The Bronx Defenders is a public defender nonprofit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the justice system and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. Read About Our Mission Four pillars are at the core of holistic defense: Seamless access to services that meet legal and social support needs…
The Bronx Defenders serves individuals and families across the borough of the Bronx. Over the past 20 years, we have developed relationships with thousands of Bronx residents and their families. The people we serve are diverse and resilient, but they face tremendous intersecting challenges: the Bronx consistently ranks at the bottom of the state in…
Earl Ward, Esq.Board ChairPartner, 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…
Explore Holistic Defenses. Every client who comes to The Bronx Defenders is connected to an interdisciplinary team of advocates, including criminal defense attorneys, family defense attorneys, civil attorneys, immigration attorneys, social workers, civil legal advocates, parent advocates, benefits specialists, investigators, and community organizers. Each of these teams fosters interdisciplinary skill sets, ensures compassionate and comprehensive…
Social work is a critical component of holistic defense. Whether a client is facing criminal charges, in danger of losing her children, or threatened with eviction, our social workers are there for them. They advocate for clients in criminal, family, and civil court. They represent clients in meetings with drug program counselors and child welfare…
The Issue A sweeping array of civil punishments are triggered the moment someone faces arrest, deportation, or the removal of their children. Our clients risk losing their jobs, homes, income, property, and basic civil rights — hardships that can be more devastating and long-lasting than the charges themselves. This civil fallout, sometimes referred to as…
The Issue The most accurate predictor of foster care and child welfare involvement is not the maltreatment of children — it is poverty. We see this reality in the Bronx, where parents are particularly vulnerable to being targeted for investigations by child welfare agencies or losing custody of their children. A startling 30% of children…
An interdisciplinary project providing specialized representation to our youngest clients (14, 15 and 16 year olds) in need of intensive assistance and intervention.
…one of the most remarkable experiments in criminal justice in recent years, a pilot program for a growing movement that might be on the verge of changing the face of criminal justice in New York.
This is the newest hub for justice in the South Bronx: a public defenders’ office that looks more like a living room than a legal quarter of last resort.
The American Bar Association is calling on criminal defense attorneys to take a holistic approach to representing clients in order to reduce recidivism.
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Donate Online The Bronx Defenders relies on the generosity of private donors to fund our holistic legal services for tens of thousands of New Yorkers each year. Your donation makes an immediate and lasting impact on the lives of low-income individuals and families. Thank you for your support.
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The Bronx Defenders is a public defender nonprofit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the justice system and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. We have pioneered a ground-breaking, nationally recognized model of defense called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for our clients. Each year,…
At The Bronx Defenders, our belief is that contact with the criminal justice system is a matter of circumstance, not character. Criminal defense attorneys at The Bronx Defenders work side-by-side with the other advocates on their holistic teams to identify the causes of our clients’ criminal justice involvement and to protect them from the enmeshed…
In the wake of President Obama’s re-election and the fervor around “fiscal cliff” negotiations, issues related to middle class empowerment and fairness are rightfully at the center of our national policy agenda. Decisions related to tax burden allocations and spending priorities are being made that have the potential to affect the middle class for a…
Contact: Kamau Butcher, The Bronx Defenders Phone: 718-838-7878 E-mail: kamaub@bronxdefenders.org Press Advisory December 3, 2012 Bronx Residents Come Together for Police Reform Campaign On Thursday, December 6th at 6pm, Bronx residents will gather at The Bronx Defenders for the launch of The Bronx Defenders Organizing Project: a movement of our clients, former clients, families, neighbors, and…
Emma Ketteringham, Managing Attorney of the Family Defense Practice, speaks on the Criminalizing Parents panel on November 16th, 2012 as a part of Harvard Law School’s “The Politics of Parenthood Week”. More info here: http://www.facebook.com/events/550665218281036/
On November 8, 2012, Robin Steinberg spoke on a panel entitled “Gideon, Strickland, and the Right to Effective Representation” at Washington & Lee University. The event was part of a larger symposium discussing the 50th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright. See event details here. Video of the panel here:
As presented to City Council Civil Rights Committee: “Stop and Frisk Profiling” Brooklyn College October 23, 2012 Written Testimony My name is Christian Lassiter and I am a Staff Attorney in the Criminal Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders. I would like to say thank you to the members and staff of the Civil Rights…
