The Bronx Defenders Responds to Mayor de Blasio’s Initiative to Address Mental Health Crisis in NYC’s Criminal Justice System
The Bronx Defenders commends Mayor de Blasio for taking a major step toward addressing one of New York City’s most troubling criminal justice issues: the criminalization of individuals with mental health issues and substance use disorders. In announcing a $130 million initiative to divert these New Yorkers away from incarceration and into treatment, the City…
The Bronx Defenders’ Statement on Ferguson
The Bronx Defenders today reiterates its support for the families and communities of Mike Brown, Akai Gurley, Eric Garner, Ramarley Graham, and the countless number of young men of color who have been victims of police brutality. The announcement last night of a No True Bill against Officer Darren Wilson exposed long-standing feelings of injustice…
The Bronx Defenders’ Statement in Response to President Obama’s announcement on Executive Immigration Action
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer Friedman, The Bronx Defenders, 718-508-3408 or JenniferF@bronxdefenders.org Last night, families around the Bronx held their breath as the President announced sweeping changes that will expand work authorization and protect millions of immigrants from deportation. At The Bronx Defenders—and for the families we represent—the announcement was met with a mix of…
BxD’s Zoni Rockoff has Fair Hearing of the Month!
Last month, Bronx Defenders Civil Legal Advocate Zoni Rockoff was recognized by Empire Justice Center in its Fair Hearing of the Month announcement regarding the case of a Bronx Defenders client facing termination of her public benefits. Zoni advocated in the fair hearing on behalf of Ms. Sanders (not her real name), a Bronx Defenders client who was…
BxD’s New York Immigrant Family Unity Project Honored at the Families for Freedom 12th Annual Fundraiser
The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) was honored last Friday, November 14, 2014 by Families For Freedom at their 12th Annual Fundraiser. NYIFUP, which is implemented by The Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, and the Legal Aid Society, is the first institutionally-provided public defender program in the country for immigrants facing deportation. NYIFUP…
Next week The Bronx Defenders hosts its 2014 Thanksgiving Feast!
On Thanksgiving Day, next Thursday, November 27th, The Bronx Defenders will host its annual Thanksgiving Feast. The meal is free for clients, their families, and guests. Join us for turkey, sides, and delicious pies! Thursday, November 27, 2014 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm The Bronx Defenders Justice Campus Community Reception Area 360 E. 161st Street…
New York Daily News: Robin’s Steinberg’s Op-Ed – The wrong way to reform NYC’s pot policing policy
Read our Executive Director Robin Steinberg’s op-ed on New York City’s new marijuana enforcement policy in New York Daily News: New York City cannot solve the problem of discriminatory and overly-harsh marijuana policing by cramming more people into the overburdened summons court system. This week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new policy aimed at…
Sixteen Bronx Defenders staff members presenting as panelists at the 2014 National Legal Aid & Defender Association Conference
At this year’s National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) conference, Blueprint for Justice: Designing a New Paradigm for Impact, a total of 16 Bronx Defenders advocates — attorneys, social workers, and data and technology specialists across the Criminal Defense, Family Defense, and Civil Action Practices, as well as the Technology & Evaluation Department — will be presenting on 4 different…
Robin Steinberg to Speak at CUNY Law School Panel this Wednesday, November 12
This Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 6:00 pm at CUNY School of Law, Bronx Defenders Executive Director Robin Steinberg will join a panel of fellow experts and advocates to discuss economic inequality and practical solutions. “The Long Crisis” will reflect the theme of CUNY Law Review’s 18th volume: the role that economic inequality and injustice…
Kate Rubin to speak at New York Reentry Roundtable on November 19th
Next Wednesday, November 19th, Kate Rubin, Managing Director of the Civil Action Practice at The Bronx Defenders, will be speaking at the New York Reentry Roundtable discussion about the harms to communities of Broken Windows policing and the policy changes The Bronx Defenders is fighting for to mitigate those harms. To learn more about the…
The Bronx Defenders announces significant victory in our lawsuit challenging “Stop and Frisk” program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Molly Kovel, The Bronx Defenders, 718-508-3421 or MollyK@bronxdefenders.org The Bronx Defenders is pleased to announce that the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has cleared the way for immediate implementation of crucial reforms of the New York Police Department’s “Stop and Frisk” program as ordered by Judge Shira…
Robin Steinberg to speak at UCLA School of Law on November 3
Next Monday, November 3, 2014, Robin Steinberg, Bronx Defenders Executive Director, will be speaking at UCLA School of Law. Her talk, “Perspectives on Holistic Criminal Defense – The Bronx Defenders and the Growing Community Defender Movement,” is presented by the The David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy and co-sponsored by the Critical Race Studies…
BxD Holistic Defense Partner ArchCity Defenders Received National Attention for White Paper on St. Louis County Municipal Courts
