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 45,000 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, 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

  The Family Defense Project (BFDP) was formed in 2007 in response to a Request for Proposal issued by the City of New York that envisioned an institutional provider for respondents in Article 10 cases. Originally an office of Legal Services-NYC (LS-NYC), in December 2012, BFDP separated from LS-NYC and joined BDS. BFDP’s in-court and out-of -court advocacy has resulted in over 5,000 children leaving foster care out of the 6,500 of our clients’ children who were in care at some point during the Article 10 case. For more information see our additional website at http://bfdp.org.

  From its inception and since moving to BDS, BFDP has continued to develop and improve its model of high quality legal representation for parents involved in the child welfare system. From the growth of the Social Work Unit to the creation of the Young Mother’s Empowerment Project and partnerships with community-based agencies, BFDP has been creative in meeting the needs of poor people facing the loss of their children. With the addition of BDS’s on-site immigration, housing, and educational services and the other areas of expertise at BDS, BFDP is now able to provide more comprehensive one-stop legal and social services to clients. In addition, BFDP now works collaboratively with criminal defense attorneys on shared cases, improving outcomes for clients in both courts.

  The focus of BFDP’s work is to assert the due process rights of parents in Family Court, including their constitutional right to family integrity, while providing access to the benefits and services families need to stay together. Our highest priority is to get and keep children out of foster care safely. Studies and experience show that foster care stays result in poor outcomes for children due to the trauma of separation from their families and repeated moves within the foster care system. By zealously representing parents, BFDP reduces the likelihood of foster care placement in the first instance and reduces the average time children spend in foster care overall.

  In the six and a half years that BFDP has been providing institutional family representation, we have learned that most children involved in child welfare cases can live safely with their parents or family when they have access to benefits and appropriate services to meet the variety of needs and address the challenges that brought them into Family Court. Throughout the representation of our clients, our staff focuses on making sure parents and families receive these services, either through our own efforts or through agencies and programs in the community.

  In 50% of our cases, our clients’ children never enter foster care. Our zealous advocacy, including investigating cases, finding alternative solutions and getting services in place, has significantly reduced the likelihood and duration of foster care placement. In fact, since 2007, when the institutional providers were created, the foster care census has gone down from over 17,000 to under 12,000 children. By both challenging allegations in abuse and neglect petitions and helping families get the benefits and services they need to stay safe and stable, we are able to achieve family reunification for 70% of our clients.

• Immigration

  At BDS, we have long recognized the value of providing on-staff immigration legal services to our clients. In recent years, as the immigration landscape has become less flexible and more complex, immigration legal services have become even more vital both for zealous criminal defense and to advocate for our clients and promote their best interests in other respects. Today, BDS’s vibrant Immigration Practice is comprised of eleven full-time immigration attorneys, three paralegals (one of whom is accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals), a community liaison, and an administrative assistant. We are a Board of Immigration Appeals recognized legal service provider.

  BDS takes an innovative approach to the representation of immigrants. Our immigration attorneys are an integral part of our office, functioning in an embedded capacity to work closely with our public defenders through every step of any case involving immigration issues. Our immigration attorneys are thus able to draw on the vast resources, knowledge and experience of our public defense practice to forge creative and sophisticated solutions to immigration-related issues.

  BDS’s Immigration Practice provides a wide array of services to its clients. Padilla support (advice regarding the potential immigration consequences of criminal proceedings) is provided to thousands of clients each year. In addition, BDS immigration attorneys often intervene in the criminal case early on, which may help avoid immigration court proceedings altogether or, at minimum, give the client advice about whether such proceedings are likely to be initiated and whether he or she may be able to raise a successful defense to deportation if they are. To facilitate this early intervention, an immigration attorney is available during all arraignment shifts, whether day, night or weekend, and continues to be available for ongoing consultation throughout the course of a criminal case. Amidst the hectic first court appearance, our specialized immigration attorneys interview clients in the arraignment jail cells and coordinate with client families, the Police Department, the Department of Corrections and court personnel. This early entry into the case has an enormous impact on immigration outcomes, either avoiding the client’s detention by ICE altogether, occasionally obtaining evidence that the client is in fact a United States Citizen and had been erroneously targeted by ICE, and/or allowing attorneys to proactively prepare the case for later advocacy in the immigration system.

