If necessary office space is not available in a courthouse within the district, the judicial district public defender may rent or lease such space. He or she may also purchase, through the materiel administrator of the Department of Administrative Services, necessary furniture, equipment, books, stationery, and other supplies necessary for the operation of the office. The public defender may employ, with the approval of the appropriate district judge or judges, necessary assistant public defenders and other employees at salaries which are to be approved by the judge or judges. Such judge or judges shall also determine whether assistant public defenders and other employees are to be part time or full time. Public defenders may employ law students authorized by the Supreme Court to engage in a limited form of the practice of law and may enter into agreements with law schools to provide clinical training for their students under the provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and other similar federal programs.