Due to the ongoing public health emergency related to COVID-19, Brooklyn Defender Services’ physical offices are closed to visitors until further notice.

However, our staff continues working diligently on your cases and continues handling intake, arraignments, and emergencies. We are receiving calls and emails. If you are unable to reach our staff, please leave a message and we will respond as soon as we can. 

To access a directory of staff phone numbers, please click here.

To find a guide to available resource and services, please see our COVID-19 Resource Guide.

We understand that these are difficult times. We understand that life circumstances are being dramatically altered due to COVID-19.  We are available to help you. See below to learn more about how this affects your case and how to get in contact with our staff. 

 

For all criminal cases, including criminal cases sent to Family Court:

• The criminal courts are closed except for arraignments, Youth Part 1 (YP1), and a limited number of urgent applications, all of which are being conducted by video. Although arraignments at 120 Schermerhorn St. are taking place by video, they are open to the public.  Members of the public can go to the arraignment courtroom on the first floor of 120 Schermerhorn St. and watch the video arraignment.  Arraignments of Adolescent Offenders in Youth Part 1 (YP1) at 320 Jay St. are also taking place by video.  Family and other members of the public may go to Youth Part 1 (YP1) and watch the video arraignment.
• If you are a client or a family member of a client, do not go to court unless instructed to by an attorney. Most cases will be automatically adjourned to a new court date without clients appearing.
• Your attorney will call you or your family with your new court date.
• For questions about your case, if you already have your attorney’s phone number, please feel free to reach out to them directly. If not, or for additional information, please call 718-254-0700 or email bds@bds.org
• Note: If you know or have a loved one incarcerated who is feeling ill or having difficulty accessing medical care, please contact Jail Services at 646-787-3325 (English) or 646-971-2710 (Spanish). The person must be represented by BDS.

 

For Family Court ACS cases:

• Please do not travel to the Family Court as the Family Court is operating digitally and is hearing some cases remotely. If you are a client, please contact your attorney or social worker for your next court date and to discuss any issues you have with your family court case.
• If you cannot reach your attorney or social worker or you have an emergency concerning removal of children, please call 347-592-2500. If someone doesn’t answer, we will call you back as quickly as possible.
• If you are not a current BDS client but you are being investigated by ACS, please call 646-974-9343 for immediate assistance. If someone doesn’t answer, we will call you back as quickly as possible.

 

For Integrated Domestic Violence (IDV) Court cases:

• IDV court is physically closed. Cases will be automatically adjourned to a new court date without clients appearing.
• IDV court is able to hear limited emergency applications.
• If you have an order that is not being followed or need further legal relief, please contact your IDV attorney (A staff directory is listed at the top of this page)
• Your attorney will call you or your family with your new court date.

 

For immigration cases:

• To reach our immigration practice, please call: 718-564-6290
• For questions regarding DETAINED individuals ONLY: 347-768-3040
• ICE continues enforcement operations, including arrests at homes, places of business, and near courthouses. Know Your Rights by watching our video series: www.wehaverights.us
• Until the close of business on July 1, 2020, all in-person reporting requirements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been suspended, and all appointments to report in person to ICE/ERO New York City, or any ICE sub-office (Central Islip and Newburgh) as well as to report in person to ICE contractors (BI) on ATD have been cancelled and will be rescheduled, or you will be contacted telephonically. Previously scheduled telephonic reporting has not been suspended.
• Hearings for detained individuals are still occurring at the New York Varick Street Immigration Court; most are being conducted by video teleconference.
• EOIR: As previously announced, certain immigration courts have resumed non-detained hearings. Hearings in non-detained cases at courts without an announced date are postponed through, and including, July 24, 2020.
• USCIS is reopening the local offices to the public for ceremonies on June 15, 2020 and will gradually schedule inter-views and appointments later in the month. (Additional information about details has not been provided). Applicants who are scheduled to come to the office will receive a notice and instructions in the mail. Individuals should check the USCIS website and read notices carefully regarding COVID-19 related precautions and requirements for in person appointments.

 

For housing or civil cases:

• Housing Court, NYCHA, and Evictions:
  • As of June 20, Landlords are permitted to begin and file new eviction cases in Housing Court.
    • Landlords are only permitted to file new eviction cases by mail and tenants who are served with papers for an eviction case do not need to visit the courthouse to respond.   
    • All new eviction petitions are required to include a notice to tenants with information about how a tenant can contact a lawyer and how to respond to the petition by phone.
  • • At this time, the court will not be defaulting tenants who fail to respond to an eviction petition.
  • However there will be no court dates until after July 6, whether a tenant responds or not. The court date may be a virtual appearance.
  • • Lawyers for landlords who file a new eviction case must affirm to the court when they file that the eviction is not prohibited by:
      • The federal CARES Act moratorium on evictions prohibiting evictions of tenants in public housing, those with Section 8 rental vouchers, or those who live in buildings with federally backed mortgages or funding until at least August 25, 2020
      • The Governor’s Executive Order which suspends evictions for nonpayment of rent against tenants eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits or who have been financially impacted by COVID through August 20, 2020;
      • and all applicable court administrative orders.
  • Until further notice, the court is not scheduling conferences or hearings in pending eviction cases in housing court if the tenant does not have a lawyer
  • Housing Court remains open for applications addressing post-eviction relief, illegal lockouts, emergency apartment repairs.
  • Tenants who choose to do so may enter into written agreements with their landlords to apply their security deposits to rent and then pay back (replenish) the security deposit over a 12-month period that starts 90 days after the security deposit is applied to rent.
  • NYCHA and other administrative hearings are also postponed, with no return date scheduled yet.
  • If you are an existing client with questions about your case, please reach out to your attorney directly.
  • If you are a Brooklyn Defender Services client with a civil legal issue not yet working with our team, or don’t remember who you are working with, please reach out to our intake coordinator at 332-213-4193.

   

   

  ALL evictions in New York, residential and commercial, continue to be suspended until further notice, and at least until July 7.

  • Until August 21, marshals cannot evict tenants who have been financially impacted by COVID-19, for non-payment of rent.

 

For questions about public benefits:

• All negative case actions have been canceled. Appointments have been rescheduled. Recertifications have been extended automatically.
• If you need to apply for public assistance or SNAP you can do so online or via the HRA Access app: https://a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/.
• Most HRA offices are closed! If you must visit in person call 311 for available locations.
• Food assistance is available at a food pantry near you.  Call 311 for locations.
• If you have questions, or would like to speak to the civil practice, please ask your attorney to make a referral or contact us at 332-213-4193.

 

For questions about education and employment

• All DOE schools are closed until further notice. Remote instruction began March 23, 2020.  Families still in need of technology to provide remote instruction should fill out this survey, https://coronavirus.schools.nyc/RemoteLearningDevices or call 718-935-5100.
• Grab and go meals for ALL NEW YORKERS are available at certain public schools from 7:30am-1:30pm.  https://www.opt-osfns.org/schoolfoodny/meals/default.aspx.  Families can go to the school closest to them to pick up food, they do not need to go to their child’s school.
• Further information and updates are available on the DOE’s website: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/health-and-wellness/coronavirus-update.  The Department of Education has indicated they are committed to providing supports and services for all students, particularly students with disabilities.
• If you or a family member are unable to work because of factors related to coronavirus, you may be eligible for immediate unemployment insurance, paid sick leave, short term disability, or a reasonable accommodation to work from home.
• If you or a family member are unable to work because of factors related to coronavirus, you may be eligible for immediate unemployment insurance, pandemic unemployment assistance, various forms of paid leave, worker’s comp, short term disability, or a reasonable accommodation such as working from home.  You also have the right to work in safe conditions and have protections against discrimination.
• If you want more information about your child’s educational rights in this uncertain time, or what employment benefits you might be eligible for if your work has been affected by coronavirus, contact us at education@bds.org, employment@bds.org, or call us at 929–314-0962.

 

Community office:

• Our community office is currently closed but we are working remotely and available to help.
• If you have issues or questions about ACS, education, housing, education, employment, benefits, criminal matters or general legal issues, please call 646-971-2722 or email us at communityoffice@bds.org.

 

For all media and press inquiries please email Daniel Ball at dball@bds.org. 

Debido a la actual emergencia de salud pública relacionada con el Coronavirus COVID-19, las oficinas físicas de Brooklyn Defender Services están cerradas a los visitantes hasta nuevo aviso.

