Civil Action Practice Supervising Attorney - The Bronx Defenders

The Bronx Defenders (BxD)—an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx—seeks a passionate attorney committed to public defense to work as a Supervising Attorney in our Civil Action 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, 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 we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.

Civil Action Practice

Our Civil Action Practice (CAP) provides comprehensive civil legal services to the people we represent and their families by integrating civil representation with our criminal, immigration, and family defense practices. Our goal is to minimize the severe and often unforeseen fallout from criminal, family and immigration court proceedings and facilitate the seamless reintegration of the people we represent into their communities.  

We represent people in every forum in New York City – administrative, state, and federal – providing comprehensive representation and helping overcome civil legal barriers to housing, eviction, employment, and public benefits, as well as addressing instances of police misconduct, criminal record errors, and civil forfeiture.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of the Civil Action Practice, the Civil Action Practice Supervising Attorney will represent a reduced caseload of clients and directly supervise attorneys, advocates and other staff.

Direct Representation 

• Engage in client intake, counseling, research, writing, oral advocacy and negotiations as a part of legal representation 
• Zealously advocate for individuals navigating proceedings related to barriers to obtaining housing, eviction from housing, loss of employment licenses, correcting criminal record errors, loss of public and disability benefits, forfeiture of property and government misconduct 
• Identify holistic needs and legal goals of the people we represent, make referrals, and work with other attorney and non-attorney advocates to address and mitigate the enmeshed consequences of legal system involvement  
• Effectively litigate, confidently negotiate and skillfully advocate in administrative judicial proceedings and trial with a particular concentration in housing, employment, public benefits and forfeiture proceedings 
• Provide comprehensive, team-based representation collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of attorneys and advocates to assess and address the needs and legal goals of the people we represent  
• Participate in internal working groups to develop best practices across referral relationships 
• Facilitate community trainings and public education on civil legal issues 
• Participate in trainings within the office as well as external community events, conferences and webinars in which BXD is participating or presenting 
• Maintain case files and data in BxD’s case management system 

Direct Supervision 

• Supervise approximately 3-6 attorneys and/or law graduates
• Onboard, support, train, and supervise attorneys and advocates in the civil action practice to ensure we provide high quality, creative, client-centered representation and advocacy
• Meet with each supervisee on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to support, address, and manage caseload, referrals, and client issues
• Review and evaluate supervisees’ data entry and case management to ensure high-quality services, evaluate the impact of our advocacy, and meet funding/reporting requirements
• Review, monitor, and evaluate attorney workloads to ensure equitable distribution
• Support, evaluate, and provide feedback on client-related advocacy, including written, oral and trial advocacy in administrative fora, courts, and the community
• Me available for co-counsel and in-court supervision
• Assist with and review all litigation preparation
• Manage and support coverage for supervisees
• Approve timesheets and time-off requests
• Supervise case and calendar management, client interaction and relationships with the judiciary and adversaries
• Monitor the ethical responsibilities in litigation and advocacy in conjunction with the Housing Director, Managing Director and CAP Supervisory Team
• Collaborate with CAP Training Directors to onboard, train, and aid in the ongoing professional development of supervisees
• Promote and facilitate intra-practice and interdisciplinary collaboration among attorneys, advocates and administrative staff
• Provide equitable, culturally conscious supervision, and support marginalized supervisees in navigating experiences of oppression in their work 

Management/Leadership 

• Meet regularly with the CAP’S Deputy Director and CAP Management Team
• Inform and help to implement practice priorities and improvements
• Aid in determining the direction and growth of civil legal services at BxD
• Work to develop and implement CAP related information management, training, and other public education within the office and the community

To be eligible, applicants must have: 

• Membership in good standing to the New York State Bar or eligibility for admission to the New York State Bar
• Minimum of 3 years of civil litigation experience, with a minimum of 2 years in housing litigation 

To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate: 

• Commitment to social justice, racial justice and housing justice work
• 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 independently as well as collaboratively on an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers
• Commitment to fierce advocacy, and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of the people we represent
• Strong verbal and written advocacy skills
• Strong legal analytical skills and capacity to employ non-legal resources and solutions
• Supervisory and mentoring skills, including
  • Interest in and commitment to developing and mentoring supervisees
  • Ability to provide intentional, equitable 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 multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Meticulous attention to detail
• 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 

Preferred, but not required 

• Spanish fluency is strongly preferred
• Experience supervising and training interns or staff is a plus 

This is a hybrid position that will require 21 hours/week of in-person work.

Salary is commensurate with experience.  For candidates with 3-10 years of directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $90,000 to $113,000, reflecting the attorney salary scale plus $10,000. 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 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. 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 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 will be accepted through Monday September 23, 2024, but will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please contact Dani Avello Kammerer, Deputy Director, Civil Action Practice, via email at Danisbela@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 are 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.