About the Social Work Edition
Defenders Academy is The Bronx Defenders’ flagship training program. This fall, we are we are proud to launch a dedicated Social Work Edition designed specifically for social workers, parent advocates, and other non-attorney advocates in similar roles defense teams.
This program will focus on strengthening oral advocacy skills inside and outside the courtroom, deepening interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting client-centered, trauma-informed practice. Participants will engage in hands-on workshops, simulation-based learning, and expert-led sessions developed with defense social work values and ethics at the core.
Key Program Details
🗓 Dates: November 17- 21, 2025
📍 Location: LAS Training Headquarters, 55 Water Street, 36th Floor, Manhattan, NY
🍽 Meals: Breakfast and lunch provided daily
🏨 Lodging: Hotel block reserved nearby
💸 Tuition: $1,700 per attendee
Training Tracks
This year’s Social Work Edition will feature four interdisciplinary focus areas:
- Civil Defense
- Criminal Defense
- Family Defense
- Immigration
Throughout the week, participants will sharpen their skills in sessions that include:
- Developing theme and theory
- Storytelling
- Persuasive advocacy
- Mitigation
- Strategic out of court advocacy and documentation
- Attorney- Advocate collaboration and interdisciplinary strategy
- Sustainability in Public Defense
Each session incorporates performance-based work supported by our arts faculty- including professional actors, voice coaches, and storytellers. Every attendee will also have the opportunity for a one-on-one session with a voice coach to support confident and compelling advocacy.
Financial Aid
Any New York-based advocate or social worker experiencing genuine financial hardship may apply for tuition assistance by contacting:
- Maggie Carrasquillo: MaggieC@bronxdefenders.org
- Caitlin Becker: CaitlinB@bronxdefenders.org
Please submit your request no later than October 6, 2025.
Continuing Education (CEU) Credit
We are accredited by the New York State Continuing Education Board and will offer 20-25 CEU hours suitable for Licensed Social Workers.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancel by Monday, October 6, 2025 for a full refund
- Cancel by Friday, October 31, 2025 for a 70% refund
- No refunds will be issued after October 31, 2025, or for no-shows/partial attendance
Please refer to our full cancellation and refund policy for additional details.
More to Come
We’ll be sharing a detailed agenda of sessions and faculty as we get closer to the program. If you need a detailed agenda to obtain approval from your organization for travel, please contact us as soon as possible. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!
We’re looking forward to another incredible week of advocacy, growth, and community, and we truly hope your team will be part of it.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you!
Maggie Carrasquillo: MaggieC@bronxdefenders.org
Caitlin Becker: CaitlinB@bronxdefenders.org