Sin embargo, nuestro personal continúa trabajando diligentemente en sus casos y continúa manejando admisión, acusaciones y emergencias. Estamos recibiendo llamadas y correos electrónicos. Si no puede comunicarse con nuestro personal, deje un mensaje y le responderemos lo antes posible.

Para acceder al directorio de números de teléfono del personal, haga clic aquí.

Para encontrar una guía de recursos y servicios disponibles, consulte nuestra Guía de Recursos COVID-19.

Entendemos que estos son tiempos difíciles. Entendemos que las circunstancias de la vida están siendo alteradas dramáticamente debido al COVID-19. Estamos disponibles para ayudarlo. Consulte a continuación para obtener más información sobre cómo esto afecta su caso y cómo ponerse en contacto con nuestro personal.

 

 

Para todos los casos criminales, Incluyendo los casos enviados a la corte de familia:

• Los tribunales penales están cerrados, excepto por comparecencias, Juventud Parte 1 (YP1) y un número limitado de solicitudes urgentes, las cuales se llevan a cabo por video. Aunque las comparecencias en el 120 de Schermerhorn St. se realizan por video, están abiertas al público. Los miembros del público pueden ir a la sala de comparecencia en el primer piso del 120 de Schermerhorn St. y ver el video de la misma. Las comparecencias de delincuentes adolescentes en Juventud Parte 1 (YP1) en el 320 de Jay St. también se llevan a cabo por video. Los familiares y otros miembros del público pueden ir a Juventud Parte 1 (YP1) y ver la comparecencia en video.
• Si usted es un cliente, o un miembro de la familia de un cliente, no vaya a la corte a menos que se lo indique un abogado. La mayoría de los casos se pospondrán automáticamente y se les dará una nueva fecha en la corte sin que tengan que comparecer clientes.
• Su abogado lo llamará a usted o su familia con su nueva fecha de corte.
• Si tiene preguntas sobre su caso, o si tiene el número de teléfono de su abogado, no dude en comunicarse directamente. De lo contrario, o para obtener información adicional, llame al 718-254-0700 o envíe un correo electrónico a bds@bds.org.
• Nota: si tiene un ser querido encarcelado que se siente enfermo o tiene dificultades para obtener atención médica, comuníquese con Servicios Carcelarios al 646-787-3325 (inglés) o al 646-971-2710 (español). La persona debe estar representada por BDS.

 

Para corte de Familia y casos de ACS:

• No viaje al Tribunal de Familia ya que el Tribunal de Familia está funcionando digitalmente y está atendiendo algunos casos de forma remota. Si es cliente, comuníquese con su abogado o trabajador social para su próxima cita en la corte y para discutir cualquier problema que tenga con su caso en la corte de familia.
• Si no puede comunicarse con su abogado o trabajador social, o tiene una emergencia relacionada con la remoción de niños, llame al 347-592-2500. Si alguien no responde, le devolveremos su llamada lo antes posible.
• Si no es un cliente actual de BDS pero ACS lo está investigando, llame al 646-974-9343 para recibir asistencia inmediata. Si alguien no responde, le devolveremos su llamada lo antes posible.

 

Para casos judiciales de violencia doméstica integrada (IDV):

• La corte IDV está físicamente cerrada. Los casos se reprogramarán automáticamente a una nueva fecha en la corte sin que comparezcan los clientes.
• La corte IDV puede atender solicitudes limitadas de emergencia.
• Si tiene una orden que no se está siguiendo o necesita más ayuda legal, comuníquese con su abogado de IDV (en la parte superior de esta página encontrará un directorio del personal).
• Su abogado lo llamará a usted o su familia con su nueva fecha de corte.

 

Para casos de inmigración:

• Número de teléfono de la práctica de inmigración de BDS: 718-564-6290
• Para preguntas relacionadas ÚNICAMENTE con personas DETENIDAS: 347-768-3040
• ICE continúa sus operaciones de aplicación de la ley, incluyendo arrestos en hogares, lugares de negocios y cerca de los tribunales. Conozca sus derechos viendo nuestra serie de videos: wehaverights.us
• Hasta el cierre de negocios, el 1 de julio de 2020, todos los requisitos de presentación de informes en persona con el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) han sido suspendidos, y todas las citas para informar en persona a ICE / ERO New York City o cualquier sub-oficina (Central Islip y Newburgh), así como para informar en persona a los contratistas de ICE (BI) sobre ATD, se han cancelado y se reprogramarán, o se le contactará telefónicamente. Los informes telefónicos programados previamente no se han suspendido.
• Las audiencias para las personas detenidas todavía se llevan a cabo en el Tribunal de Inmigración de Varick Street en Nueva York; la mayoría se realizan por video teleconferencia.
• EOIR: Como se anunció previamente, ciertos tribunales de inmigración han reanudado las audiencias no detenidas. Las audiencias en los casos no detenidos en los tribunales sin una fecha anunciada se posponen hasta e inclusive el 24 de julio de 2020.
• El USCIS abrirara sus oficinas locales al publico para ceremonias el dia 15 de Junio del 2020 y gradualmente dara citas para entrevistas y citas mas adelante este mes (informacion adicional sobre los detalles no han sido provistos). Aquellos aplicantes que tienen cita para visitar la oficina recibiran una noticia y instrucciones por medio del correo. Individuos deben de visitar la pagina de web del USCIS y leer las noticias cuidadosamente sobre el COVID-19, precauciones y requisitos para las citas en persona.

 

Para casos de vivienda o casos civiles:

Tribunal de Vivienda, NYCHA y desalojos:

• TODOS los desalojos en Nueva York, residenciales y comerciales, continúan suspendidos hasta nuevo aviso, y al menos hasta el 7 de julio.
  • • Hasta el 21 de agosto, los alguaciles no pueden desalojar a los inquilinos que han sido afectados financieramente por COVID-19, por falta de pago de la renta.
• A partir del 20 de junio, los propietarios pueden comenzar y presentar nuevos casos de desalojo en el Tribunal de la Vivienda.
  • Los propietarios solo pueden presentar nuevos casos de desalojo por correo y los inquilinos que reciben documentos para un caso de desalojo no necesitan visitar el tribunal para responder.
  • Se requiere que todas las nuevas peticiones de desalojo incluyan un aviso a los inquilinos con información sobre cómo un inquilino puede contactar a un abogado y cómo responder a la petición por teléfono.
  • En este momento, el tribunal no incumplirá los inquilinos que no respondan a una petición de desalojo.
  • Sin embargo, no habrá fechas de corte hasta después del 6 de julio, ya sea que el inquilino responda o no. La fecha de corte puede ser una aparición virtual.
  • Los abogados de los propietarios que presentan un nuevo caso de desalojo deben afirmar ante el tribunal cuando presentan que el desalojo no está prohibido por:
    1. La moratoria de la Ley CARES federal sobre los desalojos que prohíben los desalojos de inquilinos en viviendas públicas, aquellos con vales de alquiler de la Sección 8 o aquellos que viven en edificios con hipotecas o fondos respaldados por el gobierno federal hasta al menos el 25 de agosto de 2020
    2. La Orden Ejecutiva del Gobernador que suspende los desalojos por falta de pago de la renta contra inquilinos elegibles para el seguro de desempleo o beneficios o que han sido afectados financieramente por COVID hasta el 20 de agosto de 2020;
    3. Y todas las órdenes administrativas judiciales aplicables.
• Hasta nuevo aviso, el tribunal no programará conferencias o audiencias en casos de desalojo pendientes en el tribunal de vivienda si el inquilino no tiene un abogado
• El Tribunal de la Vivienda permanece abierto para solicitudes que aborden el alivio posterior al desalojo, cierres ilegales, reparaciones de emergencia de apartamentos.
• Los inquilinos que elijan hacerlo pueden firmar acuerdos por escrito con sus propietarios para aplicar sus depósitos de seguridad para alquilar y luego pagar (reponer) el depósito de seguridad durante un período de 12 meses que comienza 90 días después de que el depósito de seguridad se aplica al alquiler
• NYCHA y otras audiencias administrativas también se posponen, sin fecha de regreso programada todavía.
• Si ya es un cliente con preguntas sobre su caso, comuníquese directamente con su abogado.
• Si usted es un cliente de Brooklyn Defender Services con un problema legal civil que aún no trabaja con nuestro equipo, o no recuerda con quién está trabajando, comuníquese con nuestro coordinador de admisión al 332-213-4193.

