The Bronx Defenders responds to US Attorney report on deplorable conditions facing adolescents at Rikers Island
The Bronx Defenders condemns the conditions adolescents at Rikers Island are being held in and the treatment they are subjected to as outlined in the August 4, 2014 report by United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Barara. For too long, the city of New York has neglected adolescents involved in the…
The Bronx Defenders joined partners at City Hall today to demand police accountability
“There is no excuse for an illegal chokehold by the NYPD. We need policing FOR our communities, not against them.” -Donna Lieberman, Executive Director, New York Civil Liberties Union Earlier today, The Bronx Defenders rallied together with community allies at a press conference hosted by Communities United for Police Reform at City Hall to demand accountability for…
Hitting the court at the annual BXD Interns vs. Staff basketball game!
Taking a step back from the daily fight in and outside of the courtroom for our clients and their families, Bronx Defenders staff and summer interns hit the court this week to test their skills on the court at our annual Interns vs. Staff basketball game. Regarding the winner…the jury is still out.
The 2014 Holistic Defense for Public Defender Offices Technical Assistance Project
The Center for Holistic Defense at The Bronx Defenders The 2014 Holistic Defense for Public Defender Offices Technical Assistance Project Request For Proposals The Center for Holistic Defense, a project of The Bronx Defenders, is pleased to announce the release of its fifth annual Technical Assistance Project Request For Proposals seeking applications from public defender…
Watch Robin Steinberg’s Keynote Speech from Yale Law School’s 2014 RebLaw Conference
“We need to intervene more deeply, involve ourselves more broadly, and understand the lives of our clients more fully. We need to fight on behalf of individuals but we need to also mobilize communities to be warriors in the broader struggle of social and racial justice.” Bronx Defenders Executive Director Robin Steinberg gave an inspiring keynote speech…
The New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges
June 26, 2014 The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 RE: Sign S7883/A10139 to Add 25 More Family Court Judges Dear Governor Cuomo: The Bronx Defenders is a proud member of the New York State Coalition for More Family Court Judges. We urge you to…
The Bronx Defenders is Issuing a Call for Proposals for Civil Forfeiture Video Project
Request for Proposals Civil Forfeiture Video Project Submission Date: July 2, 2014 Organization Overview The Bronx Defenders is a community-based, multi-service legal organization dedicated to addressing the underlying problems of poverty in the Bronx by providing innovative, holistic, and client-centered criminal defense, family defense, civil legal services, and social services to indigent Bronx residents. Our…
Join us for The Bronx Defenders 2014 Summer Benefit on July 15th!
SAVE THE DATE The Bronx Defenders invites you to the 2014 SUMMER BENEFIT The South Cabana at The Maritime Hotel Tuesday, July 15th | 7:00 pm | 88 Ninth Avenue, New York City (entrance is at the corner of 16th Street & Ninth Avenue) Please join us on this summer evening to enjoy cocktails and…
A Celebration of Families!
Last week we hosted our annual Celebration of Families night to honor our clients who have been reunited with their children after arduous battles in Bronx Family Court. The evening provided our clients and their families an opportunity to share their stories, connect with one another, and take a moment to celebrate their perseverance after a difficult and…
The Bronx Defenders’ Skylar Albertson Delivers Testimony at Solitary Confinement Hearing
On Thursday, June 12th, 2014, The Bronx Defenders’ Skylar Albertson delivered testimony at the Joint Meeting of the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services and the Committee on Mental Health, Development Disability, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Disability Services Solitary Confinement Hearing. Since January, Albertson and Social Work Intern Leah Baez have conducted 23 interviews with…
The Bronx Defenders Joins Rally to Demand Justice in Housing Court!
The Bronx Defenders joined Council Member Mark Levine and the Coalition for Justice in Housing Court on the steps of City Hall on Thursday, June 11th, to rally for the “Right to Counsel” in Housing Court. A total of 246,864 New Yorkers were served with eviction papers in 2013. Nearly 99% of these tenants were…
Brooklyn middle school students visit BXD to practice their trial skills
Yesterday afternoon The Bronx Defenders welcomed a group of 20 middle schoolers from the LAUNCH Expeditionary Learning Charter School in Brooklyn to our Justice Campus to read aloud closing arguments they had prepared and to receive feedback from a panel of Bronx Defenders attorneys and summer interns. The students’ field trip was inspired by their reading of Walter…
Annual Celebration of Families | June 13, 2014
On June 13, 2014, The Bronx Defenders will host our Fourth Annual Celebration of Families, honoring our clients who have reunited with their children after being separated by foster care. In the spirit of National Reunification Month, a time designated by the American Bar Association to reflect upon the innumerable value of reunifying fragmented families, the Celebration of Families is…
Join us to discuss marijuana decriminalization legislation!
