Community Outreach Attorney
COMMUNITY OUTREACH VISION
The Community Outreach Attorneys bring the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office’s (PDO) mission out of the courtroom and directly into the community by providing legal services and education at community events, fixed sites, encampments, and local high schools.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH ATTORNEY GOALS
The Community Outreach Attorney (COA) is a position intended to bring the legal expertise provided by the Public Defender’s Office out of the courtroom and into the community to better serve Santa Clara County’s underserved communities. This is accomplished by the performance of different types of outreach and by the formation of partnerships with both community organizations and court system partners. Through this work, the Community Outreach Attorneys aim to:
• Strengthen community relationships through consistent presence
• Expand and reimagine access to legal assistance and court services.
• Eliminate wealth disparity in court access by establishing connections to free legal assistance
• Facilitate connections of community members to available services
• Advice, counseling, and support youth at risk of system involvement
The Community Outreach Attorney is a specialized position at the Public Defender’s Office dedicated to empowering local communities to advocate for better outcomes for justice-involved or exposed adults and juveniles through education and networking. This includes working alongside community-based organizations, schools, courts, and other partners to coordinate efforts.
The Community Outreach Attorney is committed to helping underserved or vulnerable communities by engaging in outreach to respond to their needs, facilitating access to care and services, and raising awareness of Public Defender services.
The Community Outreach Attorney provides outreach to the homeless population by maintaining a presence at homeless encampments and homeless shelters.
The Community Outreach Attorney also assists members in the community with warrant recalls, post-conviction relief, questions about pending criminal court cases, and helps community members navigate quality of life issues to avoid further contact with the justice system.
The Community Outreach Attorney has also developed a connection to local high schools with at-risk youth. The Community Outreach Attorney receives requests from staff at local high schools to provide one-on-one mentorship, class presentations, and strategic interventions to prevent at-risk youth from becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. The attorney is responsible for providing and organizing “De-Escalation & Know Your Rights” trainings to empower youth by knowing the law, encourage de-escalation in police contact, and promote youth interest in legal-related professions.