The Bronx Defenders (BxD) – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks passionate attorneys with a commitment to public defense to join our Family Defense Practice.

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. 

Family Defense Practice

The Bronx Defenders’ Family Defense Practice (FDP) provides legal representation and social work support to parents charged with child abuse and neglect who are at risk of losing custody of their children. Our Family Defense Practice is at the forefront of a movement to provide holistic representation to parents in the Bronx while creating long-term solutions for the reunification and stability of families. Family Defense Practice Attorneys primarily litigate abuse and neglect cases, but occasionally appear in concurrent matters including custody, visitation, and termination of parental rights.

Reporting to the Family Defense Practice Custody Supervising Attorney, the Custody Staff Attorney will work with attorneys to assist in the litigation of Family Court Articles 5, 6 and 8 cases including matters of custody, visitation, family offense, guardianship and paternity. The Custody Staff Attorney will be expected to develop an understanding of the relevant law by attending trainings, facilitating trainings, and working with the Training and Legal Departments in order to carry out the following responsibilities: 

• Zealously represent parents in child protective proceedings in Bronx Family Court and litigate legal matters in any concurrent cases including custody, visitation, paternity, and family offense cases both orally and in writing

• Effectively communicate and negotiate with judges, children’s attorneys, and opposing parent attorneys on behalf of the parents we represent

• Assist parents in accessing appropriate resources and services to restore or maintain full parental rights
• Collaborate with social workers and parent advocates in the Family Defense Practice, as well as attorneys and advocates in the criminal defense, civil action and immigration practices on enmeshed issues that arise in other venues
• Collaborate to provide coverage for cases to ensure that all the needs of the people we represent are met
• Maintain case files and data in BxD’s case management system
• Provide consultation on custody, visitation, paternity, guardianship and family offense issues to both the Family Defense Practice as well as other practice areas

• Maintain a system to track the outcomes in custody, visitation, paternity, guardianship, and family offense cases

• Maintain in-house resources including, but not limited to, a bank of decisions and orders, research articles, expert lists, sample stipulations, model motions, reply briefs and other materials related to custody cases
• Provide mentorship to junior attorneys
• Supervise and train interns and externs

Collaborate with the Training Director to facilitate in-house trainings on matters related to custody, visitation, paternity and family offense proceedings

To be eligible, applicant must have: 

• Ability to practice in New York or ability to practice pro hac vice until they are admitted to the New York State Bar Association
• Minimum of one year of experience as an attorney in family law or related field 

Applicants must demonstrate: 

• Commitment to directly defending parents charged with abuse and/or neglect in custody, visitation, paternity, guardianship and family offense proceedings
• Experience working in and with racially, ethnically and socioeconomically marginalized communities targeted by systemic injustice
• Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate with people from various backgrounds, identities and experiences
• Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively with lawyers and non-lawyers
• Commitment to fierce advocacy, and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of the people we represent
• Effective research, writing, and courtroom advocacy skills
• Strong analytical skills and capacity to employ non-legal resources in cases
• Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high stakes environment
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles
• Ability to receive constructive feedback, demonstrate introspection and shift behavior accordingly
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters
• Commitment to raising one’s cultural consciousness and challenging oppressive practices on an interpersonal and institutional level
• Spanish language proficiency is highly desirable, but not required 

This is a hybrid position that will require at least 21 hours/week of in-person work, subject to union terms.

Salary is commensurate with experience. For candidates with 1-10 years of directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $82,574-$111,240. Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; and a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended.

Approximately 70% of The Bronx Defenders' staff, including attorneys and non-attorneys, are represented by UAW Local 2325 - Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (AFL-CIO). This position is within the bargaining unit.

This position is exempt. By law, nonexempt employees are compensated hourly based on their annual rate and therefore are entitled to over-time, whereas exempt employees are not. 

To apply, please click APPLY TO THIS JOB ONLINE and upload your resume and a cover letter in one document when prompted.  If you would prefer to send in a video or audio statement in lieu of a cover letter, you may upload your resume as a document and separately upload a video or audio statement instead of a cover letter. Your cover letter or video/audio statement should share why you want to do this work at our office, some key lived and/or professional experiences that have prepared you for this position, and any additional information you would like for us to consider. This information allows us to understand your distinct perspective, experience and potential beyond the work history summarized on your resume. Your cover letter may be up to one page if written or up to 3 minutes if an audio/video statement. If selected for the position, your resume will be used to determine your salary based on the number of years of directly relevant professional experience listed; we therefore encourage you to ensure your resume is up to date. Please remember that you may submit a written cover letter or an audio/video statement, but not both, and applications without either will not be considered.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through December 31, 2025 and decisions will be made as soon as an appropriate candidate is identified. Please contact Nicole Velazquez, Family Defense Practice Deputy Director, via email at nicolev@bronxdefenders.org regarding the position.

The Bronx Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a workplace that embraces staff with a diversity of backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We acknowledge the ways in which systemic oppression and injustice can undermine access to professional opportunities and are committed to conducting hiring and promotion processes that are equitable and accessible to those commonly excluded from the workforce. We do not discriminate against and in fact specifically encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, neurodivergent, and those directly impacted by criminal, civil, family, and immigration legal systems. We value lived as well as professional experience and particularly welcome applications from the Bronx community that we serve.