Why Behavioral Assessment?
Traditional hiring for defense organizations relies on resumes, bar passage, and interviews. Those predict credentials, not performance. Our assessment measures how you actually handle the situations that determine success in criminal defense — client crises, caseload triage, courtroom advocacy, and team collaboration.
5
Behavioral Domains
20
Scenario Questions
10 min
To Complete
The 5 Domains
Each domain measures a critical success factor for criminal defense professionals. Together they predict retention, performance, and career trajectory.
Mission & Motivation
Predicts: Burnout risk, retention, long-term commitment to indigent defense
Why This Matters
Public defenders without intrinsic mission alignment leave within 18 months. The work is demanding — crushing caseloads, lower pay than private practice, clients in crisis. Only people who genuinely connect with the Sixth Amendment promise of Gideon v. Wainwright stay and thrive.
Research
NLADA research shows that defenders who articulate a clear connection to constitutional defense principles have 2.5x higher retention rates. Gideon's Promise training programs demonstrate that mission-renewal programming significantly reduces burnout.
Sample Question
"A client refuses to cooperate with their own defense. They say the system is rigged and nothing matters. What do you do?"
People & Communication
Predicts: Client trust, jury rapport, team collaboration
Why This Matters
Defense clients face incarceration, family separation, and profound fear. They often distrust the legal system, especially court-appointed attorneys. Defenders must build rapport across cultures and trauma — in jails, courthouses, and crisis situations. One poor communicator on a defense team can undermine an entire case strategy.
Research
ABA studies show that client-attorney communication quality is the strongest predictor of client satisfaction and case outcomes in indigent defense — more than years of experience or win rates.
Sample Question
"A colleague consistently fails to share case notes on shared clients, affecting your trial prep. How do you handle it?"
Execution & Impact
Predicts: Caseload management, deadline compliance, trial readiness
Why This Matters
Public defenders manage 200+ cases simultaneously against NLADA standards of 150. Missing a filing deadline can mean a client stays in jail. Execution isn't about perfection — it's about disciplined triage: knowing which cases need immediate motion practice, which clients need jail visits this week, and which preliminary hearings require investigation.
Research
The RAND Corporation found that defenders with structured caseload management systems reduce missed deadlines by 60% and report significantly lower burnout — even when carrying above-standard caseloads.
Sample Question
"You have three preliminary hearings tomorrow, a client just called from county jail in a panic, and your supervisor needs a brief filed by 5 PM. How do you prioritize?"
Growth & Adaptability
Predicts: Career advancement, specialization readiness, legislative awareness
Why This Matters
California criminal law changes constantly — Prop 47, SB 1437, AB 2542 (CJRA), mental health diversion expansions. Defenders who don't actively track legislative changes miss opportunities for their clients. Growth mindset also predicts who pursues CBLS certification, who moves into leadership, and who develops specialty court expertise.
Research
Stanford research on growth mindset shows that professionals who view challenges as learning opportunities outperform peers by 30% over 5 years. In criminal defense, this translates to defenders who master new sentencing reforms first and achieve better outcomes for clients.
Sample Question
"A new resentencing law just passed that could affect dozens of your clients. You weren't taught this in law school. What's your approach?"
Transition Readiness
Predicts: Onboarding speed, division transfer success, leadership readiness
Why This Matters
Defenders transfer between divisions — misdemeanor to felony, trial to appellate, adult to juvenile — throughout their careers. Each transition is a critical moment: the wrong approach to a new docket can mean months of catching up. Transition readiness measures whether someone can diagnose a new situation, build relationships quickly, and create a plan that matches the context.
Research
Michael Watkins' 'The First 90 Days' research shows that leaders who diagnose their STARS situation (Startup, Turnaround, Accelerated Growth, Realignment, Sustaining Success) before taking action are 65% more likely to succeed in their new role.
Sample Question
"You've just been transferred to a felony division that's 6 months behind on case filings. What do you do in your first week?"
Why Defenders Leave (And How We Prevent It)
Burnout & Secondary Trauma
The #1 reason defenders leave. Chronic exposure to client trauma, crushing caseloads, and feeling powerless against systemic injustice leads to compassion fatigue. Our assessment identifies burnout risk early.
Client Communication Gaps
Defenders who struggle to build trust with clients — especially across cultural and language barriers — lose critical case information and client cooperation. Our assessment measures cross-cultural rapport skills.
Caseload Overwhelm
Without disciplined triage systems, defenders miss deadlines, skip client meetings, and provide constitutionally deficient representation. Our assessment identifies execution gaps before they become ethical violations.