Denton County approves standing authorization to hire bar‑card interns for district attorney’s office

The Denton County Commissioners Court on May 12 unanimously approved a standing authorization that allows the district attorney’s office to post and fill bar‑card intern positions to recruit recent law graduates who have taken the bar exam but are waiting for results.

Jamie Beck, speaking for the district attorney’s office, described the authorization as a recruiting tool to address difficulty filling entry‑level misdemeanor prosecutor positions. “This bar‑card internship allows us to hire them at a reduced salary than a full attorney position right after they take the bar and then they can intern with us for three months while they’re waiting on those results,” Beck said.

Beck told the court the internship would be used only when an entry‑level misdemeanor vacancy exists and that the office would hire the same number of interns as vacancies. She said a recent bar‑card intern who took the February exam slid into a licensed attorney position after receiving passing results. Commissioners asked about eligibility timing; Beck clarified the internships are for graduates who have already taken the bar exam and would end if an intern does not pass.

The court’s approval came on a motion by Commissioner Williams and a second by Commissioner Falconer. No commissioner opposed the measure.

The record shows the office currently has two entry‑level vacancies and plans to use the authorization to recruit candidates who sit for the July bar, then wait for results in October. The transcript also records an unattributed remark noting that other jurisdictions have adopted signing bonuses and other incentives to attract prosecutors.

Next steps: the district attorney’s office may post and hire bar‑card interns to fill existing misdemeanor entry‑level vacancies under the standing authorization; any hires will follow the eligibility rules Beck described.