 

Para preguntas sobre beneficios públicos:

• Todas las acciones de casos negativos han sido canceladas. Las citas han sido reprogramadas. Las recertificaciones se han extendido automáticamente.
• Si necesita solicitar asistencia pública o SNAP, puede hacerlo en línea o mediante la aplicación HRA Access: https://a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/.
• ¡La mayoría de las oficinas de HRA están cerradas! Si debe ir en persona, llame al 311 para conocer las ubicaciones disponibles.
• Asistencia alimentaria está disponsible en una despensa de alimentos cerca de usted. Llame al 311 para conocer las ubicaciones.
• Si tiene preguntas o desea hablar con la práctica civil, solicite a su abogado que lo remita o contáctenos al 332-213-4193.

 

Para preguntas sobre educación y empleo

• Todas las escuelas del DOE están cerradas hasta nuevo aviso. La instrucción remota comenzó el 23 de marzo de 2020. Las familias que todavía necesitan tecnología para proporcionar instrucción remota deben completar esta encuesta, https://coronavirus.schools.nyc/RemoteLearningDevices o llamar al 718-935-5100.
• Las comidas para llevar para TODOS LOS NEOYORQUINOS están disponibles en ciertas escuelas públicas de 7:30 a.m. a 1:30 p.m. https://www.opt-osfns.org/schoolfoodny/meals/default.aspx. Las familias pueden ir a la escuela más cercana para recoger alimentos, no necesitan ir a la escuela de sus hijos.
• Hay más información y actualizaciones disponibles en el sitio web del DOE: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/health-and-wellness/coronavirus-update. El Departamento de Educación ha indicado que están comprometidos a proporcionar apoyo y servicios a todos los estudiantes, particularmente a los estudiantes con discapacidades.
• Si usted o un miembro de su familia no pueden trabajar debido a factores relacionados con el coronavirus, puede ser elegible para un seguro de desempleo inmediato, licencia por enfermedad remunerada, discapacidad a corto plazo o una acomodación razonable para trabajar desde casa.
• Si usted o un miembro de su familia no pueden trabajar debido a factores relacionados con el coronavirus, puede ser elegible para un seguro de desempleo inmediato, asistencia de desempleo pandémico, varias formas de licencia pagada, compensación laboral, incapacidad a corto plazo o una acomodación razonable trabajando desde casa. También tiene derecho a trabajar en condiciones seguras y tiene protección contra la discriminación.
• Si desea obtener más información sobre los derechos educativos de su hijo en este momento incierto, o para qué beneficios laborales puede ser elegible si su trabajo se ha visto afectado por el coronavirus, contáctenos en education@bds.org, empleo@bds.org, o llámenos al 929–314-0962.
• Oficina de la comunidad:
• Nuestra oficina comunitaria está cerrada actualmente, pero estamos trabajando de forma remota y estamos disponibles para ayudar.
• Si tiene problemas o preguntas sobre ACS, educación, vivienda, empleo, beneficios, asuntos penales o asuntos legales generales, llame al 646-971-2722 o envíenos un correo electrónico a communityoffice@bds.org.

 

 

Para todas las consultas de prensa y medios, envíe un correo electrónico a Daniel Ball a dball@bds.org.

 

 

The mission of Brooklyn Defender Services is to provide high quality legal representation and related services to people who cannot afford to retain an attorney.

Brooklyn Defender Services is a public defender organization that represents nearly 35,000 people each year who are too poor to afford an attorney. Our staff consists of specialized attorneys, social workers, investigators, paralegals and administrative staff who are experts in their individual fields.

Our staff are highly qualified and specially trained to provide excellent legal representation to people charged with a crime or facing child welfare proceedings. Every client receives the services needed to defend his or her case, including an investigator to track down witnesses or recover evidence, a social worker to improve the life circumstances of our client and an excellent attorney who will analyze the legal issues in the case, try to negotiate a fair resolution of the matter and will represent the client at a trial.

BDS has many services for our clients on-site, including civil legal advocacy, such as assistance with educational needs of our clients or their children, housing and benefits advocacy and immigration advice and representation.

People who are arrested face many obstacles, even if their case was resolved in their favor. Some examples are loss of employment, suspension from school, eviction from public or private housing, deportation, forfeiture of property and loss of licenses. Our goal is to help clients with these issues as they arise. We also work to change these systems by challenging their legality and advocating for changes in the law.

Each year, there are 100,000 arrests in Brooklyn. Eighty-five percent of these arrests are for misdemeanors or a non-criminal offense. Ninety percent of the people arrested cannot afford an attorney. Brooklyn Defender Services staffs the court so that every person has an attorney as soon as they see the judge.

One thousand families each year get a similar benefit—they too have an attorney waiting in the courtroom to help them on the very day that proceedings are filed for removal of their children.

Many of our clients are people with a mental illness. Many of our clients are under the age of 18. A growing number are veterans facing difficulties in returning home. A large portion are suffering with drug addiction or alcoholism. It is only through a zealous voice advocating for those unable to speak for themselves that justice is done. BDS is that voice.

• Criminal Defense

  The sixth amendment of the United States Constitution gives every person charged with a crime the right to an attorney. People who are unable to afford an attorney are provided one free of charge. This is the primary function of Brooklyn Defender Services.

  In Brooklyn, there are approximately 100,000 arrests per year. BDS represents about 40% of the total people arrested in Brooklyn. About 15% of those cases are felony charges, meaning that the person is accused of a serious matter such as robbery or burglary. In such cases, BDS attorneys interview the client to determine if he or she may be innocent or have a defense to the charges. We investigate and follow up every lead our clients provide. We also work to achieve release from jail for our clients while the charges are pending. Attorneys pursue legal issues that can work to the client’s benefit and attempt to negotiate a plea bargain that will be advantageous for the client, particularly in cases where the client does not have a defense and committed the act he or she is charged with. In many cases, even in such a situation, the client is eligible for drug or mental health treatment rather than a jail sentence. Other social issues may be apparent, such as: our client was a veteran, or was a victim of domestic violence or other trauma. Our many social workers help our clients by identifying issues that are not related to the case itself, but to the person who was arrested. Attorneys use this information to pursue better options for their clients.

  Eighty-five percent of our clients are charged with misdemeanor offenses, meaning that the charges are a crime but not the most serious type of crime. Such charges include shoplifting, marijuana possession, trespassing and assaults (like bar fights). In such cases, BDS attorneys work hard to pursue any legal or factual defense the clients may have, including by interviewing witnesses, as with felony matters. However, with less serious matters, much of the damage to the client’s life can come in the form of collateral consequences. For example, a person can face deportation, even if they only had a misdemeanor charge. People living in public housing can face eviction. Many clients have very low paying jobs and face termination for missing even one day of work or for getting a conviction. Some cases even threaten a parent’s right to keep their child or a person’s right to return to their home.

  BDS provides many resources to address these other issues because, in our experience, such matters are more harmful to our clients than the impact the criminal charge itself. In addition, the impact of these types of disenfranchising consequences to large numbers of people in small areas of Brooklyn such as Brownsville or East New York also profoundly impacts those communities.

  BDS’s clients reflect the demographics of the criminal justice system in which a majority of the people arrested are people of color. Twenty-four percent of our clients — about 10,000 — are youth under 21 years of age and at least 15% live in public or Section 8 housing. About 17% of BDS’s clients—7,600 per year—are non-citizens.

  Specialized UnitsFor many of BDS’s clients, poverty, trauma, mental illness, and alcohol or drug abuse are the driving forces behind their involvement in the criminal or family systems. In order to address the unique needs and barriers many of our clients face, BDS has a number of dedicated and specialized units which provide targeted services to adolescents, clients with mental illness, victims of trafficking, veterans and clients with overlapping criminal and family court issues.

  Brooklyn Adolescent Representation Team BDS’s integrated adolescent representation team is comprised of ten attorneys working together with an educational attorney and a specialized team of social workers and advocates.

  Family/Criminal Integrated Team In 2002, BDS received funding from the City Council to initiate a pilot program in which BDS represented clients with pending criminal matters in their related Family Court proceedings. This was highly beneficial for the clients who were able to have one attorney fully familiar with the facts and circumstances of both cases, and could execute a coordinated legal strategy. For BDS, this allowed us to expand our legal and support services to the clients’ broader needs in a coherent and cost-effective manner. In 2007, the Integrated Domestic Violence (IDV) Court was created to bring related Family, Criminal, and Matrimonial cases to a single judge who hears all aspects of a case. With the creation of this specialized court, BDS’s Family attorneys were able to transfer their expertise and experience to serving clients in the IDV court where they represent more than 400 clients per year.

