Attorney Biography
What distinguishes Jill G. Polster from many criminal defense attorneys is her experience both as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney. Ms. Polster's legal career began while she was still in law school when she was selected to clerk for one of the most well-respected criminal defense firms in the state -- The Steel Law Firm. She learned from the best that the key to defending criminal cases is thorough preparation. Throughout her more than ten years of legal practice, Ms. Polster's track record speaks for itself. As a public defender in Fulton County, Polster lost only one jury trial. As a prosecutor in DeKalb County, Polster secured convictions in even the most complicated high-profile criminal cases. As both a defense attorney and a prosecutor, Polster has been guided by her strong belief that her responsibility as an attorney is to work diligently to assure that a defendant's constitutional rights are protected. Her passion for practicing law, extensive trial experience, knowledge of law and criminal procedure, along with her confident courtroom presence make her a fierce and effective advocateMs. Polster is a graduate of Ithaca College and the Georgia State University College of Law. She is admitted to practice in all state and appellate courts in Georgia. Ms. Polster co-founded the Georgia Innocence Project (www.georgiainnocenceproject.org) and served for many years as President of its Board of Directors. Polster received a Special Recognition Award from the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division for her work in founding the GIP.
Polster served as a Staff Attorney for the Fulton County Public Defender and as a Senior Staff Attorney for the Metro Conflict Defender, both agencies of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council. In 2008, Ms. Polster joined the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office where she served as a Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Trial Division and the Special Victims Team. Polster, who revels in the opportunity to mentor young lawyers, managed the Law Student Internship Program for the DeKalb District Attorney's Office. In 2009, Polster was invited to serve as a Visiting Professional with The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (www.icc-cpi.int) in The Hague, Netherlands. In 2010, Polster joined the faculty of the Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program at Emory Law School and has been a frequent speaker at student programs at Georgia State University College of Law.