POSITION AVAILABLE: Federal Public Defender – Northern District of Alabama
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is accepting applications for appointment as Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Alabama. The position may be based in Birmingham or Huntsville. The current annual salary is $197,200, with the 2027 salary yet to be announced.
Applicants must be members in good standing of at least one state bar and have at least five years of active criminal law practice, preferably with significant federal criminal trial and appellate experience. Candidates should also demonstrate strong leadership and administrative abilities and a commitment to representing individuals unable to afford counsel.
The incumbent Federal Public Defender intends to seek reappointment; however, all applications will be considered under the same standards.
Application Deadline: December 28, 2026
Interested applicants should obtain the official application from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals website and submit the completed application as a single PDF attachment to ca11_appointments@ca11.uscourts.gov. Please include “Federal Public Defender – ALND” in the email subject line.