Category: Press Statements

August 7, 2026 Bronx, NY – The Bronx Defenders and its unionized staff have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract. The agreement will now go to union members for a ratification vote.  Juval O. Scott, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders, issued the following statement:  “I am thrilled that we have found a path forward. As […]

August 6, 2026 Bronx, NY – After more than 14 hours of bargaining over two days, the union accepted separate salary scales for attorneys and social workers, resolving a central issue in negotiations. The Bronx Defenders then agreed to meet the union’s proposed salary scale for administrative and support staff, increased social worker salaries again, and preserved […]

August 3, 2026 The Bronx, NY – Today marks one week since unionized staff at The Bronx Defenders began a strike. The Bronx Defenders’ latest offer raises pay across every staff role and expands benefits throughout the organization. The union’s representatives rejected this offer.  Juval O. Scott, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders, issued the following statement:  “As we […]

July 30, 2026 Bronx, NY – Yesterday, in an effort to curtail the 3-day long strike, The Bronx Defenders returned to the bargaining table and presented a revised proposal that builds on substantial salary and benefit increases already offered across every staff role. The union rejected the proposal and submitted a counterproposal. Juval O. Scott, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders, issued the following statement: […]

July 27, 2026 The Bronx, NY – Today, unionized staff at The Bronx Defenders began a strike after the parties were unable to reach a tentative agreement. In response, Juval O. Scott, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders, issued the following statement:  “Everyone at The Bronx Defenders is a public defender. Attorneys, social workers, investigators, interpreters, benefits […]

June 9, 2026 Bronx, NY – Today, The Bronx Defenders filed a federal lawsuit to stop officials from bringing back a program that gives New York City Family Court judges unlimited discretion to “ask” parents to urinate for a drug test in front of court staff. The program is called “voluntary,” but for parents facing the threat of […]

BRONX, N.Y., June 8, 2026. The Bronx Cannabis Hub, a project of The Bronx Defenders, today submitted comments to the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) on its review of the adult-use cannabis regulations. The comments call for reform in five areas where the current rules fall hardest on small and equity-licensed dispensaries: credit […]

March 19, 2026 Albany, NY – At a moment when New York is grappling with how to keep families together and protect people from a federal deportation agenda that seeks to tear them apart, advocates, directly impacted families, public defenders, and lawmakers rallied today at the New York State Capitol to demand passage of the […]

(NEW YORK, NY) — The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, The Bronx Defenders, and New York County Defender Services issued the following statement on today’s national Day of Action for Public Defense, in response to San Francisco Chief Public Defender Mano Raju — who was recently held in contempt […]

NEW YORK CITY – On April 14, The Bronx Defenders filed a petition against New York City’s Department of Correction for unlawfully denying a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request investigating systemic violations of incarcerated people’s constitutional right to counsel at Rikers Island. “The DOC’s own records show that Rikers staff interfere with our clients’ […]