# Los Angeles County Public Defender Completes Workload Study

The Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office has completed an independent RAND Corporation workload study assessing attorney workload and capacity to inform sustainable workforce planning. This study, funded through a **$12 million ongoing investment** in indigent defense, provides data-driven recommendations including multi-year staffing strategies, technology adoption, enhanced legal support, and continuous policy review to strengthen defense services in Los Angeles County.

- The study's findings offer procurement professionals a foundation for planning multi-year contracts and technology acquisitions aligned with workload demands.
- Contractors specializing in legal support services and technology solutions may find emerging opportunities to support the Public Defender's Office's modernization efforts.
- This initiative reflects a broader trend toward data-driven resource allocation in public defense, signaling potential for similar procurements in other jurisdictions.
- Procurement teams should consider integrating performance metrics and workload data into future solicitations to align with the office's strategic goals.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Professional Services
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 10, 2026

### Government Entities
- Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office

### Vendors
- RAND (Research institution)

### Key Quotes
> The data gives us a clearer picture of what our office needs. Now we have an opportunity and a responsibility to put that information to work.
> — Ricardo D. García, Los Angeles County Public Defender

> Los Angeles County is ahead of most jurisdictions in trying to measure that complexity systematically. Our question was whether the system captures how much effort cases actually require, and where it could be sharpened.
> — Maya Buenaventura, RAND Policy Researcher

### Sources
- [Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office Announces Completion of RAND Attorney Workload Study – COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES](https://lacounty.gov/2026/09/10/los-angeles-county-public-defenders-office-announces-completion-of-rand-attorney-workload-study/) - CA