Does Metropolitan Public Defender Services pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Metropolitan Public Defender Services employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.2 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Metropolitan Public Defender Services. This rating has improved by 7% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Metropolitan Public Defender Services?

53% of Metropolitan Public Defender Services employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Metropolitan Public Defender Services 2.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.4 for culture and values and 2.8 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Metropolitan Public Defender Services?

Legal Assistant (3) , Attorney (2)

What are the cons of working at Metropolitan Public Defender Services according to real employee reviews?

"Low pay and very heavy case load." ((in 6 reviews))

Metropolitan Public Defender Services Reviews

3.6

53% would recommend to a friend

(20 total reviews)

Susan F. Mandiberg

Not enough data to show CEO approval

50% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (20 reviews)

Metropolitan Public Defender Services has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 20 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Metropolitan Public Defender Services employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Legal industry (3.8 stars).

Reviews by job title

20 reviews

4.0

8 Sept 2025

Good firm

Attorney

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Trial experience, collegiality, caseload management getting better

Cons

High turnover, lack of diversity (although common for Oregon in general)

3.0

26 May 2025

Doesn't compy with ADA, high-burnout

Chief legal assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

- got lots of experience directly working with clients going through criminal litigation

Cons

- high burnout job - no caseload caps for legal assistants - office culture prioritizes the needs of attorneys over support staff - anti-wfh, even with a doctor's note

2.0

10 Apr 2025

Not what it used to be…

Data integrity specialist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Important Work Good Benefits Supportive Staff

Cons

No flexibility Disparate treatment for attorneys vs staff Management is impossible to work with Low pay

Viewing 1 - 3 of 20 Reviews

Jobs at Metropolitan Public Defender Services

Parent|Child Advocacy Department (PCAD) Legal Assistant II