About Us - The Bronx Defenders

Mission and Story

Defending people, not cases

The Bronx Defenders was founded on a simple premise – that our job is to reimagine what a public defender office can, and should do, for the people we represent.

As public defenders, we know that the systems we fight are deeply rooted in racism, surveillance, and control. That’s why our work extends beyond the courtroom. We engage in community organizing, legislative advocacy, and proactive litigation, working with the people we represent to fight for structural change.

Since opening our doors in 1997, we have grown into an office serving nearly 20,000 Bronx residents each year. Every day, we confront and challenge the oppressive legal systems that criminalize poverty, separate families, and systematically target Black, Latine, immigrant, and low-income New Yorkers.

Holistic Defense

What makes our approach to advocacy unique and highly effective in delivering better outcomes for the people we represent is our nationally recognized model of holistic defense.

Holistic defense is a simple idea – that as public defenders, we should recognize people as whole people. Winning in the courts takes more than understanding the details and available evidence of a person’s case. It requires us to go beyond the confines of the legal system to which they have been subjected; to understand the conditions that led to their system involvement in the first place. And by getting to know them as spouses, as children, as family members – in short, as New Yorkers who want what we all want: safety, dignity, and the right to thrive – we can better help them fight their cases and win the futures they seek.

In practice, holistic defense looks like a circle of experts from across our organization who collaborate to fiercely defend every person who comes through our doors. That’s because a single arrest or interaction with government agencies can lead to a cascade of never-ending, perpetual punishment: an arrest for a drug charge can lead to a deportation case. A housing case can lead to a child welfare case. As a result, we tailor our legal defense and advocacy against the entire web of consequences that arise from legal system entanglement.

Board of Directors

Earl Ward, Esq.

Board Chair Partner, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady, LLC

A partner at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady, LLC, Mr. Ward is one of New York’s preeminent and most successful trial lawyers, with 26 years of experience as a criminal defense and civil rights attorney. Before joining Emery Celli Brinckerhoff and Abady, Mr. Ward had his own firm where he handled serious felony matters. Mr. Ward’s clients have spanned a broad spectrum, from indigent criminal defendants to high profile figures and corporate executives. Mr. Ward has lectured extensively on trial practice, including as guest lecturer at New York University School of Law, Cardozo Law School, and the United States District Court for the Southern District, Pro Se Trial Advocacy Program. In addition to his position on the Board of The Bronx Defender, Mr. Ward is also Chair of the Board of Housing Works, an organization committed to helping homeless men and women with HIV/AIDS, and Chair of the Board of Esperanza, an alternative to incarceration program for at risk adolescents.

Michael Bloch

Partner, Bloch & White LLP

Michael Bloch is an accomplished trial attorney who recently launched his own practice, Bloch & White LLP, which specializes in criminal defense, civil rights and commercial litigation. Michael was one of the lead attorneys in Sines v. Kessler, the federal civil rights lawsuit brought against the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who conspired to commit racially motivated violence in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017. The four-week jury trial resulted in a substantial judgment for Michael’s clients. Prior to launching Bloch & White LLP, Michael spent over seven years at the Bronx Defenders, where he was a supervisor in the Criminal Defense Practice, a member of the Homicide Practice Group, and served as a supervisor of the Investigations Practice. Michael also worked for three years as Counsel at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, as well as three years at Williams & Connolly LLP. Michael is a member of the faculty of Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop and the National Criminal Defense College. Michael graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he represented clients charged with crimes in Roxbury District Court as part of the Criminal Justice Institute. Before law school, he worked as a criminal defense investigator with the Public Defender Service in Washington, D.C. Michael has been a member of the New York City Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Operations Committee and Mass Incarceration Task Force. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, New York Daily News, Bloomberg Law, Law360, National Law Journal, The Champion and The Forward.

P. Benjamin Duke, Esq.

Board Treasurer
Partner, Covington & Burling LLP

As a litigation partner and a member of the Insurance Practice Group at Covington & Burling, LLP, Mr. Duke represents policyholders in a broad range of complex litigation, arbitration and advisory matters involving all types of insurance – from general liability to D&O, professional liability, and other specialized coverages. Mr. Duke has broad experience litigating both in state and federal courts and in numerous arbitration forums. He has advised and helped obtain significant insurance recoveries on behalf of clients in many industries, including the financial services, technology, energy and pharmaceutical industries. In addition to his insurance recovery experience, Mr. Duke has extensive trial experience representing financial institutions in the defense of securities-related claims and other financial disputes.

