Circuit Public Defender | Rockdale Judicial Circuit 

Gina Bernard is the Circuit Public Defender for the Rockdale Judicial Circuit. She leads a multidisciplinary office team and maintains an active caseload, representing clients in Superior and Juvenile Courts while managing day-to-day operations. After years of indigent defense work, Gina stepped into her current role as an opportunity to bring together her legal and leadership experience in service of clients and the community. 

Gina finds the work most meaningful when clients who are often overlooked are finally seen and heard—and when the office can connect people to services that help change the trajectory of their lives. She takes pride in the steady stream of “big and small” accomplishments that come from showing up for clients, teammates, and the broader community. Gina describes her approach simply: work hard, work smart, and stay focused on what matters—guided by the mentors and colleagues who helped shape her path. 

Fun fact: She has a need for speed and enjoys speedboat racing, motocross, and other racing (non-Nascar). 

Quote: There is more than one way to skin a cat. 

The Georgia Public Defender Council (GPDC) has experienced significant budget increases post-pandemic, with its financial allocation reaching a record high of $108.3 million in the fiscal year 2024. This growth in budget is indicative of the organization’s expanding scope and capabilities.

Notably, state assistant public defenders have benefited from salary increments, receiving a 3% raise in 2021 and a further 6% in mid-2022. These adjustments have contributed to the elevation of the average salary for full-time attorneys to its highest level ever, a change largely attributed to the leadership and efforts of Director Alli.

In addition to these salary increases, all GPDC employees have received Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) totaling $7,000. This sum was distributed over a period spanning from April 2022 to July 2023, reflecting a commitment to maintaining staff well-being and financial stability.

Furthermore, in Fulton County, Circuit Public Defender Maurice Kenner has implemented significant salary raises for assistant public defenders. These raises, which vary between $43,000 and $53,000, were instituted following a comprehensive salary study initiated by Director Alli. This initiative underscores a broader trend within the GPDC of recognizing and rewarding the crucial work of public defenders, particularly in the context of the challenging post-pandemic environment.

Director Alli’s establishment of the Georgia Public Defense Foundation (GPDF) marks a significant step towards enhancing the public defense system in Georgia, with a focus on two primary objectives:

1. Socially Responsive Resources for Marginalized Clients:
   • The GPDF has placed a strong emphasis on providing resources tailored to the needs of marginalized clients.
   • A notable initiative in this realm is the Ladders Program, launched in 2022. This 12-month program is designed to reduce recidivism among clients and boasts an impressive 90% graduation rate, reflecting its effectiveness.
2. Professional Growth of Public Defenders:
   • The foundation is also committed to promoting the professional development of public defenders in Georgia.
   • It achieves this through various training and educational resources, ensuring that defenders are well-equipped to handle their responsibilities and continue to grow in their roles.

Additional Initiatives and Campaigns:

In The Trenches” Video Series: In July 2023, Director Alli introduced this series to shed light on the commitment and challenges faced by the Georgia Public Defender Council (GPDC). This series serves as a platform to increase awareness and understanding of the GPDC’s work.

2023 Social Media Launch: Recognizing the power of digital platforms, the GPDF launched social media accounts on sites like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube and X (Twitter). These accounts focus on:

• Showcasing stories of GPDC attorneys, providing insights into their dedication and the impact of their work.
• Offering client-relevant information, thereby making the GPDC’s services more accessible and understood by the public.

These efforts collectively enhance the effectiveness and reach of the GPDC, providing crucial support to both public defenders and their clients, and fostering a more responsive and competent public defense system in Georgia.

The Georgia Public Defender Council has made significant changes to improve its operations and compensation structures:

1. Standardized Contracts: GPDC has introduced standardized contracts to clearly define the duties and responsibilities of representation. This ensures that both the council and the attorneys have a clear understanding of the expectations and requirements in each case.
2. Increased Payments to Per-Case Attorneys:
   • Since 2020, there has been a substantial increase in the payments made to attorneys who are contracted on a per-case basis.
   • In 2021 alone, these payments increased by 35%, and overall, there has been a 60% increase since 2020.
3. Significant Rise in Juvenile Case Payments: Payments for juvenile cases specifically saw a notable rise, doubling in the year 2021.
4. Increases in Other Case Payments: Payments for other types of cases also experienced significant increases in 2022, with some payments even doubling.
5. Change in Payment Structure: Per-case attorneys now receive full payment upon their entry of appearance in a case. This is a change from the previous system where they received partial payments at different milestones.
6. Increased Compensation for Monthly Contract Attorneys: Attorneys on monthly contracts, who handle a set number of GPDC clients for a flat fee, saw their compensation rise by over 150% in 2022.
7. Engagement of Private Attorneys for Complex Cases: GPDC has also started re-engaging private attorneys for more complex cases. An example of this is the Richmond County Ghostface Gang RICO case.

These changes by the GPDC represent a significant effort to improve the efficiency and fairness of the public defense system, ensuring better compensation for attorneys and more effective legal representation for clients.

HB 1391, endorsed by the Office of the Governor and the General Assembly, was unanimously passed in 2022. This legislation marks the first instance of funding equity between Circuit Public Defenders and District Attorneys in Georgia.

The Georgia Public Defender Council has made several strategic location and expansion decisions:

1. Central Office Relocation: GPDC relocated its Central Office to the Trinity-Washington Building, owned by the Georgia Building Authority (GBA). This move has led to cost savings, which are being redirected to enhance staff and services.
2. New Public Defender Office in Columbia Judicial Circuit: Through collaboration with the Columbia County Board of Commissioners, GPDC opened a new Public Defender Office in this circuit, expanding their service reach.
3. Opening of 14 Regional Offices: GPDC established 14 new regional offices, staffed by full-time, state-paid attorneys and staff. This expansion marks the largest number of local and regional offices in the history of GPDC, significantly increasing their presence and capacity to provide legal services across the state.

The Georgia Public Defender Council (GPDC) has introduced several new units and programs to enhance its legal services:

1. Client Support Services Unit (CSSU): This unit was established to provide additional support and resources for GPDC clients.
2. Youth Advocacy Division (YAD): YAD focuses specifically on addressing the legal needs and challenges of younger clients.
3. Specialized Unit and Gang/RICO Unit: These units have been created to deal with more complex and specialized cases, including gang-related and RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) cases.
4. Cross-Circuit Representation Program: GPDC launched this program to allow agency attorneys to work across different jurisdictions and case types. This initiative not only expands the scope of work for attorneys but also offers them the benefit of extra compensation.

The Georgia Public Defender Council has enhanced its training and professional development initiatives in the following ways:

1. GPDC University: An online platform established for the training and onboarding of GPDC employees. This platform facilitates accessible and efficient training processes.
2. Revamped In-House Training: GPDC has updated its in-house training approach, including hosting specialized conferences. These conferences focus on areas such as Gang/RICO Defense and Youth Defense, providing targeted learning opportunities for specific legal fields.
3. GPDC Leadership Academy: This academy was created to offer comprehensive leadership training specifically tailored for public defenders, focusing on developing their leadership skills within the legal context.
4. Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Support: GPDC covers the costs for up to 12 hours of attorney Continuing Legal Education (CLE), supporting their ongoing professional development and legal education requirements.