Share your voice. Shape the practice. .

Whether you're a newer attorney with a fresh take, a public defender on the front lines, or a seasoned practitioner with deep experience, For The Defense wants to hear from you. We’re looking for original articles that offer practical insight, thoughtful analysis, or useful updates for criminal defense lawyers across Pennsylvania.

What We Publish:

Articles should be:

• Original – not previously published elsewhere.

• Timely and practical – grounded in real-world application for defenders.

• Well-sourced – legal citations welcome to strengthen the content.

• Insightful – tackling current issues, procedural updates, case law trends, or strategic tools that impact criminal defense practice.

Ideal topics include:

• Case law developments

• Trial and pretrial strategies

• Legislative changes

• Ethics, technology, or evidentiary challenges

• Client advocacy and public defense insights

Who Can Submit:

You don’t need to know someone on the editorial board to submit. We're especially interested in voices from:

• Public defenders and conflict counsel

• Experts

• Private practitioners

• New and emerging attorneys

How to Start:

Before you begin writing, send a quick email to pacdl@pacdl.org with your topic idea. We’ll let you know if it’s a good fit and offer any guidance to get started. An author who makes a pre-submission inquiry can anticipate a response normally within one week. A response may take longer if consultation between members of the Editorial Board is required. If you are invited to submit your manuscript, we will do our best to provide an expeditious initial assessment of the complete manuscript for suitability. 

We aim to keep the editorial process constructive and respectful—your ideas matter, and we’re here to help refine them.

Let your experience inform your colleagues. Be a voice in Pennsylvania’s criminal defense community.