Nicole Smith Futrell

Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Defenders Clinic at CUNY School of Law

Nicole Smith Futrell is an Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Defenders Clinic at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, where she and her students represent clients in a variety of defense-related cases such as, state court misdemeanor matters, clemency and parole petitions, school suspension hearings, and conviction sealing applications. Prior to joining the faculty, Professor Smith Futrell was a staff attorney in the Criminal Defense Practice of the Bronx Defenders, where she litigated misdemeanor and felony cases and conducted criminal law trainings for new attorneys and local community groups. She has also worked as an advisor in the Center for Public Interest Law at Columbia University Law School. Professor Smith Futrell’s scholarship, which has been featured in both academic and popular publications, analyzes the relationship between social justice movements and the reform of criminal law and policy. She chairs the Law School Engagement Committee of the Black Public Defenders Association and serves on the Corrections Committee of the New York City Bar Association. Professor Smith Futrell holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University.

Christine Gooden

Vice President, Operational Risk and Strategy at BNP Paribas

Christine Gooden is Vice President, Operational Risk and Strategy at BNP Paribas. In this role, Christine is primarily responsible for management of audit activities impacting the Global Banking Americas business lines. Additionally, she is tasked with formalizing and directing the governance framework for regulatory topics impacting the businesses she covers. In her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Christine also serves as Co-Chair for the Black Organization for Leadership & Development (“BOLD”) Employee Resource Group at BNP. Christine has spent her professional career in the financial services industry, working in a number of different roles and functions, including, Community Relations, Business & Industry Practices and Regulatory Relations. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

Omar Khan

Partner, WilmerHale LLP

As a litigation partner and a member of the Appellate and Intellectual Property Litigation groups at WilmerHale, LLP, Mr. Khan represents clients in a broad range of complex and high-stakes intellectual property matters at the trial and appellate levels. He has successfully litigated some of the largest and most important intellectual property matters for today’s leaders in the biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, computer hardware and software, telecommunications and financial services industries. His courtroom experience includes jury and bench trials in federal district courts, PTAB proceedings, ITC proceedings, and domestic and international arbitrations. Mr. Khan also has an extensive pro bono practice for which he has received numerous awards and recognitions, including from the Federal Circuit Bar Association, MFY Legal Services and the New York State Bar Association.

Kyle Harris

Partner, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

Kyle A. Harris is a partner and member of the mergers and acquisitions group at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. He represents public and private companies and investors in domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other complex corporate transactions. He also regularly advises companies and their boards on fiduciary duties, corporate governance matters, and shareholder activism and takeover defense. He has been recognized in The Legal 500 in the M&A: Large Deals ($1bn+) category and named a “Rising Star” in M&A by Law360, The Deal, and Expert Guides. Kyle is also active in the firm’s pro bono practice and educational pipeline initiatives. He is a member of the New York State Attorney General’s Pro Bono Task Force for Reproductive Health and oversees Cleary’s partnership with the Washington Irving Campus of high schools.

Grace O’Donnell

Akin Gump Strauss Haure & Feld LLP.

Grace O’Donnell is counsel at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. She advises clients on a wide array of labor and employment matters, including employment-related disputes, internal investigations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. She also has experience conducting Title IX investigations. Grace received her B.A. from the College of William and Mary and her J.D. from the University of Virginia. She is an active member of the Labor & Employment Law Section of the American Bar Association.

Leke Osinubi

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Mr. Osinubi is chief risk officer for the Core Engineering business unit at Goldman Sachs, where he is responsible for technology risk governance and measurement. He also serves as co-chair of the Black Engineers Network. Previously, Mr. Osinubi managed the Technology Risk Measurement Operations team, responsible for risk and control services, internal and external audit management, and establishing analytics for anomaly detection and risk thematics. He joined Goldman Sachs as a vice president in 2012 and was named managing director in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, Leke worked as a senior manager in the Securities Technologies Practices Group at Accenture. Leke earned a B.S. in Computer Engineering and Information Systems Technology from Syracuse University in 2001.

Abbe Smith, Esq.

Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center

Professor Smith is Director of the Criminal Defense and Prisoner Advocacy Clinic, Co-Director of the E. Barrett Prettyman Fellowship Program, and Professor of Law at Georgetown University, where she has been on the faculty since 1996. Professor Smith teaches and writes on criminal defense, legal ethics, juvenile justice, and clinical legal education. In addition to numerous law journal articles, she has authored and co-authored several publications, including Case of a Lifetime: A Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Story, Understanding Lawyers’ Ethics, and Beyond the Rodney King Story: An Investigation of Police Conduct In Minority Communities. Professor Smith is actively engaged in indigent defense—as both a clinical supervisor and member of the Criminal Justice Act panel for the DC Superior Court—and frequently presents at public defender and legal aid training programs in the US and abroad.

David Patton

Partner at Hecker Fink LLP

David Patton is a partner at Hecker Fink LLP, who has represented hundreds of clients in federal and state courts during his 25-year career. David joined the firm after serving as Executive Director and Attorney-in-Chief of the Federal Defenders of New York for twelve years, in which time he oversaw the work of federal public defenders in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. David is also fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the American Law Institute. In addition to his work as a trial lawyer, David has testified before Congress on multiple occasions, served as the chair of the federal defender legislative committee, and was a member of the national committee that guides policy on behalf of federal defenders. David is currently an adjunct professor at New York University School of Law where he teaches a seminar on legal ethics.

Shaolee Sen

Head of Small Business in Global Philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase

Shaolee Sen serves as the Head of Small Business in Global Philanthropy, Corporate Responsibility, at JP Morgan Chase & Co. She is responsible for developing and implementing the firm’s small business philanthropic strategy, managing a national philanthropy portfolio, and fostering key relationships with business, government, and nonprofit leaders. The philanthropic strategy includes increasing small business owner access to the full capital stack, supply chains, and successful exits and/or acquisitions to foster business growth and entrepreneurship. Her previous roles include CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen, where she led the organization’s growth strategy, and Executive Vice President at Accion U.S. Network, where she ran national programs to support business coaching and capital for entrepreneurs. Early in her career, Shaolee co-founded the Family Defense Project at The Bronx Defenders, securing funding and designing interdisciplinary programs for holistic family defense in the justice system. She holds an MBA from the University of California Berkeley and a BA in Political Science and Women’s Studies from Barnard College.

Leadership Team

JUVAL O. SCOTT

JUVAL O. SCOTT is the executive director of The Bronx Defenders, a holistic public defense office. Immediately prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, she was the director of the National Sentencing Resource Counsel where she led a team of attorneys and a data specialist who formulated sentencing policy, engaged with the United States Sentencing Commission and other stakeholder agencies and organizations, and provided training and sentencing litigation support to federal defense practitioners throughout the country. She was also previously appointed by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to serve as the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Virginia. She has also taught Evidence, Fourth Amendment and Technology, and Criminal Procedure Adjudication as an adjunct professor at the Washington & Lee School of Law. Prior to her appointment as Federal Public Defender, she was an Attorney Advisor with the Training Division of the Defender Services Office in Washington, DC. Before joining the Training Division, she was an Assistant Federal Defender in the Milwaukee office of the Federal Defender Services of Wisconsin, Inc. and with the Indiana Federal Community Defenders in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Juval received her law degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, and she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana. She regularly teaches at local CJA panel trainings and programs sponsored by the Defender Services Office Training Division, as well as The National Criminal Defense College, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and their state affiliates, and other organizations dedicated to criminal legal and reform issues.

AMARAH SEDREDDINE

JAMARAH SEDREDDINE is General Counsel at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Amarah provides comprehensive legal counsel and strategic guidance to the organization. She is informed in this work by her extensive expertise advising nonprofit organizations developed over the course of her career in the public sector and combines a deep rigor and knowledge of the law with a uniquely practical and personal approach. Prior to founding Sedreddine & Whoriskey, LLP, Amarah held roles as outside corporate counsel to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, assistant general counsel at the Vera Institute of Justice, and associate general counsel at The New York Community Trust. She started her career at Morrison & Foerster, LLP, in its corporate and M&A practice groups, before moving to the Mann Legal Group, LLC, where she focused her practice exclusively on providing corporate counsel to tax-exempt organizations. Amarah also currently chairs the Government Relations Council of Nonprofit New York, where she engages with law- and policymakers on matters of relevance to the nonprofit sector, and served as Chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Nonprofit Organizations Committee from 2019-2022. Amarah graduated from Princeton University and New York University School of Law, eventually serving as co-faculty of its Business Law and Transactions Clinic, supervising the work of third-year law students providing pro bono legal services to tax-exempt organizations. Amarah is admitted to practice in New York.

