ambivalent comment

It seems to me that the only way in which being a public defender is a “starter job” is that it requires a lot of energy and dedication -- things that tend to wane a bit for most lawyers over time. I very much respect and admire the “lifers” I've known in the office where I interned and during my clinic experience b/c these are the people who know the most about what they are doing. They have accomplished things I can only dream of and they have what appear to me to be very satisfying and high quality lives. I don't know if I will be a public defender for three or 30 years, but I know I could do much, much worse than to have a life like those “lifers” have. (Of course, I need to get a job as a public defender before I can worry about how long I can keep it, but I'm trying to remain optmistic about that part....)