Overview
The Bronx Defenders (BxD) – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks an experienced attorney to fill a position as Director of the Impact Litigation Practice (ILP).
BxD 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 450 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, family regulation, 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.
Impact Litigation Practice
The Impact Litigation Practice (ILP) is a collaborative civil rights division at The Bronx Defenders that uses civil litigation strategies to advance and strengthen the rights of the people we represent. ILP works closely with direct services staff to identify widespread injustices affecting the people we represent and leverage civil legal tools-from demand letters to class action lawsuits-to redress and end those injustices. ILP’s work covers varied civil rights issues, including but not limited to racial and economic inequity, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, and fundamental freedoms. ILP’s approach to civil rights litigation-from the cases we choose to work on to the change we advance-is guided by engagement with the communities we work with, lessons learned in our direct services representation, and a commitment to supporting movements for BIPOC rights.
Some recent efforts include:
- A state lawsuit against the NYPD for violating privacy laws on behalf of a class of millions of people with sealed arrest records
- A federal lawsuit that secured an order requiring ICE to bring detained immigrants before a judge soon after detaining them
- A Freedom of Information Law request that brought to light a non-public report showing that the Administration of Children and Family Services (ACS) discriminated against Black and brown parents
- Coordinated pre-litigation claims on behalf of Black and brown protesters brutalized by the NYPD that resulted in over a million dollars in settlement offers
Responsibilities
Reporting to the ILP Director, the ILP Deputy Director is responsible for assisting the ILP Director in leading and managing litigation and projects, supervising attorneys and staff, building internal and external partnerships, and implementing best practices for the ILP team.
Litigation
- Assist the ILP Director in building the ILP docket by developing cases and legal projects that advance ILP’s vision and goals
- Lead complex civil rights litigation in federal and state court to challenge the range of injustices facing the people we represent
- With limited supervision, prepare pleadings, motions, and briefs; conduct discovery; present oral arguments; and handle settlement negotiations, trials and appeals
- Manage litigation teams with both internal and external members from peer organizations and law firms
- Collaborate with the Criminal Defense, Family Defense, Immigration, and Civil Action practices at The Bronx Defenders to develop and coordinate litigation strategies and goals
- Help create multi-faceted advocacy campaigns integrating litigation, organizing, public education, policy advocacy, and strategic communications
- Report important litigation strategic questions and updates to the Director
Supervision
- Directly supervise ILP legal fellows (through fellowships and secondments) as direct reports.
- Assist the ILP Director in the supervision of the work of staff attorneys on cases and projects.
- Train colleagues in developing skills in impact litigation and interdisciplinary strategic advocacy
- Review written work of ILP attorneys and provide constructive feedback
- Supervise depositions and in-court advocacy of ILP attorneys
- Assist with and review all litigation preparation
- Support ILP staff in equitably meeting the expectations of their job responsibilities and escalating performance issues to the Director as necessary
- Manage hiring and onboarding for ILP Legal Fellows
- For direct report(s), formally evaluate performance, provide constructive feedback and prepare annual evaluations, aiding them in their professional development
- Monitor supervisee workflow, ensuring equitable distribution among supervisees
- Provide equitable, culturally conscious supervision and support marginalized supervisees in navigating experiences of oppression in their work
- Manage the administration of the ILP internship program, including pairing interns with supervisors, providing support to intern supervisors, and coordinating ILP specific training and programming
Partnerships
- Promote the visibility, reputation, work, and vision of ILP among internal and external stakeholders
- Work with the Policy and Community Organizing Team and grassroots organizers in New York City to coordinate impact litigation with broader legislative, racial justice, and social justice movements
- Represent BxD in the media, at conferences, and at other venues
- Develop and maintain relationships with community partners, coalition members, and legal allies
Practice Development
- Assist the ILP Director in the development of best practices, training materials, projects and initiatives for the impact litigation practice
Qualifications
To be eligible, candidates must have:
- Membership in good standing to the New York Bar or eligibility for immediate admission upon hire
- Demonstrated success developing and leading impact litigation
- Experience supervising the work of attorneys on impact litigation cases
Candidates must demonstrate:
- Commitment to social justice work and issues affecting low-income individuals impacted by the criminal, family, immigration and civil legal systems
- Commitment to supporting indigent, system-involved individuals in the Bronx
- Experience working in and with racially, ethnically and socioeconomically 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 within an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers
- Ability to develop and implement strategic advocacy and litigation as part of a creative response to civil rights violations affecting marginalized communities
- Commitment to fierce advocacy, and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of the people we represent
- Strong legal analytical skills
- Ability to analyze and articulate legal concepts and other complex issues to a variety of audiences
- Effective research, writing and courtroom advocacy skills
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to effectively manage relationships with external partners and stakeholders
- 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 operations and meet deadlines in a 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 both in-person and remote work.
Salary is commensurate with experience. For candidates with 5-10 years of directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $105.000-123,000. 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 BxD’s 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. Applications missing any components or not submitted in the requested manner will not be considered. The start date for this position is immediate or as soon as possible.
Applications will be accepted through August 17, 2023. Please contact Niji Jain, Impact Litigation Practice Director, via email at nijij@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.