Overview
The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks an experienced Criminal Defense Attorney with a commitment to social justice to fill the role of the Director of Training in the Criminal Defense Practice.
The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally-recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.
Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, child welfare, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities that we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.
Criminal Defense Practice
The Criminal Defense Practice (CDP) at The Bronx Defenders consists of over 150 attorneys, investigators, social workers, practice associates, and administrators who provide comprehensive criminal defense representation to people in the Bronx facing police and criminal legal system involvement. Through a client-centered approach, our CDP legal teams strive to gain a deeper understanding of the circumstances and priorities of the people we represent. Armed with that understanding, they fight for desired outcomes by strategically raising personalized, persuasive arguments in mitigation, negotiations, and litigation.
Responsibilities
Reporting to the Managing Director of the Criminal Defense Practice, the CDP Training Director (TD) will be responsible for managing the training needs and professional development of all CDP attorneys. The Training Director will manage the creation and implementation of legal trainings for all attorneys; assign co-counsel on cases; and ensure all attorneys fulfill their Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements. The TD will also be responsible for supervising the Misdemeanor Litigation and Training Supervisor and CDP Training Team Supervisors while representing a reduced caseload of clients and participating in the senior leadership of the Criminal Defense Practice.
Training and Supervision
- Create, coordinate, and implement first-year training for CDP attorneys in collaboration with the Misdemeanor Litigation and Training Supervisor and Practice Supervisors
- Create, coordinate, and implement advanced felony training, lateral attorney training, ethics training, and new supervisor training
- Develop and maintain an annual CDP-wide training calendar and inform CDP of both internal and external training opportunities
- Maintain a database of external training opportunities for the professional development of CDP attorneys and advocates
- Identify and seek out internal and external trainers to facilitate in-house trainings
- Work with the Directors of the Homicide Practice Group, Forensic Practice Group, and Adolescent Defense Project to identify training needs
- Work with supervisors of non-attorney advocates to develop and implement trainings on CDP-related legal issues
- Manage the creation and collection of training materials, including handouts for CLEs, a trial notebook, and practice guides in conjunction with the CDP Legal Department
- Represent the organization by providing internal and external trainings to partners in the field
- Assign, monitor, and track co-counsel assignments for felony cases to ensure equitable distribution of cases
- Supervise the Misdemeanor Litigation and Training Supervisor, and Training Team Supervisors
- Assist the Director of Professional Development with the case transfer process
- Collaborate with the CDP Legal Director and Misdemeanor Training and Litigation Supervisor to ensure that all CDP staff are receiving appropriate training and have access to external professional development opportunities
- Collaborate with the CDP Leadership Team to advance the goals of CDP and realize the vision of the Managing Director
- Provide equitable, culturally conscious supervision, and support marginalized supervisees in navigating experiences of oppression in their work
Knowledge Management
- Organize and manage the CDP SharePoint site, including managing the content of practice and training materials
- Maintain an organized and accessible CDP page on our internal staff website
Direct Representation
- Represent a reduced caseload of clients
Qualifications
To be eligible, candidates must have:
- At least six years of experience as a criminal defense attorney
- Prior experience supervising and/or training
- Prior felony trial experience
Candidates must demonstrate:
- Passion for holistic public defense, client-centered representation, and work on behalf of racially and economically marginalized communities
- Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate and connect with people with various backgrounds, identities and experiences
- Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers
- Ability to form and maintain strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including ability to train advocates and present complex information to audiences with varying levels of experience
- Supervisory and mentoring skills, including
- Interest in and commitment to developing and mentoring supervisees
- Ability to provide intentional and constructive feedback
- Flexibility in balancing needs of supervisees against their own caseload
- Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles
- Ability to receive constructive feedback, demonstrate introspection and shift behavior accordingly
- Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters
- Commitment to raising one’s cultural consciousness and challenging oppressive practices on an interpersonal and institutional level
This is a hybrid position that will require in-person work and contact with staff and community members.
Salary is commensurate with experience. For candidates with 6-10 years of directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $101,600 – $114,350. Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended.
Approximately 70% of The Bronx Defenders’ staff, including attorneys and non-attorneys, are represented by UAW Local 2325 – Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (AFL-CIO). This position is not within the bargaining unit.
This position is exempt. By law, nonexempt employees are compensated hourly based on their annual rate and therefore are entitled to over-time, whereas exempt employees are not.
To apply, please click APPLY TO THIS JOB ONLINE and upload your resume and a cover letter in one document when prompted. If you would prefer to send in a video or audio statement in lieu of a cover letter, you may upload your resume as a document and separately upload a video or audio statement instead of a cover letter. Your cover letter or video/audio statement should share why you want to do this work at our office, some key lived and/or professional experiences that have prepared you for this position, and any additional information you would like for us to consider. Your cover letter may be up to one page if written or up to 3 minutes if an audio/video statement. This information allows us to understand your distinct perspective, experience and potential beyond the work history summarized on your resume. Please remember that you may submit a written cover letter or an audio/video statement, but not both, and applications without either will not be considered. The start date for this position is immediate or as soon as possible.
Applications will be accepted through May 5, 2023. Please contact Ann Mathews, via email at annm@bronxdefenders.org with any questions regarding the position.
The Bronx Defenders is an equal opportunity employer and is cultivating an anti-oppressive workplace that embraces staff with a diversity of backgrounds, identities and experiences. We acknowledge the ways in which systemic oppression and injustice can undermine access to professional opportunities and are committed to conducting hiring and promotion processes that are equitable and accessible to those commonly excluded from the workforce. We do not discriminate against and in fact specifically encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, neurodivergent and those directly impacted by criminal, civil, family and immigration legal systems. We value lived as well as professional experience and particularly welcome applications from the Bronx community that we work with.