Resources and Media
Interviews and Briefings
Wren Principal Josh Schwartz joined Hunter Parnell, host of the Public Defenseless Podcast, to speak about the impact of flat fee public defender contracts in California. Josh discusses findings from our report, Contracted to Fail: How Flat-Fee Contracts Undermine the Right to Counsel in California, which uncovers troubling patterns within the model of flat fee contracts that undermine the overall quality of defence for Californians.
We hosted a briefing on the Fair Representation Act (AB 690), authored by Assembly Member Nick Schultz. He was joined by Brendon Woods (Chief Defender, Alameda County), Kate Chatfield (Executive Director, California Public Defenders Association), Professor Sean Kennedy (Loyola Law School), and Raj Jayadev (De-Bug) in a conversation led by Leon Parker of the Wren Collective. Our speakers made it clear: Flat-fee contracts hurt not just clients but entire communities here in California. The Fair Representation Act offers a clear path forward in safeguarding liberty and improving public safety.