  Trafficking Team Our Trafficking Team is made up of experienced criminal defense attorneys who specialize in understanding and identifying the complexities related to human trafficking. They represent BDS’s clients in Brooklyn’s Human Trafficking Intervention Part, and are skilled in identifying collateral social and legal service needs – including issues of immigration, safety and trauma. Working closely with social workers, immigration attorneys, interpreters and other service providers, our trafficking attorneys seek to minimize the punitive nature of criminal justice contact and provide meaningful services for victims of trafficking who find themselves facing criminal charges.

  Mental Health Team Brooklyn Defender Services represents many clients who have a diagnosed mental illness. Two specialized attorneys with dedicated social work support represent some clients. Our specialized attorneys represent mentally ill clients at competency evaluations, hearings and other court appearances during the pendency of their case. It is also part of our mission to insure that these clients not only receive a fair and just disposition but also the best care and treatment possible. Research has proven that clients with a mentally illness who are offered an opportunity to participate in mental health courts are significantly less likely to get re-arrested than similar offenders with mental illness who experience traditional court processing.

  Brooklyn Defender Services played an important role in the development and launch of the Brooklyn Mental Health Court over 10 years ago. Brooklyn Mental Health Court serves as the model for treatment courts all over the world.

• Family Defense

  BDS’ Family Defense Practice (FDP) is the primary provider of legal representation to parents in child welfare cases in Brooklyn Family Court.  The mission of FDP is to protect the right to family integrity of low- income families, primarily families of color who are disproportionately affected by the child welfare system.  FDP’s interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers, paralegals, and administrative staff advance our clients’ due process rights in court while also helping them get the benefits and services they need to keep their families together.  Because the needs of children are generally best met by their own families, our representation is designed to keep children out of foster care, or when we are unable to prevent their removal, to safely reunify families as quickly as possible.

  Each year, BDS’ FDP represents several thousand parents and caregivers in Article 10 cases and related custody, visitation, and termination of parental rights cases. We prevent children from entering foster care by advocating for families at Child Safety Conferences and litigating emergency hearings.  Our interdisciplinary practice focuses on empowering our clients to help them to achieve their goals for their family.   Many of FDP’s clients face complex and multi-faceted problems stemming from poverty and have difficulty accessing resources they need. Our clients’ representation benefits greatly from our collaborations with BDS’ other legal practice teams, including criminal, immigration, housing, education benefits and seamless internal referrals. FDP has a specialized Law and Appeals Unit, which handles complex motions and interim and final appeals.  FDP also has supervisors and attorneys who specialize in custody, medically complicated, and termination of parental rights cases.  Each year, students from New York University School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic are placed in our office. We also have a robust pro bono program which partners with major New York City law firms and an Associates’ Advisory Board. BDS also assists about 100 parents each year in clearing their names from the State Central Register after their Family Court case is dismissed, removing barriers to obtaining employment in the future.

  Recognizing that the child welfare system is plagued by the effects of structural racism, sexism, and classism, FDP works for systemic change through legislative reform efforts, appellate advocacy, media, and informal advocacy with the Administration for Children’s Services.  Our office regularly meets with important stakeholders and testifies before New York’s lawmakers to help amplify the voice the parents impacted by the child welfare system.  FDP’s Parent Leadership Institute trains former clients to be parent advocates to help other child-welfare-involved parents and advocate for systemic change.

  We are very proud our model of representation  has been recognized as the most effective for representation of parents in child welfare cases by the Commission on Parental Representation in its interim report to Chief Judge DiFiore. A recent study commissioned by Casey Family Programs of the family defender offices in New York City concluded that our model of representation significantly reduced the time children spend in foster care.

• Immigration

  BDS’s Immigration Practice provides comprehensive and zealous representation to our clients, who face life-changing consequences at the intersection of the criminal justice system and the immigration system. Since 2009, we have counseled or represented over 7,500 clients. The Immigration Practice is comprised of the Padilla, Youth & Communities Team and the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) Team.

  Padilla, Youth & Communities

  The Padilla, Youth & Communities Team advises BDS criminal and family defense clients about the potential immigration consequences of criminal charges and family court proceedings, following our constitutional obligation under the Supreme Court’s holding in Padilla v. Kentucky to provide competent advice to criminal defendants to help them make an informed choice about their cases. BDS has one of the largest Padilla practices in the country, as a quarter of BDS criminal clients are foreign-born. Padilla attorneys work closely with criminal and family defense attorneys and staff in an early intervention model, providing immigration-related advice as early as the client’s arraignment and coordinating with court staff, prosecutors, social workers, and client families to promote the best possible outcome for the criminal, family, and/or immigration cases. Padilla attorneys also represent individual clients in applications for immigration status or benefits with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and in removal proceedings before the New York Immigration Court, helping clients stabilize their immigration status and seek safety from persecution, family re-unification, or benefits for victims of neglect, abuse, or violence.

  BDS’s Youth and Communities staff serve both BDS clients and Brooklyn community members by representing individual clients before USCIS, family court, and the New York Immigration Court, and have helped hundreds of clients secure permanent residence, asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Temporary Protected Status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and other benefits. The Youth & Communities project has run and staffed many community clinics and presentations, for example, to help Brooklyn’s Haitian community secure Temporary Protected Status, to help young people apply for DACA, and to provide critical “Know Your Rights” information, partnering with community based groups, elected officials, churches, and social service providers.

  The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP)

  The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project is the groundbreaking, first-in-the-nation universal representation program for detained immigrants, funded by the New York City Council and created in partnership with BDS. BDS staff have provided deportation defense to over 750 detained immigrants on an assigned counsel model since NYIFUP’s inception as a pilot program in the fall of 2013. NYIFUP was created after studies showed that detained immigrants in New York rarely secured counsel and that detained, unrepresented immigrants lost their deportation cases 97% of the time, causing wrongful deportations of people who had strong defenses to removal and tearing apart families who were losing a spouse or parent. NYIFUP is a national model of access to justice for detained immigrants and has spurred replication efforts across the country.

  BDS’s NYIFUP Team intakes detained clients at the Varick Street Immigration Court in New York City and represents them in bond hearings, merits hearings on their defenses to removal, and appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). In addition, BDS has a highly successful in-house federal court practice, and has litigated dozens of habeas corpus petitions challenging the wrongful detention of immigrants, including the Second Circuit’s landmark decision in Lora v. Shanahan.

  BDS’s Immigration Practice is comprised of twenty-three full-time staff attorneys, a fully accredited BIA representative, five paralegals (two of whom are partially BIA accredited), two legal assistants, and a social worker. The Immigration Practice has hosted several Immigrant Justice Corps fellows and other post-graduate fellows.

• Civil Justice

  The Civil Justice Practice aims to reduce the civil collateral consequences for low-income clients who have had interaction with the criminal, family or immigration justice systems. Through legal advocacy in court and at various agencies, we assist people in remaining in their homes, maintaining their public benefits, staying in school, keeping their jobs, and protecting their consumer rights. In order to achieve these ends we practice in almost all of New York City’s courts at every level from trial to appellate courts. We also assist criminal defense attorneys and their clients by identifying potential civil ramifications of guilty pleas and strategizing ways to minimize the risk of eviction, loss of employment and educational consequences as a result of a criminal conviction. Philosophically, the unit hopes to help our clients mitigate the real life consequences of criminal justice system contacts by providing a multi-disciplinary help in various trouble areas. Finally, in addition to our in-house work, we will engage with the community and hold external educational clinics in close partnership with numerous community-based organizations.

  

  Housing & Benefits Team Our Housing & Benefits Team has the goal of supporting the criminal practice by aiding to stabilize the living situation of our Brooklyn clients by representing clients in administrative proceedings, eviction proceedings, affirmative actions seeking repairs as well as advocate on their behalf for access to public benefits.

