2023 Annual Report
Defending, Advocating, and Changing in 2023
A message from our Founder and Executive Director, Lisa Schreibersdorf
2023 marked the 60th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the landmark decision establishing the legal right to counsel for people charged with a crime who cannot afford to hire an attorney. This decision is foundational to our mission of providing meaningful access to representation and advocacy to people facing loss of freedom, family separation and other serious legal harms.
We are thrilled to share the many highlights from the past year that show the incredible impact of our interdisciplinary team of over 500 attorneys, social workers, investigators, and administrative staff.
We continue our fight to not only ensure the best possible legal outcomes for the people we serve, but we also change the systems and laws that contribute to injustice and racial inequity.
As we look ahead in this new year, we know with absolute certainty that our zealous advocacy is far from over. Pre-trial detention continues to disproportionately impact low-income, Black and Brown New Yorkers. The number of people with mental health needs detained in our city jails has increased year after year. Despite these devastating realities, New York State has continued to prioritize incarceration over community-based resources rather than pouring much needed investments into our communities.
We’re demanding meaningful legislative change and calling on Albany to pass critical reforms that would reduce mass incarceration, enhance community safety, and disrupt cycles of destabilization.
While we are grateful for the progress we’ve achieved thus far, each day that we stand beside our clients and bear witness to injustice, we are reminded that our work is not done. Thank you for your steady partnership and commitment to furthering our mission. Your support helps us defend, advocate, and create impactful change for the people we represent. We look forward to doing so much more with you in 2024.
Our Mission
Brooklyn Defender Services is a public defense office whose mission is to provide outstanding representation and advocacy free of cost to people facing loss of freedom, family separation and other serious legal harms by the government. We believe in a client-centered approach and work, in and out of court, to uphold the rights, freedom and dignity of people threatened by unjust, racist and harmful legal systems.
A message from John Yates, Managing Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
2023 was an important year in BDS’ long-standing effort to embed diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) into the organization and in all the work we do. Since our inception, DEIB values have been at the core of our practice. BDS was founded to fight against structural oppression that disproportionately impacts Black, Brown, and low-income residents of Brooklyn. To do so effectively, diversity in our workforce and a work culture that fosters inclusion and belonging have been integral to our organization’s identity.
DEIB continues to be central to BDS’s work as we expand our capacity to engage and include these principles across our ever-growing organization, internally and externally.
In 2023, I was hired as BDS’ Managing Director of DEIB. I spent my first several weeks meeting with staff from across the organization to inform the development of the 2024-2027 DEIB Strategic Plan. The plan promotes the continued diversity of our workforce, optimizes workplace policies with a DEIB lens, and fosters inclusion and belonging to increase retention.
These goals were created in collaboration with the BDS DEIB Committee, Senior Leadership Team, and various staff members who I met with and serves as a roadmap to follow as we continue to serve and uplift all members of the BDS community.
A Snapshot of 2023
We handled
37,093
total cases in 2023
519
attorneys, social workers, and investigators, advocates and support staff made up our interdisciplinary staff.
Criminal Defense
We defend people accused of crimes in need of an attorney and fight for the best outcome for them. Our staff meet with every client to understand who they are and the charges brought against them. We explore all opportunities to reduce collateral consequences, and advise our clients of their options and we will defend them at trial when needed. To address the unique needs of many of our clients, our criminal defense practice has specialized units that provide targeted services to adolescents, clients with mental illness, victims of trafficking, veterans and clients with overlapping criminal, family court, and immigration issues.
We represented people in
29,697
criminal cases
88%
of all criminal defense cases resulted in a violation, Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal, or dismissal
Family Defense
We represent parents and caregivers in Brooklyn who are investigated and/or prosecuted by NYC’s Administration for Children's Services. Our goal is to keep families safely together or reunify families as soon as possible when separation occurs. Our attorneys, social workers and other staff work together to advise, assist and represent parents every step of the way.
We represented
2,933
parents and caregivers in ACS investigations and family court proceedings
We represented
TK
people TK
Immigration
We protect the rights of immigrant New Yorkers by defending against ICE detention and deportation, minimizing the negative immigration consequences of criminal and family court charges for non-citizens, and representing immigrants in applications for immigration benefits. We are one of three New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) providers, which specializes in representing people who are detained and facing deportation.