  Our immigration practice goes far beyond simple Padilla advisals and coordination with the defense attorney while the criminal case is pending, as BDS immigration attorneys routinely take on cases for direct representation. To date, through administrative and court-based advocacy before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Patrol, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review, BDS’s Immigration Practice has already been remarkably successful in obtaining lawful immigration status and preventing deportation for clients who have valid claims. For example, we have helped multiple victims of crime, trafficking or domestic violence obtain relief from deportation. We have won applications for relief from removal, as well as termination of deportation proceedings so that clients could pursue available avenues of lawful status. We have helped clients obtain lawful permanent residence or U.S. citizenship. We have helped immigrant your clients obtain lawful status, including by filing special motions in family court that make clients eligible for a form of relief for minors who have been abandoned, abused or neglected by one or both parents called Special Immigrant Juvenile status. And we have filed numerous collateral challenges allowing clients to withdraw prior pleas due to the failure of their prior attorney to advise of the immigration consequences of that plea. Obtaining such post-conviction relief may help the client defeat deportation altogether or open avenues of immigration relief that were not previously available. We have also secured clients’ release from immigration custody so that they can be reunited with their families while they fight their immigration cases.

  Because we are one of Brooklyn’s largest legal service providers with in-house immigration expertise, we are well-poised to deliver our immigrant legal services to other underserved Brooklyn immigrants. In addition to our in-house work, BDS created and implemented our community-based Haitian Immigration Legal Assistance Program (HILAP), to help Brooklyn Haitians receive and retain Temporary Protected Status and other immigration protections after the Haitian earthquake in early 2010. In 2012, we also launched our Immigrant Youth Project, which included Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) clinics in partnership with Brooklyn Bar Volunteer Lawyers Project and community-based organizations. Since 2010, BDS has held more than 70 community law clinics, recruited and trained more than 360 volunteer attorneys and provided immigration legal advice and assistance to more than 1,300 Brooklyn residents. To maximize our reach and the services afforded to our clients, we work often and closely with other community based groups, elected officials, churches, and social service providers.

  The Immigration Unit is currently hiring. Visit the Opportunities section for more info.

• 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.

  • 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.

• Special Projects

  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

  New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) Pilot Program
  This year, City Council approved a grant for the launch of a pilot program in New York City to provide legal representation to indigent immigrants in detained deportation proceedings. In October 2013, BDS and our consortium partner Bronx Defenders were selected by CJC’s contractor, the Vera Institute of Justice, after a competitive bidding process to be the legal service providers in this momentous program, which seeks over the long term to provide public defenders for all poor immigrants residing in New York who have been detained and are facing deportation. The pilot program is the first of its kind in the country.

  NPR Story on our Immigrant Family Unity Project

  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.

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.

Brooklyn Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyer’s Project

Brooklyn Justice Corps

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives

Center for Community Alternatives

Good Shepherd Services

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Pinkerton Fellows at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

In 1996, Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) was selected by the City of New York to become the first borough-specific indigent defense office to handle the cases of poor people arrested in Brooklyn. At that time, BDS represented 10,000 clients each year. In the ensuing years, BDS has established itself as a nationally known public defender office that provides extensive services to the poor community in Brooklyn. BDS employs a large staff of highly dedicated and vibrant attorneys, social workers, investigators and support personnel who work on matters of utmost urgency for the clients we represent—our core public defense practice consists of criminal, family and immigration defense for people facing the dire consequences of imprisonment, loss of their children or deportation.

Originally, BDS represented 10% of the people charged with crimes in Brooklyn. It has since grown to 45%. Our family defense practice handles approximately 80% of the cases of parents facing allegations of abuse or neglect. With the addition of immigration, housing, education and other legal services, BDS has become the largest one-stop legal office for poor people in Brooklyn.

