Overview

The Bronx Defenders – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks an experienced Criminal Defense Attorney to work as the Homicide Practice Group (HPG) Co-Director.

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 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, family, 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.

Homicide Practice Group

The Homicide Practice Group (HPG) is made up of a team of experienced CDP attorneys, mitigation specialists, and investigators who specialize in homicide cases. While it is a specific group of senior practitioners, HPG is committed to encouraging a wide range of attorneys with varying levels of litigation experience to become involved in homicide work.

HPG understands that the world of homicide defense is rapidly changing. The presentation of video evidence, DNA results, and cell phone location data means that it is no longer sufficient for homicide defenders to only know how to effectively cross-examine an experienced police detective. Juries today come into the courtroom with far different perceptions of forensics, criminality, and the criminal justice system than those of the past. Issues of gender, race, and ethnicity percolate through jurors’ minds in ways we are only beginning to understand. These ever-changing dynamics make it necessary for the Homicide Practice Group to be willing to grapple with these issues, be flexible in their approach to litigation and mentorship, and be committed to keeping up with the rapidly evolving landscape of public defense.

Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Managing Director of the Criminal Defense Practice, the Homicide Practice Group Director will represent a reduced caseload of clients while assisting with the supervision of complex litigation in the Homicide Practice Group and maintaining responsibility for the quality of representation on homicide cases.

HPG Supervision & Leadership

• Represent a reduced caseload of clients

• Directly supervise HPG Supervising Attorneys

• Be knowledgeable about and responsible for instituting and maintaining best practices in homicide representation

• Schedule, organize, and lead HPG meetings, both for the core HPG team as well as the expanded HPG group, and work to ensure an equal voice among all members who have different roles on the teams

• Oversee and maintain the HPG intake calendar

• Supervise individual client teams, including assuring adequate communication and collaboration among all members of teams, being available for case conferences, and assisting with working through any issues within the team

• Meet regularly with investigator and mitigation specialist supervisors

• Working with the Director of Investigations, develop and assist with on-going investigation training on issues such as the craft of interviewing and the role of documentation, informed by trial perspective

• Ensure that workload is equalized among all members of HPG

• Collaborate with CDP administrative team supervisors to ensure smooth functioning of HPG work requests

• Develop and maintain processes for internal recruiting and onboarding of new first and second seat attorneys

• Maintain close supervision of first seat attorneys who are not HPG Supervising Attorneys

• Provide equitable, culturally conscious supervision to members of the Homicide Practice Group

• Collaborate with the Recruiting & Hiring Team to recruit new staff members for the Homicide Practice Group

Practice Leadership & Collaboration

• Working with the CDP Managing Director, support, develop, lead, and execute the strategic vision for homicide practice within CDP

• Participate in supervisor meetings and support other supervisors in CDP

• Assist in the evaluation of attorneys and other advocates every 12 months

• Assist in the development of best practices, new trainings, projects and initiatives within homicide practice

• Promote holistic advocacy on the team and in the office

• Lead internal trainings on complex litigation topics for current and new staff

• Work closely with the CDP Training Director to coordinate HPG’s role in CDP-wide training

• Provide email updates and other internal communications to make CDP aware of the work of HPG

Policy/External Advocacy

• Work with the Criminal Defense Practice Legal Department on strategic litigation related to homicide representation throughout the office, city, and state

• Collaborate with the Criminal Defense Practice Policy Team on issues related to homicide practice

• Represent CDP/BxD in external forums and coalitions, including but not limited to defender working groups focused on homicide practice

• Encourage the development of outreach to homicide groups at other NYC providers, as well as providers across the state and country, and perhaps nationwide providers to search for new projects and programs in homicide representation

• Conduct external trainings for attorneys and non-attorneys regarding homicide practice, and other complex litigation issues

• Assist with data management and reporting, as well as fundraising and grant writing, to support and grow the work of the Homicide Practice Group

Qualifications

To be eligible, candidates must have:

• Ten years of experience as a criminal defense trial attorney

• First Department Homicide Panel Requirements

• Experience representing clients in over sixty felony cases, from arraignment to resolution, and resolved at least ten criminal cases post-indictment with negotiated pleas, dismissals, or other non-trial dispositions

• Conducted at least ten preliminary hearings or fifteen post-indictment hearings in which oral testimony was taken and a decision was rendered

• Conducted at least five post-indictment jury trials that proceeded to verdict in which they served as lead or sole counsel, and eight post-indictment jury trials that proceeded to verdicts as co-counsel

• Cross-examined at trial at least four of the following types of expert witnesses: medical, ballistics, fingerprint, DNA, psychiatric, identification

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Commitment to holistic, interdisciplinary and client-centered representation

• 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 with an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers

• Commitment to fierce advocacy, and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of clients

• Effective research, writing and courtroom advocacy skills

• Ability to effectively analyze legal issues, draft motions and memoranda, and orally argue for relief

• Strong analytical skills and capacity to employ non-legal resources in cases

• Experience working with and challenging experts, particularly in the area of forensic science

• Ability to advocate and persuade effectively in court appearances and interactions with adversaries, judges, and juries

• Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment

• Meticulous attention to detail

• Supervisory and mentoring skills, including:

• Interest in the professional development of other attorneys and advocates

• Ability to provide intentional and constructive feedback

• Flexibility in balancing needs of supervisees against their own caseload

• 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 position comes with a $20,000 pay bump on top of the attorney salary scale.

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. If you would prefer to send in a video or audio statement in lieu of a cover letter, you may upload your resume and separately upload a video or audio statement. 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 us to consider. This information allows us to understand your distinct perspective, experience and potential beyond the work history summarized on your resume. Your cover letter may be up to one page if written or up to 3 minutes if an audio/video statement. If selected for the position, your resume will be used to determine your salary based on the number of years of directly relevant professional experience listed; we therefore encourage you to ensure your resume is up to date. Please note that applications without a written cover letter or audio/video statement will not be considered.

Applications will be accepted through April 3, 2025. Please contact Ann Mathews, Managing Director of the Criminal Defense Practice, 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.