The Bronx Defenders (BxD), an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx, seeks experienced civil rights litigators to join our Impact Litigation 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. We run two legal clinics at NYC law schools and train public defenders from one end of the country to the next on how to move to a holistic model of representation. 

Impact Litigation 

Our Impact Litigation Practice (ILP) litigates proactive challenges to systemic injustices our clients face. We collaborate with defenders in each BxD practice area to identify litigation and other advocacy projects that will have the greatest practical impact on strengthening our clients’ defense and preventing further legal system involvement. Our current slate of projects includes challenges to the NYPD’s flagrant misuse of sealed arrest records, racially discriminatory policing through an arbitrary gangs database, racially discriminatory family policing by ACS, arbitrary immigration detention, and inhumane conditions of confinement in immigration detention. 

• Litigation and Advocacy 

• Investigate law enforcement and legal system practices; recommend strategies (litigation or otherwise) to achieve ILP’s strategic priorities 

• Litigate civil rights cases in state and federal court, both as cocounsel and as lead counsel 

• Represent BxD in advocacy coalitions and in the media 

• Draft non-litigation advocacy materials such as documentary reports 

• Staff Development 

• Help hire and onboard staff and interns 

• Support professional development of less experienced staff and interns 

Candidates must have: 

• Admission to practice law in New York or qualification for admission on motion 

• The following civil litigation experience in New York State court or federal court: 

• Investigating and drafting complaints/petitions 

• Primary authorship of briefs on dispositive motions or preliminary injunctions 

• Oral argument, preferably on dispositive motions or preliminary injunctions 

• Drafting discovery demands, negotiating discovery disputes with opposing counsel, and/or taking depositions 

• Drafting settlement demands or mediation statements, and/or engaging in substantive settlement discussions with a mediator or opposing counsel 

• Strong public speaking skills, specifically regarding legal systems confronting BxD clients 

ILP has a strong preference for candidates who have: 

• Experience representing plaintiffs in civil rights cases  

• Experience managing cases as lead counsel 

• Knowledge of legal protections specific to BxD clients: rights of New Yorkers that intersect with criminal defense, family defense, eviction defense, immigration defense, property seizure, and reentry issues 

• Experience developing legal strategies in coalition with other advocates and/or organizations of people directly impacted by the issues you seek to confront 

• Demonstrated success in achieving meaningful change through legal advocacy 

Compensation 

Salary is commensurate with experience.  For candidates with a minimum of 5 years of directly relevant experience, the salary for this position is approximately $91,000.00, for candidates with 10 years of experience the salary is approximately $109,000. 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. 

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 overtime, whereas exempt employees are not. 

Application 

The priority deadline for applications is Friday, July 11. You may apply after July 11 so long as this posting remains live. 

To apply, please click APPLY TO THIS JOB ONLINE and upload your resume and cover letter in one document. Include in your cover letter why you want to do this work at our office, as well as a list of three to five matters in which you have been lead counsel or held significant responsibility. For each matter, please briefly list the specific tasks you were responsible for (e.g. investigation, research, drafting, oral argument, discovery, trial, appeal, settlement) and the impact of your advocacy. 

Your resume will be used to determine your salary based on the number of years of directly relevant professional experience and should include all relevant professional experience. Applications without a written cover letter will not be considered.   

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