  • Support During the Criminal Matter. By identifying BDS clients from the different units (criminal, family, immigration and education) we can assist the stabilization of the family/individual and help advise the best resolution with a trained eye on the collateral consequences of the criminal matter, both in the realm of housing and public benefits..
  • Support for Eviction and Housing Proceedings. As some clients face eviction, the housing unit can step in and defend them from the owner, be it NYCHA or a private landlord. Further, in cases where conditions in the apartment become a serious enough problem to have consequences, such as bar to reunification of a family, the unit can bring affirmative litigation against owners so that they fix these conditions and the obstacles can be removed for our clients. NYCHA often brings termination proceedings against entire families based on minor arrests of guests or occupants; we defend these types of administrative hearings in order to prevent displacement of entire families.
  • Support for Termination or Denial of Public Benefits. As some clients face a difficult time in applying for and maintaining public benefits, we represent our clients in challenging agency decisions. This type of income/essentials of life support helps ground our clients in a multi-disciplinary manner, as the problems they face do not exist independent of one another. These include challenges to decisions by the Human Resources Administration, the Department of Homeless Services, the Social Security Administration and other agencies in the denial of shelter allowance, health care benefits, and income supportive benefits. Our Public Benefits Team will also be involved in helping craft new regulations as part of city-wide committees seeking to engage the new administration in public benefits reform.
  • Advocacy and Educational Outreach. As a leader in the legal services community, BDS is involved in city-wide conversations about cutting edge housing issues. As such we engage coalitions and other groups that seek to protect the tenant housing rights. We educate both the general public and vulnerable populations as to what rights they have before they have become involved in the system. In order to promote this knowledge the housing unit will work closely with Brooklyn community-based groups as well as police precincts, churches, community centers, libraries, local political officials, and other organizations, such as the Brooklyn Tenant Lawyers Network.

  Education Team Our Education Project seeks to improve opportunities for young Brooklyn residents by advocating for their educational rights in formal proceedings against the Department of Education, as well as informally and in collaboration with school officials.

  Frequently, the young clients BDS serves in family and criminal proceedings are “overage and under-credited,” and confronting obstacles to completing their education including, among other factors, overly harsh disciplinary proceedings, inappropriate special education services, and difficulty accessing alternative education options.

  We work with our young clients to identify their educational goals, and then provide the necessary representation and advocacy to remove the identified obstacles.

  BDS’ Education Project endeavors to not only to improve dispositional outcomes for our clients, but also to maximize our unique entry point into our client’s lives and ensure they get the support they need to pursue their educational goals and remain in the community.

• Policy & Advocacy

  BDS has been involved in dozens of court-based initiatives and special projects. Our staff participates in numerous court-improvement and bar association committees. One current project in which both our criminal and family practice staff is involved is the Center for Court Innovation’s “crossover” youth initiative, intended to address the issues that affect children who are both the subject of child welfare cases and have been arrested in either the juvenile or adult system.

  Jail-Based Services
  Nearly 80 percent of people in city jails are in pre-trial detention, meaning that they are unable to pay bail as they await the disposition of their criminal case. Only a small percentage of jail residents are actually serving time as a result of a conviction. The policy of pre-trial detainment means that many New Yorkers suffer serious collateral consequences simply as the result of an arrest – whether or not they are actually found guilty of the crime they have been accused of committing. These collateral consequences extend to every aspect of their lives, from parental rights, to employment, housing and educational rights and opportunities. Meanwhile the geographic isolation of Rikers Island, the largest collection of jail facilities in New York City, creates tremendous barriers for our clients in their efforts to maintain contact with their families, communities and attorneys while they are locked up.

  BDS launched Jail Services to mitigate the burdens that confinement creates for criminal defense and to protect our clients against these collateral consequences. Through our jail programming we are able to streamline our clients’ access to education, housing, family, immigration and re-entry services while attempting to meet their most immediate daily needs. Additionally, an established presence in New York City jails allows BDS to monitor and document the conditions New Yorkers encounter when incarcerated and advocate for the rights and welfare of our clients and other incarcerated people.
  
  Young New Yorkers
  Young New Yorkers is a restorative justice, arts program for 16-and 17-year-olds who have open criminal cases. The criminal court gives eligible defendants the option to participate in Young New Yorkers rather than do jail time, community service and have a lifelong criminal record. The curriculum is uniquely tailored to develop the emotional and behavioral skills of the young participants while facilitating responsible and creative self-expression. Central to the curriculum is the concept of taking responsibility for past actions as a necessary step before becoming valued members and leaders of one’s community. Each workshop is framed by a relevant theme: community; choice; accountability; responsibility; contribution; leadership. These themes are explored, as they relate to each participant, in conversation with the group and through art exercises utilizing photography, video, illustration, and design.

  A series of six intensive, hands-on workshops prepares the participants to design a public art installation that expresses a positive social message of their choice. Local artists join each workshop and assist the participants in weekly art projects. The weekly artworks and the final installation design are then presented to the public at the Young New Yorkers Finale. The Finale allows the participants to experience themselves as worthy, creative contributors to their communities, rather than as undeserving and irredeemable criminal actors.

  Young New Yorkers is supported by Brooklyn Defender Services and administered through the ADP initiative at the Red Hook Community Justice Center. Upon completion of the Young New Yorkers workshops, the participants avoid serving any jail time and, in most cases, have their criminal charges dismissed and sealed, leaving their young lives uninhibited by an adult criminal record. For more information see www.youngnewyorkers.org

  

  Community Projects
  Our dedication to the needs of the Brooklyn community is evident in the projects we have created in response to those needs. Through private foundation funding, as well as support from individual City Council members and the Council’s Immigrant Opportunities Initiative, BDS has:

  • Partnered with the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyer’s Project (VLP) to form community-based immigration clinics in Crown Heights for the Haitian community;
  • Created the Young Mothers Empowerment Project to meet the special needs of our teenage clients who are parents;
  • Developed a community model in Sunset Park to help young people apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an immigration status that makes undocumented young people eligible for school and work; and
  • Developed the Strengthening Families/Strengthening Communities project which holds community forums and Know Your Rights parent workshops throughout Brooklyn to inform communities about the child welfare system and discuss the impact of this system on low-income families.

• Community Office

  All of our practices benefit from the opening of the BDS Community Office in East New York in August. The office allows BDS to better serve our clients living and working in the neighborhoods of East New York and Brownsville in their community, so that they may access services, meet with their attorneys, attend Know Your Rights trainings, and seek legal advice. We look forward to working with all of our community partners to ensure that the office remains responsive to the needs of the community.

Kevin Snover, Chairman of the Board
Gregory Cerchione, Secretary
Cindi Elibott Giglio, Treasurer
Suprotik Basu, Board Member
Andrea Bonina, Board Member
Robert J. Gunther, Jr., Board Member
Jeffrey Rona, Board Member
Lisa Schreibersdorf, Board Member and Executive Director

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) is committed to high-quality and zealous representation on behalf of Brooklyn residents facing the criminal, family and immigration justice systems.   As part of this mission, BDS strives to ensure pro bono partnerships leverage resources and provide critical support for our clients in and out of the courtroom to ensure our clients obtain the best result possible in court and, hopefully, a better outcome in their lives.

BDS regularly partners with New York City’s major law firms, corporations and other members of the private bar on numerous cases from all of our practice areas.  Our pro bono partners have worked on individual cases, filed complaints in federal courts, co-authored amicus briefs, co-counseled hearings, filed and argued appeals and conducted research on novel areas of law.  BDS offers pro bono opportunities that not only present ideal opportunities for pro bono attorneys to get real courtroom experience and work with clients in need, but that result in just and better outcomes for our clients.  BDS offers both short- and long-term projects and has flexible co-counseling arrangements. Additionally, we offer comprehensive training programs, mentorship and supervision that will provide a meaningful experience for the pro bono attorney and the client.

Law firms, corporations, law-firm attorneys, and in-house counsel who are interested in joining Brooklyn Defender Services’ pro bono practice, please contact Molly Meltzer, Director of Pro Bono at mmeltzer@bds.org.

Retired or Transitioning Attorneys interested in pro bono opportunities are welcomed at Brooklyn Defender Services. Our organization is one of the host organizations of the Attorney Emeritus Program (AEP) established by former New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman. Please visit the NY Courts website to register for the program and contact us at pbvolunteer@bds.org.

Individual Volunteers are incorporated into our practices on an as-needed basis. Please send a resume and cover letter indicating particular skills you have that are applicable to our work and your specific availability to pbvolunteer@bds.org.

BDS opened its doors in 1996 as the first borough-specific public defender office in New York City, with 38 employees working around donated conference room tables out of office space recently vacated by the New York Telephone Co. That first year we lived rent-free, while the building was being renovated around us, and handled 10,000 cases.

Today, BDS is one of the largest defender offices in the country, representing tens of thousands of clients in criminal, family, immigration and civil cases annually. Our staff of 300 includes 180 attorneys and 120 social workers, investigators, paralegals, re-entry specialists, jail liaisons, community organizers and policy specialists as well as dedicated advocates for youth, veterans and parents. Our specialized defense approach allows us to provide targeted services for clients with mental illness or developmental disabilities, adolescent clients, trafficking victims and veterans.

