It looks like the Delaware DOJ is facing a major retention crisis, especially with senior attorneys leaving for private-sector jobs.
Attorney General Kathy Jennings is making a strong case for salary increases, arguing that experienced prosecutors and civil attorneys are essential for public safety, fraud prevention, and cost savings.
The request for $5.5 million in salary compensation seems to be a key focus, with hopes that the Joint Finance Committee will approve it.
One interesting takeaway is that while junior attorney hiring has improved, the loss of senior attorneys is creating an imbalance.
The mention of outsourcing legal work due to staffing shortages is another strong argument for better compensation—it’s often more expensive to hire external counsel than to retain experienced in-house lawyers.
It’ll be up to the JFC and the General Assembly to determine how much of this request gets funded, but with a proposed 7.5% budget increase bringing the DOJ budget to around $70 million, there’s a lot at stake.