The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks passionate third-year (3L) law students committed to public defense to join our Criminal Defense, Family Defense, Civil Action and Immigration Practices as Pro Bono Scholarsfor Spring 2025.    The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxDseeks thoughtful, creativeindividuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally-recognizedmodel of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.    Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family regulation, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.    The Pro Bono Scholars Program    The Pro Bono Scholars Program represents a partnership among the Judiciary, law schools, and the profession with the goal of revitalizing the legal education system to adapt to our society’s changing needs. This new option in legal education better assists students in preparing for the actual practice of law, impresses upon them the value of public service at the start of their careers, and provides much-needed assistance to those of limited means.     Students who are accepted into the Pro Bono Scholars Program will spend 12 weeks working full-time in a pro bono placement, while also completing an academic component at their law school. Students will have the opportunity to develop quality mentorships and receive invaluable practical training under the supervision of both a practicing lawyer and a faculty member. Students who complete the program will also be permitted to take the New York Bar Examination in February of their final year of study before they graduate. Seehere for more information from the New York Courts.     Pro Bono Scholars will assist Attorneys in every aspect of representation, including:    - preparing for hearings and trials  - interviewing witnesses and the people we represent  - conducting legal research  - writing legal motionsand memoranda  - developing and reviewing evidence  - Participating in KYR presentation and supporting community-based litigation and advocacy  - connecting the people we represent with resources, and  - representing people in court, pursuant to the Student Practice Order      Pro Bono Scholars will also have the opportunity toobserve or co-counsel cases in venues, including Criminal Court, Civil Court, Family Court, Immigration Court and Administrative Hearings. You can find more information about our specific practice areas below. 

The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks a passionate administrative professional with a commitment to social justice to fill a position as People & Culture Generalist.     The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that works to radically transform how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of almost 400 includes criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, team administrators, organizers, mentors, and communications specialists who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.   Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.   People & Culture Formerly known as Human Resources, People & Culture (P&C) is part of the broader department of People, Equity & Institutional Transformation (PEIT) and is expanding and evolving in response to the organization's growth and development. In collaboration with the Recruiting & Hiring and Anti-Oppression Teams, the department of P&C aims to establish and implement equitable policies, practices, and sustainable support for our diverse staff from recruitment to retention. We work on all matters related to employee benefits, leave, accessibility and accommodations, conflict, complaints, discipline, performance support, personnel matters, onboarding, offboarding, information verification, and compliance with workplace regulations. The P&C Department is undergoing a process of reassessment, reformation and rebuilding and seeks an experienced Generalist to join a dedicated, dynamic, and innovative team in a period of growth. Currently reporting to the People & Culture Director, the People and Culture Generalist will work on benefits administration, employee relations, payroll, retention, compensation, labor and employment law, and regulatory compliance. The person in this role should be a resource to staff providing them with proper guidance, support and expertise on these matters.

The Bronx Defenders (BxD) – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks passionate law graduates and entry-level attorneys with a commitment to public defense to join our Family Defense, Criminal Defense, Immigration and Civil Action Practices beginning Fall 2025.   The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we represent.   Each year, we defend nearly 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We partner with the people we represent and communities we work to launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.   Training Team   Training Team attorneys participate in several weeks of intensive, interdisciplinary training to learn about all aspects of holistic representation, including litigation skills and client and community engagement through an anti-oppressive lens that analyzes how the legal system impacts marginalized communities and the community we work with. Following this training period, staff participate in trainings to sharpen their advocacy skills, raise their cultural consciousness, and enhance their collaboration with colleagues and the people we represent. For the 2025 Training Team, BxD will be hiring law graduates and attorneys to join the Criminal Defense, Family Defense, Immigration and Civil Action Practices. More information regarding the specific practice areas can be found below.

The Bronx Defenders (BxD)—an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx—seeks passionate second-year (2L) law students committed to public defense to join our Criminal Defense, Family Defense, Immigration Defense, Civil Action, and Impact Litigation Practices for our 2025 Legal Summer Internship Program.   The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally-recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.   Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.   The Bronx Defenders 2025 Legal Summer Internship   Over a period of 10 weeks, The Bronx Defenders Legal Summer Internship provides a unique opportunity for interns to receive extensive training in various legal disciplines and play an integral role in holistic defense. Legal interns receive a comprehensive orientation with an introduction to all of our interdisciplinary practice areas and special projects; technical skill training and simulations; and anti-oppression workshops. Our legal interns gain invaluable client interactions, participate in a summer-long intensive legal skills training series, and may have the opportunity to advocate for the people we represent in legal settings on the record at their supervisors’ discretion.   Criminal Defense Practice   The Criminal Defense Practice (CDP) at The Bronx Defenders consists of over 150 attorneys, investigators, social workers, legal advocates, practice associates, and administrators who provide comprehensive criminal defense representation to people in the Bronx facing police and criminal legal system involvement. Through a client-centered approach, our CDP legal teams strive to gain a deeper understanding of the circumstances and priorities of the people we represent. Armed with that understanding, they fight for desired outcomes by strategically raising personalized, persuasive arguments in mitigation, negotiations, and litigation. Candidates for this practice must demonstrate an interest in defending individuals charged with criminal offenses.   Civil Action Practice   Our Civil Action Practice (CAP) provides comprehensive legal services to the people we represent and their families 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. Candidates for this practice must demonstrate an interest in defending individuals civil rights in areas concerning, but not limited to, housing, benefits, and employment matters.      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. Candidates for this practice must demonstrate an interest in defending parents charged with abuse and/or neglect with the goal of reunifying families.   Immigration Practice   Twenty years ago, The Bronx Defenders developed the model of integrated criminal defense and immigration representation. Our immigration work closely with non-citizens throughout the pendency of their cases in both Criminal and Family Court to avoid and mitigate negative immigration consequences that may arise from those cases. Our Immigration staff represent people in deportation proceedings in both detained and non-detained settings, provide affirmative immigration services, and pursue community-based litigation and advocacy aimed at transforming unforgiving anti-immigrant federal laws and policy. The Immigration Practice consists of approximately 60 staff members including attorneys, social workers, legal advocates, and administrators.   Since 2013, our immigration attorneys have also worked as assigned counsel at the Varick Street Immigration Court under the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP), the first-ever universal representation project in immigration court. Candidates for this practice must demonstrate an interest in defending non-citizens charged with criminal offenses in immigration proceedings.   Impact Litigation Practice   The Impact Litigation Practice (ILP) is a collaborative civil rights division at The Bronx Defenders that uses civil litigation strategies to advance and strengthen the rights of the people we represent. ILP works closely with direct services staff to identify widespread injustices affecting the people we represent and leverage civil legal tools—from demand letters to class action lawsuits—to redress and end those injustices. ILP’s work covers varied civil rights issues, including but not limited to racial and economic inequity, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, and fundamental freedoms. ILP’s approach to civil rights litigation—from the cases we choose to work on to the change we advance—is guided by engagement with the communities we work with, lessons learned in our direct services representation, and a commitment to supporting movements for BIPOC rights Candidates for this practice must . demonstrate an interest in social justice and systemic change, and possess strong research, writing, and data collection skills.

The Bronx Defenders (BxD) – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks a passionate advocate with a commitment to social justice to fill a staff attorney position in the Civil Action Practice.   The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 450 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally-recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.   Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, child welfare, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities that we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.   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.