GSU COL Pro Bono Program

Georgia Public Defender Council (GPDC) is launching its Pretrial Release Advocacy Program in January 2023 and seeks 2L,3L, and 4L students who are zealous about public defense and are interested in being pretrial release advocates for clients being held in Fulton County Jail. Students will work with supervising attorneys.

Mandatory training sessions are held the second Friday of each month and each volunteer opportunity is a two-week commitment (sign up on Track It Forward). Students are expected to work approximately 7-10 hours per week. At the beginning of the week (start date of volunteer week is flexible) students are assigned approximately 2 clients. During this week students meet and visit their clients at Fulton County Jail and prepare for their client's bond and preliminary hearings which are scheduled for the following week.

Bond hearings are scheduled via ZOOM on the following Tuesday starting at 5:00pm. Preliminary hearings are scheduled on Friday of the same week as the bond hearing. Preliminary hearings take place at Fulton County Courthouse. Further information regarding the scheduling of preliminary hearings will be discussed at the training session.

To participate, students must be willing to volunteer at a minimum of 2 times per semester. Interested students must be registered with the State Bar of Georgia under the Student Practice Rule. (Contact Dean Lester’s office to get registered). Proof of registration is mandatory to be considered for this position.

Sign up here and contact Anna Blitz, Recruiting Manager for Georgia Public Defense Council ABlitz@gapudef.org