• 1996 Awarded New Indigent Defense Contract; 10,000 cases funded by Criminal Justice Coordinator’s Office (first time a new institutional defender added to Brooklyn criminal courts)
• 2001 Adds specialized mental health practice — funded by the Open Society Institute and Van Ameringen Foundation
• 2002 Works with the Fortune Society to provide Family Court services to ex-offenders
• 2003 Adds crossover criminal/family practice with funding from New York City Council
• 2006 Grows from handling 10% of indigent defense case to 20%.
• 2008 Begins immigration practice
• 2010 Creates Haitian Immigration Legal Assistance Program in collaboration with local bar associations, a pro bono project later funded by New York Community Trust
• 2011 Creates and chairs Brooklyn’s multi-agency Racial Justice Task Force — funded by the American Bar Association and the United States Bureau of Justice Assistance
• 2012 Incorporates Family Defense contract from Legal Services of New York City
• 2013 Brooklyn Defender Services creates first-in-nation public defense program for detained immigrants
• 2014 Adds Housing, Benefits and Education Units to Civil Justice Practice
• 2014 Begins Jail-Based Services Project

Kevin Snover, Chairman of the Board
Jeffrey Rona, Treasurer
Anne Shields, Board Member
Jean Hegler, Board Member
Gregory Cerchione, Board Member
Lisa Schreibersdorf, Board Member and Executive Director

Partnerships between public and private attorneys are essential to meet the needs of poor people in Brooklyn. Coordinated by our Pro Bono Counsel, our pro bono program allows private attorneys to work on cases in a variety of ways: representing a client, assisting with impact litigation, and in coordination with the Volunteer Lawyers Project. In addition to professional development, BDS’s pro bono program offers a unique opportunity for attorneys to make an impact in the lives of those most in need of—and with the least access to—quality legal representation.

While zealously advocating on behalf of every individual client, BDS engages in impact litigation and advocacy to reform laws and policies that criminalize poverty and compromise fundamental rights to dignity, family security, and economic opportunity. For example, with pro bono law firm partners, BDS has established a Bail Fund to help clients with low-level misdemeanor charges pay bail and avoid the often devastating consequences of pre-trial detention.

Our community lawyering initiative mobilizes volunteer attorneys, law students and community groups to respond to emerging legal needs in the broader community. In partnership with the Brooklyn Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project, BDS hosts community legal clinics to assist undocumented Haitian New Yorkers obtain for Temporary Protected Status, and to assist young people or “DREAMers” register for deferred deportation and work authorization.

If you are interested in partnering with BDS on a pro bono matter, please contact Sarah Nolan, Pro Bono Counsel at snolan@bds.org or 718-254-0700 ext. 148.

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

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

In fear of having your children removed? Call 347-592-2500.

Know Your Rights Info

CCI’s Reentry 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.

BDS Criminal Defense Practice will be interviewing third year law students this fall for full-time post-graduate positions that would begin in September 2015. Our interviewers will meet with candidates at the law schools and job fairs listed below. All interested candidates who are currently attending one of the law schools we will be visiting must apply for an interview through their institution’s on-campus interviewing (OCI) Symplicity system. Students who are not attending one of the schools listed below should apply to be interviewed via one of the three job fairs. Interested law graduates and admitted attorneys may apply to be interviewed in our Brooklyn office by submitting a cover letter and resume only during the submission period, October 20^th 2014 to November 14^th 2014.

Due to the large number of inquiries we receive and the small number of openings we anticipate, resumes submitted before or after the submission period will not be considered. Submissions should be addressed to Richard LaFontaine, Esq., Director of Recruiting, 177 Livingston Street, 7^th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11021, and may be mailed or sent via email to rlafontaine@bds.org

Harvard Law School         Sept 5                            Cardozo Law School            Sept. 29

Brooklyn Law School       Sept. 30                        Northeastern University   October 6

Fordham Law School      October 15                   Hofstra Law School             October 16

St. John’s Law School     October 21                   New York Law School        October 22

Touro Law School             October 23                  NYU School of Law             October 24

Equal Justice Works        October 24, 25           Howard University             October 27

CUNY Law School             October 28                  Columbia University          October 30

Boston University                            TBA                 Georgetown/GWU                         TBA

NYU PILC Fair                                   TBA

BDS has a number of employment opportunities available.  Information on specific positions within each practice area is provided, as well as information about how to apply.  The salary of all positions is commensurate on years of experience in accordance with BDS pay scale.

Immigration Practice Staff Attorney Position

Job Description:  BDS seeks to hire an immigration attorney with one to three years of relevant experience to join our Immigration Practice.

