[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]A[/dropcap]LBANY COUNTY — Albany county’s Public Defenders Office is bolstering its staff with the addition of a new position that would be responsible for training new public defenders.
County Executive Dan McCoy announced that retired, long-time local attorney Terry Kindlon would be taking over the new role of Senior Counsel and Director of Training in the office. Kindlon, a founding member of the New York Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a retired lawyer himself, will be tasked with establishing office protocols and policies, help guide other staff members while working cases, and also work on major cases as a fall back if the need arises.
“In our Public defender’s office, we have great attorneys, but we have young attorneys that are a little wet behind the ear that need guidance. They need some help and they need someone to lean on,” McCoy said at a Thursday press conference. “With his experience, it’s really, really going to make a difference in the quality of life of the people that we have to represent.”
“They can study, they can read Supreme Court cases, they can read Court of Appeals cases, they can devote 15 hours a day to their schoolwork, but when you come out that doesn’t mean you’re ready to try cases.” Kindlon said of the young lawyers he will be overseeing.
This is the first time such a position has been created in Albany. Alongside with the new position, McCoy also announced that he will be submitting a plan to the Albany County Legislature that would give the Public Defender’s Office more funding and higher staff capacity.
– Kassie Parisi
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