ANN MATHEWS

ANN MATHEWS is the Managing Director of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Ann oversees the organization’s advocacy on behalf of people who are arrested on state criminal charges in the Bronx. Before joining The Bronx Defenders, Ann clerked for the Honorable M. Blane Michael of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and spent several years as a Litigation Associate at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York. Ann graduated magna cum laude from New York University School of Law. While at NYU, she participated in the New York Capital Defender Clinic and was an Articles Editor for the NYU Law Review. She also received a graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University. Before attending law school, Ann worked as a Legislative Assistant on Capitol Hill and spent a year in Lusaka, Zambia working on a public health project. Ann received her undergraduate degree from Columbia, where she majored in Middle Eastern Languages and Culture.

ANTHONY CHIARITO

ANTHONY CHIARITO is the Managing Director of Strategic Communications at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Anthony oversees the organization’s media relations, digital engagement, and narrative change strategies to advance The Bronx Defenders’ legal defense and advocacy priorities. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, Anthony oversaw communications for immigration advocacy at the Vera Institute of Justice. There he helped lead a coalition that stopped the Biden administration from terminating the Flores regulations and supported the launch of a national campaign for immigrant rights. Before that, he was a Communications and Legislative Director in the New York City Council where he supported efforts to close Rikers Island without new jails, stop the expansion of surveillance through the IDNYC, and pass first-in-the-nation labor protections for deliveristas. A native Spanish speaker, Anthony earned an MA from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs, and a BA from The Johns Hopkins University.

BRITTANY MCCOY

BRITTANY MCCOY is the Managing Director of Policy at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Brittany directs the organization’s policy advocacy, which includes developing solutions to legal entanglement, coalition building, legislative drafting and consulting, lobbying, advocating to the media, testifying before legislative bodies, and serving on bar committees and task forces. She is also a champion for social, political, and economic equality as the National Vice Chairwoman of the National Black Action Committee. Brittany’s passion for activism and politics was birthed in the 10th grade during the heights of both the movement to end unconstitutional Stop and Frisk tactics in New York City and the fight for justice in the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Prior to her management role, Brittany served as a policy associate and Interim Director of Policy at The Bronx Defenders. Before that, Brittany worked in the office of U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as a Congressional aide and served as a legislative intern to two New York City Council members. Brittany is a graduate of Virginia State University and holds a BA in Political Science with a minor in Pre-Law. While at Virginia State University, Brittany served as Senior and Junior class president and promoted millennial civic engagement as the Connection chair of the Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

EMMA KETTERINGHAM

EMMA KETTERINGHAM started at The Bronx Defenders as a criminal defense attorney and is now the Managing Director of the Family Defense Practice. In this role, Emma supervises attorneys, social workers, and parent advocates who represent parents accused of child abuse and neglect and are facing possible termination of parental rights. Emma also participates in numerous court-based and independent coalitions to develop pro-family policies and practices in New York City. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, Emma worked as the Director of Legal Advocacy for National Advocates for Pregnant Women where she was counsel and strategist on criminal and civil cases at the intersection of the wars on women and drugs. She has also worked as a litigation associate at Lansner and Kubitschek, where she represented parents and children in civil rights actions in state and federal court, and at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where she worked on complex civil litigation. Emma is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. Upon graduation, she clerked first in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine and then at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Emma holds a BA in Political Science from Trinity College.