Our Immigration Practice currently has a staff of eleven attorneys, a BIA accredited representative, two paralegals, and an administrative assistant. We advise our criminal defense colleagues and help devise strategies to minimize the immigration impact of our clients’ criminal proceedings. We help clients apply for citizenship, greencards, visas for domestic violence or trafficking victims, and other immigration benefits. Finally, we have a robust removal defense practice; we secure our immigrant clients’ release from immigration detention and defend them against deportation, arguing in immigration court for a finding of non-deportability, and applying for Cancellation of Removal, Adjustment of Status, and other discretionary waivers of deportation based on favorable factors in our clients’ lives. Most recently, since November 2013 BDS has been serving as assigned counsel under the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project—a first-in-nation program that provides legal representation for indigent New Yorkers in detained removal proceedings at the Varick Street Immigration Courts.

Qualifications:  We seek a dynamic lawyer with at least one year of post-bar admission experience representing detained immigrants in removal proceedings and at least one year of post-J.D. experience working at the intersection of immigration and criminal law. The candidate must have a demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights, criminal justice, and/or social justice issues. The job requires a proactive ability to solve problems under time pressure, enthusiasm, and the strongest commitment to clients. The applicant must possess a demonstrated ability to perform nuanced legal research and writing at the highest standard, to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and through writing, to be a team player, and to have the strong organizational skills required to represent numerous clients at a time. Clinical or professional background in immigration and/or criminal law is preferred.

Language(s): Fluency in Spanish is preferred.

To Apply: Please email a cover letter, resume, at least two references, and a writing sample to Bridget Kessler at bkessler@bds.org. Include “BDS Immigration Attorney” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. However, submission by Monday, June 30 at 9:00 a.m. is highly encouraged.

Family Defense Practice Staff Attorney

Job Description:  Brooklyn Defender Services Family Defense Practice (BFDP) seeks a staff attorney to begin immediately. BFDP represents low-income parents in child welfare and related family court cases in Brooklyn Family Court. Through holistic representation in an interdisciplinary setting, BFDP helps families obtain the benefits and services they need to keep their families safe and stable. BFDP also advocates for parents’ due process rights by fighting unwarranted state intervention in their lives. The office also advocates for systemic change in the family court and child welfare systems.

BFDP has a high volume and litigation-focused practice. Attorneys spend most of their days in court and frequently conduct hearings and trials, often on an emergency basis. Staff attorneys are expected to provide high-quality and vigorous representation at all court appearances and throughout the course of a case. Staff attorneys work closely with staff social workers and parent advocates to provide inter-disciplinary representation that includes assistance on related legal matters, such as housing, immigration, public benefits and domestic violence.

Qualifications: Candidates are expected to be admitted to the NYS Bar or awaiting admission and have excellent litigation and written and oral communication skills. Bi-lingual attorneys are encouraged to apply; in particular BFDP seeks Spanish speaking attorneys.

To Apply: Please send a resume and cover letter to jobs.bfdp@bfdp.bds.org including “Staff Attorney” on the subject line.

Immigration Practice Paralegal
Job Description: The Immigration Practice of Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks a full-time Paralegal to work with our attorneys and other professional staff to challenge the deportation of our noncitizen clients and secure immigration benefits on their behalf.

Our Immigration Practice currently has a staff of eleven attorneys, a BIA accredited representative, two paralegals, and an administrative assistant. We advise our criminal defense colleagues and help devise strategies to minimize the immigration impact of our clients’ criminal proceedings. We help clients apply for citizenship, greencards, visas for domestic violence or trafficking victims, and other immigration benefits. Finally, we have a robust removal defense practice; we secure our immigrant clients’ release from immigration detention and defend them against deportation, arguing in immigration court for a finding of non-deportability, and applying for Cancellation of Removal, Adjustment of Status, and other discretionary waivers of deportation based on favorable factors in our clients’ lives. Most recently, since November 2013 BDS has been serving as assigned counsel under the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project—a first-in-nation program that provides legal representation for indigent New Yorkers in detained removal proceedings at the Varick Street Immigration Courts.

Responsibilities:  Paralegal responsibilities will include: Preparing immigration applications, affidavits and other supporting documents under attorney supervision; conducting intakes and interviews with clients and their family to gather information; representing clients at naturalization and adjustment of status interviews; retrieving public and private records such as birth certificates or criminal histories; organizing and maintaining files; maintaining information in our case management system; submitting immigration filings with the New York City area immigration courts; conducting Internet and other factual research; participating in and coordinating outreach and educational workshops from time to time; and providing additional support to Immigration Unit attorneys as needed.