Join us Monday, June 9th at 5pm at The Bronx Defenders Justice Campus for a community event to discuss the introduction a new marijuana decriminalization bill. The Bronx Defenders, together with VOCAL New York and the Drug Policy Alliance, are hosting this event to mobilize Bronx residents and brainstorm how community members can help support this important legislation. Click here to…
Focus on Fathers’ Family Night Out at Yankee Stadium
On Friday, May 30, 2014, 100 Bronx Defenders clients who are fathers visited Yankee Stadium together with their children to see the New York Yankees host the Minnesota Twins. The tickets were donated to The Bronx Defenders’ Focus on Fathers program by the New York Yankees organization. The evening offered a chance for these Bronx…
The Bronx Defenders welcomes our 2014 summer interns!
We are very excited to welcome our summer 2014 interns today! Over the course of the next 10 weeks, 52 law school students and 15 college students from over 25 different schools will work together with attorneys and advocates in our Family Defense Practice, Criminal Defense Practice, Civil Action Practice, Immigration Practice, Policy & Community…
Robin Steinberg to speak on Bureau of Justice Assistance conference panel about holistic defense in tribal justice systems.
Robin Steinberg, Founder and Executive Director of The Bronx Directors, will speak on a panel at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance conference “A Collaborative Approach to Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance in Tribal Justice Systems” in Washington State next Tuesday, May 27th. The panel will explore the holistic defense model and…
The Bronx Defenders Completes its 2014 Defenders’ Academy Spring Training Program!
Today wrapped up the sixth and final day The Bronx Defenders 2014 Defenders’ Academy Spring Training! Over the course of the past week, 78 participants from over 20 different organizations – ranging from public defender offices to private firms to the U.S. military – have participated in an intensive trial skills program designed to strengthen…
Join us at Theater of the Oppressed NYC’s Upcoming 2nd Annual Festival of Forum and Legislative Theater!
Join The Bronx Defenders, together with a host of other partners, on May 29 & 31 for Theater of the Oppressed NYC‘s 2nd Annual Festival of Forum and Legislative Theater Can’t Get Right: Investigating Racism and Profiling in the Criminal Justice System. (more…)
Devastating Impact of the Housing Crisis in the Bronx
Accessible and affordable housing is a critical issue confronting many of our clients here at The Bronx Defenders. With nearly 30% of the individuals and families in this borough living under the poverty line, many Bronx residents struggle to meet basic needs and maintain stability in their daily lives. In response, our Civil Action Practice focuses…
The Bronx Defenders Hosts Its Second Annual Youth Justice Summit!
This week The Bronx Defenders hosted our 2nd Annual Youth Justice Summit! The Summit brought together at our Justice Campus over 100 students from 5 different schools to participate in a series of 12 workshops facilitated by our allies at The Point, Drug Policy Alliance, the Juvenile Justice Project, and the Justice Committee. Students from…
Advocates from Across the U.S. Gather to Discuss Holistic Defense
Last week The Bronx Defenders invited fellow public defenders and advocates from 24 organizations – including 18 public defender offices – across the U.S. to its first Holistic Defense round table. The two-day gathering represented the first opportunity to convene in one room a group of innovators and trailblazers who are challenging traditional criminal justice…
The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project Draws Attention
A recent article in Congressional Quarterly, by Christina Carr, highlights the effectiveness of The Bronx Defenders’ New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) and its potential for scalability. The pilot project, which started late last year with funding from the New York City Council, is the first institutionally-provided public defender program in the country for immigrants…
Keith Baumann Led Training on Defending Termination of Parental Rights Cases
This week, Bronx Defenders Family Defense Attorney Keith Baumann, in collaboration with Brooklyn Defender Services, led a training at Legal Services NYC on defending termination of parental rights (TPR) cases based on permanent neglect.
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The Bronx Defenders’ Mark Sedlander Speaks with Harlem High Schoolers about a Career in the Law
Last week, Criminal Defense Attorney Mark Sedlander joined forces with Harlem Village Academies (HVA) at their High School Career Fair to talk to teens about what it’s like to be a lawyer. HVA’s Student Development Manager shared feedback from several high schoolers following the fair who mentioned Mark’s table as a stand-out; they were thrilled…