The ArchCity Defenders, a holistic legal services office in St. Louis, released a white paper earlier this year detailing the injustices of the St. Louis County Municipal Courts. The report has received extensive coverage in both local and national media organizations, including The New York Times, National Public Radio, The Huffington Post, FiveThirtyEight, and the…
Holistic Defense highlighted in recent report commissioned by Canada’s Department of Justice
The Bronx Defenders’ Holistic Defense model was recently highlighted in an extensive report commissioned by the Department of Justice Canada. The report, Maximizing the Federal Investment in Criminal Legal Aid, was prepared by Prairie Research Associates and documents innovations, best practices, and efficiencies in criminal legal aid in Canada and abroad. This report, one of…
The Bronx Defenders presented at New York State Defenders Association conference on veterans last week
Last Friday, October 17th, Bronx Defenders Civil Action Attorney Christa Douaihy, Criminal Defense Attorney Amalea Smirniotopoulos, and Family Defense Defense Attorney Lauren Teichner all presented at the New York State Defenders Association “Representing Veterans in New York Courts” conference in Albany. Their presentation, “Holistic Defense: Representing Veterans in Family Court and Beyond,” covered a range of topics…
Emma Ketteringham and Elizabeth Keeney to present at 10th National Harm Reduction Conference this Thursday
This Thursday, October 23rd, Emma Ketteringam, Managing Director of the Family Defense Practice, and Elizabeth Keeney, Managing Director of Social Work will be presenting at the 10th National Harm Reduction Conference in Baltimore, MD. The biannual conference, sponsored and organized by the Harm Reduction Coalition, is the only multidisciplinary gathering dedicated to improving the health and well-being of…
Genia Blaser Testifies at New York City Council’s Committee on Immigration Hearing
“Every day, advocates at our office witness firsthand how the promise of due process held out by the 5th Amendment is unrealized by our non-citizen clients solely because of immigration status. Whenever ICE has lodged a detainer against a non-citizen client and the client’s criminal case carries potential immigration consequences, that client is unable to…
Dave Casellas testifies about solitary confinement at NYC Council Hearing
Written Comments of The Bronx Defenders New York City Council Joint Meeting of the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services and the Committee on Juvenile Justice Good afternoon. My name is Dave Casellas, and I work as a client coordinator at The Bronx Defenders. In this role, I help Bronx Defenders clients and their families…
BxD announces the release of its Holistic Defense Symposium report
It has been a very exciting year for the The Bronx Defenders’ Center for Holistic Defense! In May, we hosted the first annual Holistic Defense Symposium, which brought together representatives from 24 different organizations that are working to adopt holistic practices. In the coming weeks, we will begin meeting with our latest group of technical assistance sites. Since 2010,…
New bill passed makes New York City a safer, more just place for immigrants and their families
“Thanks to the City Council’s groundbreaking leadership on this issue, dozens of the Bronx residents we have represented are home with their families, supporting their children, and contributing to their communities” said Robin Steinberg, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. “The proposed expansion will mean fairness and justice for more immigrant families in the Bronx.”…
Congressman Serrano Announces $350,000 in DOJ Funding for the Bronx Defenders for Holistic Defense
The Bronx Defenders is excited to share the news announced in a press release published by U.S. Congressman José E. Serrano yesterday that the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded renewed funding to The Bronx Defenders Center for Holistic Defense: Sep 29, 2014 | Issues: The Bronx Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman José…
BxD’s Colby Dillon featured this month in Northwestern Law’s “Ask An Alum” column
Bronx Defenders Criminal Defense Attorney Colby Dillon was featured this month in Northwestern University School of Law’s Children and Family Justice Center blog, Youth Matters, in their “Ask an Alum” column, speaking about her experience as a new public defender at The Bronx Defenders. Colby (JD ’13) works as a juvenile attorney at The Bronx Defenders in…
BxD’s Mary Anne Mendenhall on Hot 97 ‘Street Soldiers’ discussing the Adrian Peterson child abuse case
Yesterday, September 21, 2014, Bronx Defenders Family Defense Practice Supervising Attorney Mary Anne Mendenhall joined in a compelling discussion on NFL player Adrian Peterson’s ongoing child abuse case, offering keen insights into the experiences and challenges faced by Bronx Defenders clients in Bronx Family Court. The episode of Hot 97’s “Street Soldiers” with host Lisa Evers brought…
Keston Jones to present at New York State Social Work Education Association 2014 Conference
Keston Jones, Bronx Defenders Parent Advocate, will present at the New York State Social Work Education Association’s Conference on October 9, 2014. His talk is entitled “Focus on Fathers: Myths and Misconceptions about Low Income African American and Minority Fathers.” The presentation flows from Keston’s work with The Bronx Defenders Focus on Fathers project, which was developed to…
Mark Loudon-Brown to lead webinar on “DNA Basics for the Defense” on September 19
On Friday, September 19, 2014 at 2:30 PM Eastern, The Bronx Defenders Criminal Defense Attorney Mark Loudon-Brown will be instructing a National Association for Public Defense webinar entitled “DNA Basics for the Defense – A Primer to Get You Started.” The webinar will focus on the basics of DNA evidence, examining what DNA evidence is,…