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree required and prior paralegal or related experience preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and interest in immigrant rights or public interest legal work.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to compose, edit and proof correspondence and documents.
• Must take initiative, be able to exercise sound judgment, be highly organized and detail-oriented, and possess strong time-management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent use of software applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Fluency in Spanish preferred.

To Apply: Please email a cover letter, resume and list of three references to Glykeria Tsiokanou at gtsiokanou@bds.org. Include “BDS Immigration Paralegal” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Submission by Monday, July 14 at 9:00 am, however, is highly encouraged.

Immigration Practice Social Worker

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks to hire a social worker with one to three years of relevant experience to join our Immigration Practice.

BDS’s Immigration Practice advises our criminal defense colleagues and help devise strategies to minimize the immigration impact of our clients’ criminal proceedings. We help clients apply for citizenship, greencards, visas for domestic violence or trafficking victims, and other immigration benefits. Finally, we have a robust removal defense practice; we secure our immigrant clients’ release from immigration detention and defend them against deportation. Most recently, since November 2013 BDS has been serving as assigned counsel under the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP)—a first-in-nation program that provides legal representation for indigent New Yorkers in detained removal proceedings.

Responsibilities: The Immigration Practice Social Worker will team up with the Immigration Practice’s NYIFUP attorneys and paralegals to provide comprehensive legal representation to our clients in deportation proceedings. The Social Worker will conduct client assessments, do crisis intervention management, develop service plans for clients, work closely with attorneys to determine case strategy, refer clients for services, communicate with service providers about clients’ needs, conduct visits to detained individuals, and provide written advocacy for clients. At all times the Social Worker will work under the expert supervision of senior-level, licensed social work supervisors within BDS’s robust social work team.

Qualifications: Applicants must have a Master’s Degree in Social Work and be licensed or willing and eligible to become licensed. Applicants should possess excellent interpersonal, analytical, writing, and organizational skills and be willing to work as part of a team in a very fast-paced environment. Strong writing skills are a must for this position. Preference will be given to applicants who have experience in immigration proceedings and mental health issues. Bi-lingual social workers are strongly encouraged to apply; in particular BDS seeks Spanish speaking applicants.

Language(s): Fluency in Spanish is preferred.

To Apply: Please email a cover letter, resume, at least two references, and a writing sample to Gittel Kagan at gkagan@bfdp.bds.org. Include “BDS Immigration Social Worker” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. However, submission by Monday, July 14 at 9:00 a.m. is highly encouraged.

Criminal Defense Practice Social Worker

The Criminal Defense Practice represents clients who are facing both misdemeanor and felony cases in Brooklyn Supreme and Criminal Courts. BDS advocates for clients who have diverse, complex and multi-faceted needs in a very fast-paced setting. BDS seeks an energetic social worker to become an integral part of the criminal defense team to advocate for clients, both in and out of court.

Job Description: Social workers team up with attorneys to provide comprehensive legal representation and to determine case strategy to criminally involved clients. Social workers provide both written and oral advocacy for clients. In addition they conduct client assessments, provide crisis intervention, develop service plans, refer clients for services, communicate with service providers about clients’ needs, and conduct visits to incarcerated individuals.

Qualifications: Applicants must have a Masters Degree in Social Work with, at least, two years of social work experience. In addition, applicants must be licensed or willing, and eligible, to become licensed within two years of hire date. Strong writing skills are a must for this position. Applicants must also be willing to work as part of a team in a very fast-paced environment and need to possess excellent writing, interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills. Strong preference will be given to applicants who have experience working in forensic settings. Bi-lingual social workers are strongly encouraged to apply.

To Apply: Please send resume and cover letter to Alicia White at awhite@bds.org. Please include social work position in the subject line. Only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Family Defense Practice Social Worker

Brooklyn Defender Services is an interdisciplinary law office that represents almost 40,000 indigent clients arrested each year with specialized legal services for young clients and those with immigration issues. The Family Defense Practice (BFDP) represents parents in child welfare cases in Brooklyn Family Court. BFDP advocates for clients who have diverse, complex and multi-faceted needs in a high volume and very face-paced setting. BFDP seeks a social worker to become part of the out of court advocate team of social workers and parent advocates.

