate in the Partners for Justice Professional Fellowship program. We have offices across the United States. You can learn more about our locations here. Placement as a Client Advocate in any particular location is based on need and availability. Have questions about PFJ, what our Advocates do, or the application process? Reach out to our team and we will get back to you. Learn more about the impact of Partners for Justice in communities across the country. #J-18808-Ljbffr Partnersforjustice