We assessed and advised
4,107
people on immigration relief and consequences
We represented
1,390
people in deportation defense and affirmative immigration relief matters
Civil Justice
We reduce the civil collateral consequences for clients who have had interaction with the criminal legal, family policing or immigration systems. Through legal advocacy in court and with government agencies, we assist people in remaining in their homes, maintaining their public benefits, staying in school, and keeping their job. In 2023, our Civil Justice Practice served 2,201 clients.
We handled
500
education defense cases to ensure clients and their children were able to access the education services they are entitled to
We handled
971
cases advocating for clients facing barriers to employment due to their legal case
We handled
554
housing cases fighting for our clients' right to safe, stable housing
We provided
229
formerly incarcerated people with the resources and support needed to successfully reintegrate into their community
Policy & Advocacy
We work to eliminate and reduce the harmful impacts of the criminal legal, family policing and immigration systems and to expand access to housing, and employment for those impacted by these systems. Working with our practices, we harness the expertise within Brooklyn Defenders and the direct experiences of the people we represent to effect systemic change. Through participation in local, state and national coalitions, legislative advocacy, litigation community education, and communications strategies, we work to amplify the voices of impacted communities and to change laws that threaten the rights of the people we represent.
- We called for federal receivership over NYC jails as a step to remedy the violence, neglect, and suffering inflicted on people held in our city jails.
- Testified at dozens of city and state hearings on issues that directly impact the people we represent.
- Governor Hochul signed the Parental Equity Act into law. By eliminating discriminatory requirements for fathers to protect their legal rights, this law provides fathers whose children were placed into the foster system the opportunity to contest the adoption of their children.
- The Preserving Family Bonds Act, which would allow a judge to order contact between a child and their parent after the termination of parental rights when it is in the best interests of the child, passed the state legislature for the third time.
- Organized and attended a dozen lobby days where we educated legislators on our funding and legislative priorities including bills that will reform our sentencing laws, narrow the entrance into the family policing system, and youth justice.
- Following our advocacy and pushback by impacted community members and advocates, the Board of Correction nixed the Department of Correction’s request to restrict physical mail and non-commercial packages in NYC jails.
- Fiercely fought back against attempts to gut New York's bail and discovery laws that would erode police, prosecutorial, and judicial accountability and send more New Yorkers to languish in dangerous jails longer.
- After years of advocacy from people impacted by criminal records, public defenders, and other advocates, the Clean Slate Act was signed into law.
Civil Rights & Law Reform
The Civil Rights & Law Reform unit works across practice areas to identify, target, and reform barriers that impede access to justice for the people we represent. Through systemic federal and state litigation on behalf of both individuals and classes of people, we challenge government policies and practices that systematically harm the people we serve.
- Filed an amicus brief in Nunez v. City of New York–the federal Southern District of New York litigation concerning use of force and systemic dysfunction in New York City Department of Correction (DOC) jails–along with other NYC defender offices and New York University (NYU).
- Filed an amicus brief in the Second Circuit in Rodriguez v. Mayorkas advocating for the judicial review of U visa waiver denials along with The Legal Aid Society. Judicial review of the government’s denial of U visa waivers of inadmissibility is necessary to ensure that U visa applicants receive proper adjudication of their applications and Congress’ intent in creating the U visa scheme is followed.
- Submitted Freedom of Information Law requests and filed administrative appeals to force the New York City Department of Correction (DOC) and Department of Investigation to provide documents related to DOC’s surveillance technology and the data mining of personal information of New Yorkers.
- Submitted a public comment in response to a proposed rule by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice that would impose unlawful manner of entry and transit bans on refugees entering the United States via the southwest border.
We sued ACS on behalf of Brooklyn mother for violating her constitutional rights
For decades, New York's Administration for Children's Services has targeted, surveilled, and investigated families without any recognition of their rights. In 2023, our Civil Rights & Law Reform team and Family Defense Practice teamed with pro bono law firm Crowell & Moring LLP to sue ACS on behalf of a Brooklyn mother and her young son over the agency's numerous violations of their constitutional rights in its repeated, traumatizing investigations of baseless allegations stemming from anonymous reports.