Job Description: Social workers team up with attorneys and parent advocates to provide comprehensive legal representation to our clients. They advocate for clients at agency case conferences, conduct client assessments, do crisis intervention management, develop service plans for clients, work closely with attorneys to determine case strategy, refer clients for services, communicate with service providers about clients’ needs, and conduct home visits.

Qualifications: Applicants must have a Master’s Degree in Social Work and be licensed or willing and eligible to become licensed. Applicants should possess excellent interpersonal, analytical, writing, and organizational skills and be willing to work as part of a team in a very fast-paced environment. Strong preference will be given to applicants who have experience in mental health issues, family court and/or the child welfare system. Bi-lingual social workers are strongly encouraged to apply; in particular BFDP seeks Spanish speaking applicants. BFDP seeks applicants with 2-5 years’ experience.

To Apply: Please send a resume and cover letter to Gittel Kagan at jobs@bfdp.bds.org. Please include social work position in the subject line. Candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

BDS is an equal opportunity employer which supports a policy of non-discrimination in all employment practices including, but not limited to, hiring, transfer, promotions, training, compensation, benefits, lay-offs, and terminations. BDS takes affirmative action to recruit members of minority groups into their applicant pool.

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.

Fellowship Opportunity Announcement

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks rising third year law students, judicial law clerks and, where appropriate, recent law school graduates to sponsor for post-graduate public interest law fellowships, including but not limited to Equal Justice Works, Soros Justice, Skadden, Liman, and Kirkland & Ellis fellowships.

Founded in 1996, BDS is the only public defender office to serve Brooklyn residents exclusively. Today we are one of the city’s largest legal service providers, providing criminal defense, family defense, and immigration legal services; our staff of 151 attorneys, with the support of 83 social workers, investigators, parent advocates, paralegals, and administrative assistants, represents 45,000 clients every year.

BDS protects the due process and civil legal rights of poor Brooklyn residents. We believe all people—regardless of economic means—deserve respect, individualized care and the fullest extent of legal protections, whether accused of a crime or facing a civil legal obstacle to justice and opportunity. We are an interdisciplinary and increasingly holistic legal services provider, bringing lawyers and social workers together to meet our clients’ varied needs.

Practice Areas:

Criminal Defense: Candidates for the Criminal Defense Practice should possess qualities that clearly demonstrate they will excel as career public defenders in one of the nation’s premiere criminal defense law firms. Students will have ideally taken trial advocacy, evidence, ethics, criminal law and criminal procedure courses leading up to their J.D. degree. We are particularly interested in students who have participated in clinical programs involving client representation at those law schools which offer such programs. We also seek candidates with a demonstrated commitment to serving the public interest, as expressed by coursework, internships and extra-curricular activities. Prospective attorneys in the Criminal Defense Practice must have an appreciation of, and ability to relate to, the obstacles faced by our indigent clients, both in their Brooklyn neighborhoods and in negotiating the vagaries of New York’s criminal justice system. Candidates whose own background and experience reflect the diversity of Brooklyn’s communities are particularly encouraged to apply.

Family Defense: The Family Defense Practice represents low income parents in child welfare and related family court cases in Brooklyn Family Court. Through motion practice, hearings, and appellate work, attorneys advocate strongly for parents’ due process rights by fighting unwarranted state intervention in their lives. The practice provides comprehensive representation in an interdisciplinary setting to help families obtain the benefits and services they need to keep their families safe and stable, including assistance on housing, immigration, public benefits and domestic violence matters. Attorneys spend most of their days in court and frequently conduct hearings and trials, often on an emergency basis. Staff attorneys are expected to provide high-quality and vigorous representation at all court appearances and throughout the course of a case. The practice also advocates for systemic change in the family court and child welfare systems. Candidates are expected to have excellent written and oral communication skills and to prepared to work in a very high volume, fast passed setting.

Immigration Practice: BDS’s Immigration Practice provides a wide array of services to its clients. An embedded group of immigration attorneys provides criminal defense practice attorneys and their clients with advice regarding the immigration consequences of criminal convictions. Immigration attorneys intervene in the criminal case early on to avoid or minimize the immigration consequences of contact with the criminal justice system. In addition, BDS immigration attorneys routinely take on cases for direct representation. We help BDS clients apply for citizenship, green cards, visas for domestic violence or trafficking victims, and other immigration benefits. Finally, we have a robust removal defense practice; we secure our immigrant clients’ release from immigration detention and defend against deportation. Since November 2013 BDS has been serving as assigned counsel under the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project—a first-in-nation program that provides legal representation for indigent New Yorkers in detained removal proceedings. Candidates must possess a demonstrated ability to perform nuanced legal research and writing at the highest standard, to communicate clearly and effectively through writing, to be a team player, and to have the strong organizational skills required to represent numerous clients. Clinical or professional background in criminal and/or immigration law is preferred.