 

Our primary mission at BDS is to represent people facing serious accusations from the government. We recognize that our clients face many additional challenges and obstacles related to their poverty. As the largest Brooklyn-based legal services provider, BDS’s interdisciplinary staff provides supplemental legal and social services on site to our clients, including immigration attorneys, housing attorneys, an education attorney and social workers who specialize in areas such as mental health and youth advocacy.

826NYC

ARISE (Action for Reform in Special Education)

Attorney General Office Criminal Justice and Mental Health Roundtable

Black Alliance for Just Immigration

Brooklyn Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyer’s Project

Brooklyn Community Bail Fund

Brooklyn Community Services

Brooklyn Justice Corps

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives

Brooklyn Law School

Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association

Brownsville Community Justice Center

Camelot

Caribbean American Center of New York

CASES

Center for Community Alternatives

Center  for Court Innovation

Center for Family Life

Child Welfare Organizing Project

Children’s Museum of the Arts

Christ Church Fellowship Baptist Church

Coalition for Effective Behavioral Health Reforms and Dignity in Schools Campaign

Common Justice

Drew House & Project Greenhope

Esperanza

EXALT

Families for Freedom

Families Rising

Fortune Society

Good Shepherd Services

Haitian Centers Council

Haitian Family Resource Center

Haitian Legal Immigration Legal Assistance Program

Health Home Initiative

La Union

Lutheran Social Services

Medgar Evers College Adult Education Department

MFY Legal Service

NAMI- NY

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

New York State Bar Association

NY Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) Coalition with Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, Make the Road New York, Center for Popular Democracy, Vera Institute, Cardozo Law School & Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights.

NYU Law School

Osborne Association

P2PH

Parent Providers Coalition (Bronx Defenders, Center for Family Representation)

Pinkerton Fellows at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Pro Bono Scholars

Ridgewood-Bushwick Young Adult Literacy Program

Shorefront YM-YWHA, Brighton-Manhattan Beach, Inc.

Shriver Center

STEPS

TASC, EAC-Link

YCP

Young New Yorkers

Click to download Brooklyn Defender Services’ 2016 Annual Report. 

If you are a Brooklyn resident and cannot afford an attorney, BDS will provide free advice.

If you or a loved one are arrested in Brooklyn during the protests and need a lawyer, call this number for legal assistance 240-531-1971.

In fear of being arrested? Call 718-254-0700 and ask for the operator.

In fear of having your children removed? Call (646) 974-9343.

Visit our Community Office in East New York, located at:
566 Livonia Ave. (Between Alabama & Georgia Avenues)
Brooklyn, NY 11207
(646) 971-2722

We accept walk-in consultations on a variety of legal issues including ACS/child welfare, housing, and criminal matters. The office also offers regular Know Your Rights workshops open to community members. Past training topics included education rights, seeking employment with a criminal record, and what to do when ACS knocks on your door.

Current BDS clients, if you need to connect with your attorney or social worker, it is possible to arrange meetings to be held at the community office.

The office also has a variety of informational material and community resources, including know your rights fact sheets, community events, and voter registration forms.

For more information, call (646) 971-2722.

Please direct all press inquiries to mediarequests@bds.org.

Know Your Rights Info

CCI’s Reentry Guide

Rikers Island Visitors’ Guide

ATTORNEY LOOKUP
Locate by name any attorney admitted to the New York State Bar and will supply you with address, firm and phone numbers, as well as date and department of admission.

NY City Dept. of Corrections Inmate Lookup

NY State Dept. of Corrections Inmate Lookup

WEBCRIMS
Repository for pending criminal cases in the five boroughs and several surrounding counties with information on adjournment dates, charges, attorneys, etc.

Brooklyn Defender Services Arraignment Schedule 

BDS is currently seeking an experienced social worker to become an integral part of the Homicide/Major Felony unit of the Criminal Defense Practice. The Mitigation Social Worker will be responsible for gathering documentation relevant to the defense or mitigation of the client’s case including education, employment, medical, psychological, military, prison and other information. 

 

See idealist.org for full job posting.

In April 2017, New York State enacted statewide reforms intended to improve the right to counsel for people charged with a criminal offense, who cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Amendments to New York County Law § 722-e and the addition of Executive Law § 832 (4) enacted by New York State Governor Cuomo and supported by the NYS legislature encourages and enables each criminal defense provider of legally mandated representation to furnish high quality, effective representation for every client. These recent legislative reforms offer public defense providers across the state the opportunity to hire additional attorneys, investigators, social workers and support staff and develop other resources to further their efforts in improving the overall quality of mandated representation.

Persons eager to explore opportunities within the New York State public defense arena who seek a challenging work environment that promotes diversity, embraces change, and provides leadership opportunities are encouraged to participate in this Public Defenders Career Fair.

See here for more information.

Criminal Defense Practice Brooklyn Defender Services’ intensive training program is designed for recent law graduates and attorneys who are new to the practice of criminal law in New York. Attorneys spend the first few weeks of their employment at BDS attending in-house lectures on various aspects of criminal defense, shadowing experienced attorneys and practicing their skills through simulations of various aspects of criminal practice.

The Appellate Division has granted us a student practice order which gives us the right to have law students and law graduates working for BDS to appear in court even though they are not yet admitted to practice law. This allows our interns, fellows and recent law graduates to handle cases with supervision.

Law Student Summer Internships

BDS has many relationships with local educational institutions, including clinical study programs from New York University Law School (the Offender Re-Entry Clinic, the Family Defense Clinic and the Community Defender Clinic), the Youth Justice Clinic of Cardozo Law School, the Criminal Defense Clinic of St. John’s School of Law and the CUNY Law School Family Law Concentration Clinic.

Brooklyn Defender Services also offers full-time summer internships to law students who have completed their second year of law school and have a commitment to public defense. The internship program lasts eight weeks. Intern duties may include legal research and writing, representation of clients in arraignments (under supervision), court appearances, client and witness interviews, trial preparation and investigation assistance.

Our law student summer internship program is extremely competitive and positions are limited. At this time we are no longer accepting applications for the Criminal Defense Practice Summer 2020 internship. At this time we are no longer accepting applications for the Family Defense internship. At this time we are no longer accepting applications for the Civil Justice Practice Internship.

All internships are volunteer positions. However, BDS will work with students to secure funding from outside sources or class credits where available.

Postgraduate Law Fellowships

Brooklyn Defender Services hosts fellows to work in our office on special projects. Each year, we aim to identify law student fellowship applications that meet our mission of serving underprivileged clients in Brooklyn through innovative proposals. These include Equal Justice Works fellowships, Skadden fellows, and Soros fellowships among others. We additionally welcome law students from around the country whose law schools have fellowship placement options, particularly post-graduate fellowships. Applications for fellowships for the upcoming year are now closed.

 

Investigative Assistant Internships

BDS seeks undergraduates and recent college graduates with a commitment to social and criminal justice issues for our Investigative Assistant Internship. Investigative assistants locate, review, and download video surveillance; photograph and document crime scenes; and conduct background research on witnesses. They additionally provide administrative assistance to the investigations unit.

While some of the investigative assistant’s work will take place in the office, much of it will be out in the field—in private homes, in local businesses, on the street and in the greater community. Ideal applicants should be comfortable working all over Brooklyn and should possess characteristics necessary to approach and interact with strangers about sensitive subjects. Candidates must be able to work in a collaborative setting and be able to produce high-quality written work.

Required qualifications and abilities:
– Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
– Interest in criminal defense and the rights of the accused
– Fluency in another language is highly desired, but not required

This internship is unpaid. We strongly encourage interns to apply to grants, fellowships or any other funding available through school or third-party organizations. Interns will be provided with unlimited monthly metro cards for the duration of their internship.

The internship has a rolling admission deadline, and start and end dates can accommodate academic schedules.

To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to Timothy McErlean at tmcerlean@bds.org with the subject “Investigative Assistant Application.” Please specify which cycle you are applying to work for and if you would like to work full or part time (e.g., Spring 2020, full time). Resumes and cover letters will only be accepted by email; if selected for an interview applicants will be notified on a rolling basis.

 

 

Criminal Law Reform Issues

Adolescent Justice

• BDS Supports Raising the Age of Youthful Offender Status, A.4743B (PDF ) – June 1, 2018
• Check out our one-pager on Raising the Age of YO here.