Pro Bono
BDS’ Pro Bono Unit elevates resources for clients through an expansive network of strategic partnerships with some of New York’s best private law firms. We partner with firms to partner on individual cases, advise our staff or help think through strategic litigation. We also work to educate the private bar to raise awareness of the systemic injustices our clients and communities face every day.
We partnered with 24 firms in 2023.
Arnold & Porter LLP
Cooley LLP
Covington & Burling LLP
Crowell & Moring LLP
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Dentons
Fenwick & West LLP
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Goodwin Procter LLP
Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP
King & Spalding LLP
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Linklaters LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Virginia & Ambinder, LLP
Client Services
Our Client Services Program supports clients who visit our Client Services Center and manages the distribution of direct relief items and other material support for clients funded through our Critical Items Fund. Our team provides clients with groceries, household items, clothing, hygiene kits, as well as phones and data plans and other technology needed to remain engaged with their families and attorneys.
Your generous support provided thousands of items to hundreds of clients in crisis in 2023.
We provided over
1,500
essential items to people in 2023.
Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board
Kevin G. Snover, Esq., Law Offices of Kevin Snover
Secretary
Gregory Cerchione, Esq., Subin Associates, LLP
Treasurer
Cindi Giglio, Esq., Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Board Members
Andrea Bonina, Esq., Bonina & Bonina, P.C.
Robert J. Gunther, Jr., Esq., WilmerHale
Jeffrey Rona, Ovid Therapeutics
Lisa Schreibersdorf, Esq., Executive Director, Brooklyn Defenders
Jason Starr, Esq. Human Rights Campaign
Financials
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.
Revenue
Government: $74,640,360
Contributions: $770,222
Special Events: $117,175
Other Income: $455
Net Assets released from restriction: $95,946
Total Revenue: $75,624,158
Supporters
We rely on the generosity of individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund our critically important civil legal services, social work, and policy and advocacy programs. We are grateful for those who have invested in our mission and have helped to provide the people we represent with the essential services they needed in 2023. We look forward to doing so much more in partnership with new and long-standing supporters in 2024.
Show Your Support in 2024
$25,000+
Luckless Philanthropies
Seth Sprague Educational & Charitable Foundation
Jill Siegal Chalsty
$15,000+
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Carolyn Kubitschek and David Lansner
Sills Family Foundation
$10,000+
Fenwick & West LLP
Robert J. Gunther, Jr., Esq.
The New York Bar Foundation
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
$5,000+
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Peggy Farber
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
John N. Blackman, Sr. Foundation
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Signature Bank
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Thomson Reuters
The Treeline Companies
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
The Windhover Foundation
$2,500+
Karessa Cain
August Public Inc.
Benevity
Covington & Burling LLP
Joseph Deasy
DLA Piper
Grace J. Fippinger Foundation
Annette Marcus
The Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Neighbors for Refugees
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation
Winston & Strawn LLP
$1,000+
Sarika Arya
Crowell & Moring LLP
Purva and Samuel B. Cullman
Laurel Durst
Jessica Hu and Jonathan Eddy
Caryn Ganeles
Timothy Howell
Shawn Liu
Metzger-Price Fund, Inc.
Noah Nattell and Katie Schoendorf
Mike Pfeffer
Samuel Raper
Jennavieve and Kent Ratzlaff
Benjamin Silver
Geoffrey Thomas
Marc Waldor and Nancy Long
$500+
Alexis Allen
Anonymous (2)
Heather Beaudry
Ryan Birchmeier
Andrew Carlon
Kent Cherny
Cecilia Clarke
Caitlin Coslett and Liz Kukura
Lynn Freedman and David Frankel
Todd Gordon
Monique and Gary Marton
Ryan McClead
Andrew Meyer
Dorothy Roberts
Vivek Sankaran
Mark Schwartz
Christina and Matthew Shenoda
Vanessa Shiu
Bruce Steinberg
Indraneel Sur
David Weinraub
Michael Whang
Michael Wilson
In-kind Contributions
Bombas
NYC Mammas Give Back
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Please contact us at spaul@bds.org if you were not listed or would like to be listed differently in the future. Thank you again for supporting our mission!