Civil Justice Unit: The civil justice unit 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. The ideal applicant must be able to creatively problem solve, clearly communicate both orally and in writing, thrive in fast-paced, adversarial venues and wish to serve clients who have been arrested, are at risk of losing their children or are facing deportation. Candidates with diverse professional and life experiences are encouraged to apply.

Special Litigation Unit: 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. Ideal candidates for the Special Litigation Unit would have a proven track record of high quality research and writing. Candidates should be interested in an innovative approach to complex legal issues at the intersection of criminal and constitutional law. Candidates should come with an interest in creative approach to law reform.

Qualifications:
We are interested in sponsoring candidates with proposals that support BDS’s mission and extend our work in innovative ways. We are open to discussing any strong proposal, but are particularly interested in sponsoring fellows to (i) work within our Immigration Unit at the intersection of immigration and criminal law or the intersection of immigration and family law; (ii) grow our civil justice in the defense against other civil consequences of criminal accusations, such as in the areas of housing and property forfeiture; (iii) work within our Brooklyn Family Defense Practice; or (iv) join our special litigation unit to address systemic violations and deficiencies in the criminal justice system.

Application Requirements:
To apply, please submit a cover letter including project ideas and a statement of interest, resume, writing sample, and at least two references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until August 1, 2014 and should be emailed to mmark@bds.org.

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.

BDS has summer internship programs where law students work on criminal, family or immigration cases. If you are interested in a criminal defense internship contact Jillian Modzeleski jmodzeleski@bds.org. If you are interested in a family internship contact Megan Brown at msbrown@bfdp.bds.org. If you are interested in an immigration internship contact Marie Mark at mmark@bds.org.

Each year, BDS applies for fellowships for attorneys to work in our office on special projects. This year, we have an 18-month Cardozo Law School Fellow working on the immigration defender project and other short-term fellows working in the family defense practice. If you are interested in a fellowship opportunity speak to Marie Mark at mmark@bds.org.

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS), a progressive legal defense office in Brooklyn, New York, seeks undergraduates and recent college graduates with an interest in and a commitment to social and criminal justice issues for our Investigative Assistant Internship.

BDS is a non-profit public defense office that provides a variety of legal services to indigent clients throughout Brooklyn. BDS represents clients charged with criminal felonies and misdemeanors, as well as family, housing and immigration court matters. Attorneys, social workers and support staff focus on individual clients’ needs.

Our Investigative Assistant Internship pairs interns interested in criminal justice with investigators, who gather evidence critical to BDS’s clients’ cases. Investigators locate, interview and take detailed statements from the witnesses, run background checks on witnesses and police officers, review video surveillance footage, draft and serve subpoenas, photograph and diagram crime scenes, and transcribe audio recordings. Investigative assistants additionally provide administrative assistance to the investigator team.

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.

The internship has a rolling admission deadline, and start and end dates can accommodate academic schedules. The internship will start with an intensive, multi-disciplinary two-week training where the interns will rotate shadowing each of our staff investigators. Investigative assistants will learn about our progressive approach to representation, our different practice areas and the laws and ethics involved in investigation. Following the initial training period, investigative assistants will continue to receive ongoing training and supervision from an experienced staff investigator who will serve as a mentor and will be responsible for assigning cases.

Required qualifications and abilities:
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Interest in criminal justice, especially the fields of criminal defense and the rights of the accused
- Strong writing ability
- 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.

To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to Camille Fenton at cfenton@bds.org with the subject “Investigative Assistant Application.” Resumes and cover letters will only be accepted by email; no phone calls, please. If selected for an interview, applicants will be notified on a rolling basis.

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.

• The “Raising the Age” movement for young people in the adult system
• Extending the age of youthful offender status in adult court
• Bringing the Best of Both Worlds: Recommendations for Criminal Justice Reform for Older Adolescents

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