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Public lawyers? salary gap grows wider

By Gideon

From The Wichita Eagle and Kansas Defenders: Steve Osburn is chief of the Sedgwick County public defenders — the attorneys who represent people charged with crimes but who can’t afford to hire lawyers. As head of the Wichita office, Osburn is the second-highest paid public defender in Kansas. But his $77,000 salary would rank Osburn 14th if he worked at the Sedgwick County District Attorneys’ office. Discrepancies in compensation between public defenders and prosecutors go beyond their paychecks. It also affects access to legal training that could give prosecutors an advantage in the courtroom. Both offices vigorously defend the talents of their attorneys. They say they do their jobs as much out of dedication as for money. “Justice shouldn’t be for sale, and I believe most of the people who come to work for our office believe that,” Osburn said...continue to full post

Full post as published by Public Defender Stuff on November 30, 2008 (boomark / email).