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Hi all, I’m interested in becoming a state appellate-level public defender (ideally in CA but geographically flexible). It seems like a hard field to break into; any advice on doing so? E.g., is a State SC clerkship necessary? What other credentials are most valuable? I have a year of law school left.

State SC isn't necessary. I can't speak for CA, but in the areas I've seen, it's generally for trial PDs who have been in the trenches for a few years who have decent writing. It will really vary by office though and State/County setup. Having a State SC couldn't hurt though!