CAROLYN STRUDWICK

CAROLYN STRUDWICK is the Managing Director of Social Work at The Bronx Defenders. A social worker with over 27 years of experience working with homeless and at-risk youth, Carolyn oversees the organization’s social workers, who are essential members of our holistic defense teams, working alongside attorneys and advocates to develop strategies grounded in each person’s circumstances, strengths, and goals. Carolyn approaches the work with a social justice-harm reduction framework utilizing a trauma-informed and anti-oppression lens to address structural and institutional racism. Carolyn began her career in social services as an Outreach Worker and Case Manager at Safe Horizon’s Youth Program, the Streetwork Project. She then worked as Associate Vice-President for youth programs while serving on the organization’s Program and Senior Team. In this role, Carolyn developed an anti-oppression framework and Transformative Justice approach to address violence and abuse in youth. Carolyn has been a prominent voice and figure in the Runaway and Homeless Youth Movement, serving on various advocacy groups, such as the Coalition for Homeless Youth; providing testimony to City Council; and advocating for legislation and policy around the needs of youth. As a Harm Reductionist, she champions the rights of drug users and sex workers. She also participates in the Downstate Racial Justice Committee which reviews policies and legislation brought to the larger Downstate legislative body from Albany to ensure there are no racial impacts on communities of color. Carolyn graduated from Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work, where she earned an MA in Social Work specializing in Community Organizing and Planning. She serves as an Adjunct Professor in the social work department at Hunter College.

JAIRO SANTANA

JAIRO SANTANA is the Director of Information Technology at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Jairo oversees the organization’s case management and information technology systems, manages data security and risk, and evaluates and develops new information systems and processes to better serve the people of the Bronx. Jairo graduated from Devry College with a Bachelors in Information Systems. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, he held consultant roles in web development, overseeing the production of numerous successful websites. He has previous experience working in non-profits and helping organizations achieve their stated goals. In addition to his degree, Jairo holds various technical certifications and has a background in graphic design and media.

JESUS INFANTE

JESUS INFANTE is Chief Operating Officer at The Bronx Defenders. He joined the organization in 2009 and brings his depth of experience, technical skill, and management capabilities to his current position where he is responsible for overseeing all organizational operations, from data security to facility operations, to evaluating and developing new processes to better serve the Bronx. Jesus did his undergraduate studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Daytona State University in engineering and business administration. He has held several leadership positions working as an information systems manager, project manager, senior business analyst, and consultant. Jesus is a member of the CIO Summit, an elite group of top information technology executives who focus on excellence in advancing Technology. He has also received a certificate of achievement in non-profit leadership from Fordham University and currently holds multiple certifications from the Project Management Institute in recognition of his work as a portfolio manager across the last decade; specifically, modifying the case management system to reflect a holistic approach to representation.

LIJO VARGHESE

LIJO VARGHESE is the Chief Financial Officer at The Bronx Defenders.

KARLA OSTOLAZA

KARLA OSTOLAZA is the Managing Director of the Immigration Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Karla oversees the legal defense and advocacy of immigrant New Yorkers, including as part of the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP), the first universal representation program for immigrants in the country. Prior to joining the management team, Karla supervised a staff of attorneys and paralegals representing people in detained removal proceedings through NYIFUP, provided immigration advice to people with pending criminal and family court matters, and assisted community members with their immigration cases through community intake. Karla also worked at the Legal Aid Society and was an Immigrant Justice Corps fellow. She received her JD from Cardozo School of Law and holds a BA in Art History from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras.

MARTERRA WALKER

MARTERRA WALKER is the Managing Director of Administration at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Marterra oversees the organization’s administrative services, which range from investigators, paralegals, and case managers embedded within our holistic defense teams, to other support roles that aid our advocacy such as translation services. Marterra comes to The Bronx Defenders with an extensive administrative background and commitment to furthering The Bronx Defender’s mission of providing high-quality legal defense. She has always had an unwavering commitment to social justice and uplifting marginalized communities. During her free time, Marterra mentors college students in the foster care system through the non-profit Of Home, Family, and Future. She holds a degree in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Law and Due Process from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

PAULETTE FORTE

PAULETTE FORTE is Chief People and Equity Officer at The Bronx Defenders. As CPEO, Paulette leads all human resources and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the organization to ensure staff are provided with the same level of fierce dedication to their talents, growth, and well-being as they serve the people of the Bronx. Her rich career developing and leading People and Talent capabilities began in counseling adults and adolescents in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings and college counseling centers. After her clinical experience, she transitioned into administrative roles in health and human service agencies in New York City. Paulette has also worked in a variety of industries including media, entertainment, sports, and marketing. Paulette has a BA in Psychology from Prairie View A&M University, an MS in Counseling from The State University of New York at Albany, and a PhD in Psychology from Columbia University.

