Criminal, Family, Immigration and Civil Defense.
Free of charge.
is a public defense office that provides outstanding representation and advocacy to people facing loss of freedom, family separation and other serious legal harms.
As defenders, we represent people accused of a crime, parents threatened with child removal, immigrants facing deportation, and students, workers and tenants whose education, employment and housing are at risk due to legal cases. We are the attorneys and advocates fighting injustice for individuals and families and protecting civil rights for all people.
New Yorkers are harmed and impacted by government policies and practices that fuel mass incarceration and the destruction of families. These lead to tragic outcomes, such as death at the hands of police or in jail and oppressive environments in schools and neighborhoods where low-income people of color live. We demand accountability from government institutions in court and work to reduce the government's reliance on harmful legal systems to address problems caused by poverty and racism.
Whether it is the removal of children, incarceration, deportation, eviction or houselessness, the people we represent face long periods of forced family separation. This destroys the fabric of multiple lives and leaves long-lasting effects on children, parents, spouses, grandparents and siblings. We fight to protect New Yorkers from the trauma of separation from their loved ones and to reunite families as soon as possible.
We provide individual services to thousands of people each year, holding clinics and educational programs in our community office and online, and supporting fellow community organizations. We work alongside people harmed by unfair systems to fight injustice and change things for the better.
BDS attorneys, social workers, paralegals, investigators and administrative professionals have an unwavering commitment to the people we represent.
Join us for BDS’ 30th Anniversary Gala on Tuesday, November 17th at 6:00 PM at Edison Ballroom for a landmark evening recognizing three decades of purpose, partnership, and advocacy. This year, we honor BDS Founder & Executive Director, Lisa Schreibersdorf.