Founded in 1997, The Bronx Defenders is a public defender nonprofit that has developed a nationally recognized model of representation called holistic defense, which provides people with teams of lawyers, social workers, and advocates to defend them zealously in court as well as to address the underlying drivers and enmeshed penalties of legal system involvement.
Since opening our doors, we have grown into an organization of more than 400 staff members defending nearly 20,000 New Yorkers each year in criminal, family, civil, and immigration proceedings who face incarceration, family separation, eviction, and deportation, among other devastating consequences.
Today we are reimagining the role of public defense even further, using community organizing and engagement, legislative advocacy, and impact litigation to partner with the communities we represent to bring about long-lasting systemic change.
We also share our model and lessons learned with current and future public defenders, run two legal clinics at NYC law schools and train public defenders throughout the country on how to move to a holistic model of representation.
Civil Action Practice
The Civil Action Practice (CAP) provides comprehensive legal services to the people we represent by fully integrating civil representation with our criminal, immigration, and family defense practices. Our goal is to minimize the severe and often unforeseen fallout from legal system involvement and facilitate the seamless reintegration of the people we represent into their communities.
Our Civil Action Practice attorneys and legal advocates represent people in every forum in New York City – administrative, state, and federal – to address these problems, and provide comprehensive representation to assist people in overcoming civil legal barriers to housing, eviction, employment, and public benefits, as well as addressing instances of police misconduct, criminal record errors, and civil forfeiture.
The Civil Action Practice seeks a staff attorney to provide comprehensive advocacy and representation to help the people we represent resolve a broad range of civil legal problems. Responsibilities are listed below.
Engage in client intake, counseling, research, writing, oral advocacy and negotiations as a part of legal representation
Zealously advocate for clients navigating proceedings related to barriers to obtaining housing, eviction from housing, loss of employment licenses, correcting criminal record errors, loss of public and disability benefits, forfeiture of property and government misconduct
Provide comprehensive, team-based representation collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of attorneys and advocates to assess and address the needs and legal goals of the people we represent
Effectively litigate, confidently negotiate and skillfully advocate in administrative judicial proceedings and trial with a particular concentration in housing, employment, public benefits and forfeiture proceedings
Participate in internal working groups to develop best practices across referral relationships
Facilitate community trainings and public education on civil legal issues
Participate in trainings within the office as well as, on occasion, external community events, conferences and webinars in which BXD is participating or presenting
Maintain case files and data in BxD’s case management system
Juris Doctor
License to practice in New York or eligibility for admission to the New York State Bar Pro Hac Vice
Commitment to social justice, racial justice, and housing justice issues
Experience working in and with racially and socioeconomically marginalized communities
Commitment to fierce advocacy, and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of the people we represent
Ability to work well independently and collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers
Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate and connect with people from various backgrounds, identities and experiences
Strong oral and written advocacy skills
Strong analytical skills and capacity to employ non-legal resources in cases
Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles
Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
Meticulous attention to detail
Ability to receive constructive feedback, demonstrate introspection and shift behavior accordingly
Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality around sensitive issues
Spanish fluency is preferred but not required
NLADA Mutual Insurance Co., RRG