RUNA RAJAGOPAL

RUNA RAJAGOPAL is the Managing Director of the Civil Action Practice at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Runa oversees the organization’s advocacy on behalf of Bronx residents who are at risk of losing their jobs, homes, income, property, and basic civil rights. Prior to joining The Bronx Defenders, Runa was a Senior Staff Attorney for the Mental Health Law Project at MFY Legal Services, Inc. where she worked for over five and half years representing mental health consumers in the areas of fair and affordable housing, income preservation, consumer defense, family law and disability rights in various administrative forms and in city, state and federal courts in New York. Runa was also a Fellow in the Marshall-Brennan Literacy Project and forged her commitment to public interest and civil rights by working at such organizations as the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center and Mehri & Skalet, PLLC. Runa received her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Communication from the State University of New York at Geneseo. Runa received her JD from the Washington College of Law, American University where she was a student attorney in the Civil Practice Clinic and received an award as Outstanding Clinical Student.

ROBYN MAR

ROBYN MAR is Deputy Executive Director at The Bronx Defenders. In this capacity, Robyn oversees the office’s direct service practice areas, including criminal defense, family defense, immigration, social work, and advocacy in housing, employment, and other civil matters. Beforehand, Robyn served in a variety of roles in the Criminal Defense Practice, including as a staff attorney, practice supervisor, Director of Early Advocacy, Deputy Managing Director and interdisciplinary Training Team Leader. Robyn has also taught Persuasion and Advocacy at Seton Hall University School of Law as an adjunct professor. Robyn graduated from New York University School of Law and Columbia University. At NYU, Robyn participated in the Juvenile Defender Clinic, representing children in the Bronx, and the Capital Defender Clinic; served as an Executive Editor of the Review of Law & Social Change; and was a teaching assistant for the late Professor Derrick Bell.

TRISHA TRIGILIO

TRISHA TRIGILIO is the Director of Impact Litigation at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, Trisha oversees the organization’s efforts to identify, develop, and litigate challenges to systemic violations and injustices that affect the communities we represent, including racially discriminatory policing, government seizure of property, lack of access to counsel and due process rights, curtailment of parental rights in family court proceedings, and immigration abuses. Prior to this role, Trisha was a senior staff attorney with the Criminal Law Reform Project at the ACLU, where she led its national litigation on bail reform, pretrial release, and the right to counsel at first appearance. Before that, Trisha was a senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas and an instructor at the University of Texas School of Law Civil Rights Clinic. Her prior work includes litigation successfully challenging criminalization of homelessness, debtors’ prison, and inhumane prison conditions. Trisha was a law clerk for the Honorable J. Paul Oetken and the Office of Pro Se Litigation in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is a graduate of New York University College of Arts and Science and New York University School of Law.

WESLEY CAINES

WESLEY CAINES is a Bronx native and the Deputy Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. As Deputy Executive Director, Wesley oversees the organization’s mission to redefine public defense by leveraging its nationally recognized and groundbreaking model of holistic defense to not only zealously represent low-income people in Bronx criminal, family, immigration, and civil courts, but to help prevent people from ending up in the legal system altogether. His nearly twelve-year career in public defense started with his development of an innovative Records Accuracy Project (R.A.P.) at the Brooklyn Defender Services, which enlisted local area law students to identify and correct RAP Sheet errors. At The Bronx Defenders, he has founded several of the organization’s most important projects, including the Community Engagement Team, the Bronx Leadership & Organizing Center (BLOC), and the Bronx Cannabis Hub. Through his leadership, The Bronx Defenders also restructured and built out its policy, communications, impact litigation, and community engagement work. A graduate of Bard College and New York Theological Seminary, Wesley is frequently invited to speak across the country and sits on nearly a dozen Boards where he lends his expertise and exceptional personal journey to empower underserved communities as they become creative self-advocates for social change.

Financials

The Bronx Defenders is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In adherence to transparency standards, our recent and past Financial Statements and IRS Form 990 filings are available for public viewing. For more information about The Bronx Defenders, please contact us at (718) 838-7878.

IRS Form 990

Audited Financial Statements

Careers

Join Our Team

We are always looking for dedicated, passionate, and innovative people who are willing to represent the people of the Bronx, or advocate for their interests beyond the courtroom. Check out the positions or internships that are currently available at The Bronx Defenders.

Learn more