The Public Defender’s Office (PDO) is established as a department in the Ministry of Law to enhance access to justice to vulnerable persons through the provision of criminal defence aid.
Ministry of Law
Public Defender, Public Defender’s Office
Permanent/Contract
Closing on 28 Jan 2026What the role is
What you will be working on
As public defenders, our mission is to provide quality legal representation for legally aided persons charged in court. You will be required to assist the Chief Public Defender in putting up reports to consider the merits of an application for legal aid, and to advice applicants and legally aided persons on the various legal options in their case. You will also attend court for bail applications, make representations to the prosecution on the best possible legal outcomes, make sentencing mitigations, do trials and handle appeals.
In the course of your work, you will also engage with other social service sector agencies in coming up with plans for rehabilitation of the legally aided person as part of restorative justice which will help minimise his/her future contact with crime.
What we are looking for
Key Competencies
• [Litigation] Good oral and written advocacy skills to effectively prepare mitigation pleas, sentencing submissions, and appellate arguments.
• [Litigation] Competent litigation capabilities including case strategy development, evidence analysis, and trial advocacy
• [Legal advisory and application of law] Good grasp of the law and sharp analytical mind to identify legal and factual issues in each case and provide advice on the best legal outcome.
• [Legal case management] Effective case management abilities to handle diverse criminal matters whilst ensuring timely progression through court processes
Qualifications/Work Experience/Personal Traits
• Law degree from an accredited university.
• Preferably 1 to 5 years of relevant experience in criminal law practice but fresh graduates with passion for criminal defence are welcome.
• Good communication skills with clients, colleagues, prosecutors, and court personnel.
• Professional approach when handling sensitive criminal cases.
• Empathy and commitment to getting the best results for clients while respecting their choices.
• Passion for criminal defence work and belief in fair legal processes and equal access to justice.
If you are interested, please attach with your resume, a cover letter to share with us your experience in criminal litigation work, as well as the reason(s) for joining PDO.
Successful candidates will be appointed on a 1-year contract in the first instance.
About your application process
This job is closing on 28 Jan 2026.
If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the job ad closing date, we seek your understanding that it is likely that we are not moving forward with your application for this role. We thank you for your interest and would like to assure you that this does not affect your other job applications with the Public Service. We encourage you to explore and apply for other roles within Ministry of Law or the wider Public Service.
About Ministry of Law
In Singapore, having the rule of law and advancing people’s access to justice are not just lofty ideals but the backbone of a functioning and a progressive society. At the Ministry of Law, not only do we contribute to developing the legal frameworks and policies that uphold our way of life, but also to providing community legal services that Singaporeans benefit from. The key policies we oversee include Singapore’s legal and intellectual property infrastructure, the civil and criminal justice systems as well as land resources.
Our officers are experts from different fields, and enjoy an excellent and challenging career in a fast-paced environment with plenty of opportunity to grow. If you share our vision of shaping the future of Singapore, you will definitely fit right in here at MinLaw.
Learn more about Ministry of Law