Bail 

• BDS supports the Assembly Bail Reform proposal, A.10137A (PDF ) – May 29, 2018
• BDS Supports Comprehensive Bail Reform, A9955 & S3579A/A5033A (PDF )- April 16, 2018
• BDS Supports Reform of Laws Governing Charitable Bail Organizations, A4880A/S4776A (PDF ) – February 9, 2017

Discovery

• BDS Supports Comprehensive Discovery Reform, A4360A, S7722/A10135, & S6848/A7292 (PDF )- April 16, 2018
• Check out the Repeal the #BlindfoldLaw Coalition one-pager on the urgent need for discovery reform here.

Drug Enforcement

• BDS Strongly Opposes Increased Penalties for Opioids & K2 (PDF ) – March 26, 2018

Employment Collateral Consequences

• BDS Responds and Proposes Amendments to Governor Cuomo’s Proposed Elimination of Parole Fee and Changes to Conviction-Related Barrier to Employment and Participation in Education Councils in the FY19 Executive Budget (PDF ) – February 5, 2018

Gravity Knives

• BDS Memo of Support for Repealing Gravity Knife Law (PDF ) – May 22, 2019
• BDS Sends Letter to Governor Cuomo Urging His Signature on Gravity Knife Reform Legislation (PDF ) – October 11, 2017
• BDS Sends Letter to Governor Cuomo Urging His Signature on Gravity Knife Reform Legislation (PDF ) – June 28, 2016
• Check out our infographic on gravity knives, “Why Are Carpenters Being arrested for Carrying Their Tools?”  here.
• BDS Memos in Support of Bills to Decriminalize Possession of Common Workers’ Utility Knives, (A4821/S3675 PDF) (A9042/S6483 PDF ) – March 1, 2016
• Memo of Support to End the Criminalization of So-Called “Gravity Knives” S3675/A.4821 (PDF ) – April 23, 2015

Immigrants Rights

• BDS Memo in Support of the Protect Our Courts Act, A11013A/S8925 (PDF ) – June 14, 2018

Jail and Prison Conditions

• BDS Supports Access to Feminine Hygiene Products in NYS Jails and Prisons, S6176/A588A (PDF ) – June 14, 2017

Police Asset Forfeiture

• BDS Response to Governor Cuomo’s Proposed Changes to Asset Forfeiture in the FY19 Executive Budget (PDF ) – February 5, 2018

Prostitution and Trafficking

• BDS Memo in Support for Expanding New York’s Vacatur Law for Survivors of Trafficking, S4997/A4540 (PDF ) – June 1, 2018
• BDS Memo in Support for Repeal of New York’s Penal Law 240.37, S8107A/A9704A (PDF ) – June 1, 2018

Sealing

• BDS Memo in Support for Legislation to Seal Certain Criminal Convictions and “Ban the Box” on Job Applications, A2699/ S5593 & A2990/S2029 (PDF ) – June 12, 2015

Solitary Confinement 

• BDS Expresses Strong Support for the Humane Alternatives to Long Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act, A3080B/S4784A (PDF ) – March 8, 2018
• BDS Memo in Support of Restricting Segregated Confinement for Juveniles and Special Populations, A1346A & A1347 (PDF ) – April 3, 2015

Speedy Trial

• BDS Memo in Support of Speedy Trial Reform – Kalief’s Law, S7006B & A3055A (PDF )- April 16, 2018
• BDS Releases Statement in Support of Kalief’s Law, S5988A/A8296A (PDF ) – March 1, 2016
• BDS Expresses Strong Support for Kalief’s Law, S5988/A7841 (PDF ) – August 18, 2015

 

Child Welfare Law Reform Issues

Adoption Subsidies

• BDS Supports Amendments to Monthly Adoption Subsidies to Foster Parents, S6518/A8313 (PDF ) – May 30, 2017

Family Court ACDs

• BDS Joins in Memo in Support of Expanding Option of Adjournments in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACD) & Suspended Judgments in Child Protective Proceedings in the Family Court, S.4767/A6837 (PDF ) – April 16, 2018
• BDS Joins in Memo in Support of Expanding Option of Adjournments in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACD) & Suspended Judgments in Child Protective Proceedings in the Family Court, S.4767/A6837 (PDF ) – May 8, 2017

Kinship Care

• BDS Joins in Memo in Support of Kinship Guardianship Assistance Legislation, S4833/A7554 (PDF ) – May 30, 2017

Post-Termination Contact

• BDS Memo in Support of the Preserving Family Bonds Act, S4203/A2199 (PDF ) – April 2019
• Preserving Family Bonds Coalition Joint Memo in Support (PDF) – April 2019

May 19, 2020

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committees on Criminal Justice & the Justice System Oversight Hearing on COVID-19 in City Jails and Juvenile Detention Centers.

February 28, 2020

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committees on Immigration and Hospitals Oversight Hearing ICE’s Escalated Attacks on NYC Policies Protecting Immigrants. 

February 25, 2020

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Public Safety Jointly with the Committee on Justice System Oversight Hearing DNA Collection and Storage in NYC. (PDF)

February 24, 2020

BDS Testifies before NYC Council Committee on Justice System and Committee on Housing and Buildings Oversight Meeting and Introduction of Bills Int 1104-2018 and Int 1529-2019. (PDF)

February 10, 2020

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Public Safety on Preventing Hate and Violence (PDF)

February 3, 2020

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Criminal Justice Oversight Hearing on Violence in City Jails (PDF)

January 21, 2020

BDS submits Public Comment on DHS and DOJ Proposed Rule Re: Procedures for Asylum and Bars to Asylum Eligibility

January 13, 2020

BDS submits Public Comment on DHS Proposed Rule Re: Asylum Applications, Interview, and Employment Authorization for Applicants

December 30, 2019

BDS submits Public Comment on USCIS Proposed Rule of the USCIS Fee Schedule

December 18, 2019 

BDS testifies before the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety Hearing on the POST Act (PDF)

December 10, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYS Assembly Committee on Codes and Committee on Correction Hearing on Sealing of Criminal Records and Expansion of Youthful Offender Status (PDF)

November 21, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYS Assembly on family separation in the child welfare system and family court system

November 15, 2019

BDS submits Public Comment on USCIS Proposed Rules on Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions, 84 FR 55250.

November 14, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYS Assembly on pre-trial services and ATI’s in light of the new bail statute (PDF)

November 12, 2019

BDS submits Public Comment on DNA-Sample Collection for Immigration Detainees 84 Fed. Reg 563973.

October 17, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYS Senate Standing Committee on Codes Hearing on Potential Legislative Changes to Section 50-a of the Civil Rights Law (PDF)

September 23, 2019

BDS submits Public Comment on Department of Homeland Security “Notice on Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal 84 Fed. Reg. 35409.

September 3, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Immigration (PDF)

August 9, 2019

BDS testifies before the Joint Senate Task Force on Opioids Addiction and Overdose (PDF)

June 27, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Public Safety Hearing on Ints. 0567-2018, 0635-2018, 1244-2018, 1553-2019, 1548-2019, & T2018-2223, & Res. 0866-2019. (PDF)

May 22, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council on Implementation of Pre-Trial Justice Reforms Enacted by New York State (PDF)

May 1, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Criminal Justice Oversight Hearing on the Experience of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Individuals in NYC Jails (PDF)

April 29, 2019

BDS joins the Bronx Defenders, the Legal Aid Society, Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem and NY County Defender Services in urging enactment of a slate of criminal justice reforms before session ends (PDF)

April 10, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committees on Immigration and the Justice System Oversight Hearing on ICE Out of New York Courts Resolution 0828-2019 regarding Protect Our Courts Act (A.2176 / S.425). (PDF)

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on General Welfare and Committee on Hospitals Joint Oversight Hearing on the Impact of Marijuana Policies on Child Welfare. (PDF)

February 27, 2019

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committees on Public Safety, Justice System, Consumer Affairs & Business Licensing, and Civil & Human Rights Public Hearing on Marijuana Legalization. (PDF)

February 26, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Criminal Justice Oversight Hearing on Department of Correction Programming. (PDF)

February 25, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council on Family Separation in Criminal Cases (PDF)

February 4, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on General Welfare Oversight Hearing on Client Experience at HRA Centers. (PDF)

January 16, 2019

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Juvenile Justice Hearing on Evaluating Programs that Aim to Reduce Recidivism Among Justice-Involved Youth. (PDF)

