Alumni Spotlight: Christopher Duckworth ’25L Christopher Duckworth works as an assistant public defender in Anchorage, Alaska.

Christopher Duckworth ‘25L

Christopher Duckworth ‘25L was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Middlebury College in 2020, where he majored in mathematics. Before attending law school at W&L Law, Christopher worked for Oak Ridge Associated Universities, providing budgeting services to the federal government. In law school, Christopher interned for the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission’s office in Staunton, VA. Christopher currently works for the Alaska Public Defender Agency, where he is an assistant public defender in Anchorage. Outside of work, Christopher enjoys jogging, baking cookies, and Dungeons & Dragons.

Discuss your career path and how it led you to being an Assistant Public Defender in Alaska?

In my first week at W&L Law, I attended the interest meeting for the Public Defense Group. I knew immediately that this was what I wanted to do. Everything after that just confirmed it for me.

What sort of legal issues do you handle on a day-to-day basis?

Many of the legal issues I handle have to do with my clients’ rights under the Alaska and federal constitutions. I also deal with evidentiary issues when I review discovery for a case.

What do you like about your current job?

I love getting to be in the courtroom, directly advocating for my clients. I got to do fifteen jury trials in the past year. I also like serving my clients. Every day I meet new people, answer their questions, and give them advice. When I can help them out, it really motivates me.

What are some practices you have in your daily life as an attorney to maintain wellness?

I like to bake, especially when stressed, and I jog to balance out all the baked goods I end up eating.

Looking back, what do you think is the most formative experience you had in law school?

The Criminal Justice Clinic taught me so much about how to be a public defender. The most important things Professor Gottlieb taught me were how to talk to clients and how to prepare for a potential trial.

Which W&L classes and/or experiences do you think were most helpful in preparing you for this job? 

Besides the Criminal Justice Clinic, the most helpful class for my job was the Advanced Evidence Practicum. I got so much practice examining witnesses and arguing about the rules of evidence, and it was a lot of fun. Trial Advocacy and Criminal Procedure were both essential as well.

What advice do you have for prospective law students?

Law school is a lot of work but it can be very rewarding. It’s really a luxury to be able to spend three years studying and learning when you could be working instead.

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