A group of attorneys who represent indigent clients are refusing to accept new court-appointed cases until they receive a higher hourly wage. These attorneys — many of whom practice private defense law as their day jobs — make themselves available at local courts to take cases for people who can’t afford a lawyer but face criminal charges.
The so-called public defender bar advocates say the public defense system provides them very low compensation in comparison to their colleagues in nearby states.
“These bar advocates work tirelessly in the courts every day. They could easily get jobs elsewhere earning four times what they earn as bar advocates,” said Jen O’Brien, a bar advocate in Middlesex County at the Tuesday rally outside the State House. “Instead, they choose to dedicate their time, their careers and their lives to public service to help individuals on what is often the worst day of their lives.”…