December 19, 2018

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Immigration Oversight Hearing on the Need for Legal Representation in Immigration Court Under Trump. (PDF)

December 3, 2018

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committees on Criminal Justice and the Justice System Oversight Hearing: “Why Does the City Make it so Hard to Post Bail?” (PDF)

November 27, 2018

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committees on Justice System and General Welfare Oversight Hearing on Removals from Parents and Caretakers In Child Welfare Cases. (PDF)

BDS testifies before New York Senators Luis Sepúlveda and Gustavo Rivera’s Public Forum on New York State’s Parole Process, Structure of the Parole Board, and Data Indicating Systemic Bias in Parole Decisions. (PDF)

November 14, 2018

BDS testifies before NYC Committee on Hospitals, Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction and Committee on Criminal Justice Oversight Hearing on Correctional Health (PDF)

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committees on Immigration, Health & General Welfare on the impact of the proposed “public charge” rule in NYC (PDF)

November 14, 2018

BDS submits testimony to the NYS Assembly in support of guaranteed access to Medication-Assisted Treatment in New York’s prisons and jails (PDF)

October 25, 2018

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Governmental Operations and Committee on Immigration Oversight Hearing on Language Access Implementation Plans. (PDF)

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Justice System Oversight Hearing on Pay Hearing and Retention Rates for ADAs and Public Defenders (PDF)

October 16, 2018

BDS testifies before the New York State Assembly on legalizing the adult use of marijuana (PDF)

Shakira Kennedy, an advocate and parent who is represented by BDS’ Family Defense Practice, testifies before the New York State Assembly on the harms of cannabis prohibition on New York’s racially and economically marginalized families (PDF)

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Education on employment and school transportation (PDF)

October 3, 2018

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committees on Governmental Operations and Criminal Justice on voting rights for people on parole (PDF)

September 27, 2018

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on the Justice System Oversight Hearing on the Cost of Justice (PDF)

BDS testifies before the New York State Commission on Parental Legal Representation (See PDF for attachments)

September 17, 2018

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Immigration and the Committee on Youth Services Oversight Hearing on LGBTQ immigrant youth in NYC (PDF)

September 6, 2018

BDS testifies before the New York City Council Committees Immigration and Youth Services Oversight Hearing on Abolishing ICE (PDF)

BDS testifies before the New York City Council Committees on Criminal Justice and Women Oversight Hearing Examining Sexual Abuse and Harassment in City Jails (PDF)

July 12, 2018

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Oversight Hearing on the impacts of the Trump Administration Family Separation Policy in NYC (PDF)

June 21, 2018

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on the Justice System Oversight Hearing on Addressing the Opioid Crisis in Criminal Court (PDF)

June 13, 2018

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Public Safety Oversight Hearing on NYPD’s Gang Takedown Effects (PDF)

June 13, 2018

BDS Submits Comments to the NYS Dept. of Financial Services & NYS Dept. of State Listening Session on Abuses by the Bail Bond Industry (PDF)

May 2, 2018 

BDS testifies before the NYC Council on the harm of the commercial bail bond industry (PDF)

April 24, 2018

BDS submits written testimony to the  NYC Council Committee on Immigration Oversight Hearing on NYC Support for Immigrant Parents of Children Ages 0-5 Years (PDF)

April 23, 2018

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Criminal Justice Oversight Hearing on Safety and Security in City Jails (PDF)

April 18, 2018

BDS testifies before the New York City Council Committee on Juvenile Justice and the Committee on Justice System Oversight Hearing on  NYC’s Preparedness to Raise the Age and Reso. 0283-2018 (PDF)

March 26, 2018

BDS testifies before the New York City Council Budget Hearing on Immigration (PDF)

February 27, 2018

BDS testifies before the New York City Council Committee on Justice System on Issues with Criminal Discovery Practices (PDF )

February 26, 2018

BDS testifies before the New York City Council in Support of Marijuana Legalization and, in the Interim, Immediately Ending Marijuana Arrests and Prosecutions (PDF  )

January 11, 2018

BDS testifies before the New York State Assembly Hearing on Legalizing & Regulating Adult Sale and Possession of Marijuana and its Prospective Effects on Public Health and the Criminal Legal System (PDF  )

December 14, 2017

BDS testifies before NYC Oversight Hearing on Examining Forensic Science Practices in the NYPD Crime Lab and OCME (PDF )

December 4, 2017

BDS testifies before NYC Council Oversight Hearing on Progress in Closing Rikers (PDF )

November 28, 2017

BDS comments: Proposed state regulations on solitary confinement in local jails only codify the practice of torture (PDF )

November 21, 2017

BDS testifies before the NYC Council on NYPD’s role in school safety and efforts to improve school climate (PDF )

November 16, 2017

BDS, along with 100 community and advocacy groups across NYS, submit letter to Governor Cuomo with recommendations for changes to New York’s pretrial detention system

November 15, 2017

BDS testifies before the NYC Council’s Oversight Hearing on the Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD (PDF )

October 30, 2017

BDS testifies before the NYS Assembly Hearing on Healthcare in NYS Prisons and Local Jails (PDF )

October 26, 2017

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Juvenile Justice Hearing on Reentry Programs for Formerly Incarcerated Youth (PDF )

October 25, 2017

BDS testifies before the NYC Council oversight hearing on violence in city jails (PDF )

October 23, 2017

Do You Qualify to Have Your Criminal Record Sealed? A BDS One-Pager. (PDF )

October 16, 2017

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Public Safety (PDF )

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee on Technology on Algorithm Transparency (PDF )

September 27, 2017

BDS testifies before NYC Council Oversight Hearing on Safe and Accessible Shelters for Homeless Youth (PDF )

September 20, 2017

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Aging in support of Int. No. 1616–– a Local Law in relation to establishing a temporary task force on post-conviction reentry for older adults (PDF )

September 18, 2017

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Courts and Legal Services Hearing on New York’s Integrated Domestic Violence Courts (PDF )

September 13, 2017

BDS testifies before the NYC Council Committee oversight hearing on Best Practices for NYC Agencies, Courts, And Law Enforcement Authorized to Certify Immigrant Victims for U and T Visas (PDF )

September 7, 2017

BDS testifies before NYC Council Committee on Public Safety  & Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disability, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Disability Services joint Oversight Hearing on NYPD’s Responses to Persons in Mental Health Crisis (PDF )

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Brooklyn Defender Services handles approximately 40 percent of the overall criminal cases for the Borough of Brooklyn, making our client profile indicative, if not entirely representational, of the wider law enforcement trends across the city, as they pertain to arrests, custody and court adjudication.

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BDS’s Special Litigation Counsel works with BDS defenders and clients, outside counsel and activists, to identify systemic criminal justice deficiencies and constitutional violations that unjustly affect criminal justice outcomes for our clients. Once identified, special litigation lawyers strategically litigate those issues in State and Federal courts to improve both process and outcomes for all accused New Yorkers. From challenging unreasonable bail conditions when a case starts to overbroad barriers to re-entry when it’s over, BDS is striving to make the criminal justice system accountable to those it intends to serve through its growing impact litigation practice.

Brooklyn Defender Services has amassed a wealth of experience and expertise on the complexities that inform our client’s lives and their involvement in the justice system. BDS works with each of the courts and other stakeholders to improve procedures and policies that affect our clients in each of the courts where we are the institutional provider.

As zealous advocates for our clients and the communities we serve, it is also our duty to contribute to the larger conversations taking place within the criminal, family and immigration justice systems in order to facilitate meaningful changes. Through our presence on working groups and coalitions, the use of our external communications, position papers, blog, and other forums we seek to educate system players, legislators and community members about the critical issues facing our clients and give voice to some of New York’s most vulnerable populations.

• Open Letter to Senate Democrats on ‘Raise the Age’
• Legislative Memo: Raise the Age Reform Will Cause Additional Delays in Resolving Child Welfare Cases in Family Court
• New York State Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Raise the Age Position Paper
• ‘Raise the Age’ article in Atticus Magazine from Staff Attorney Susannah Karlsson
• Bringing the Best of Both Worlds: Recommendations for Criminal Justice Reform for Older Adolescents, Cardozo Law Review Article by BDS Executive Director Lisa Schreibersdorf
• Getting it Right: Raising the Age and Justice System Reforms for Adolescents, Blog Post from BDS Executive Director Lisa Schreibersdorf

• A Right to Attorney in NYC Immigration Court
• The New York Family Unity Project