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About the Role
Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks a Social Worker to join the Criminal Defense Practice, working with both the Women’s Defense Project and the Mental Health Team. BDS provides comprehensive legal defense and advocacy services to low-income New Yorkers, focusing on systemic injustice and inequality, particularly impacting Black and Brown communities. This role involves collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to advocate for clients, creating a safe space for sensitive discussions, and providing essential support.
Responsibilities
- Partner with attorneys and other experts to provide comprehensive legal representation for clients in the Women’s Defense Project and the Mental Health Team.
- Participate in client meetings, including visits to incarcerated clients, to establish relationships and gather client histories.
- Interview clients in detail about their trafficking and/or trauma history for the Women’s Defense Project, preparing comprehensive reports on how these experiences affect women and lead to criminal legal system involvement.
- Interview clients, family members, and others for the Mental Health Team to understand presenting mental illness and review medical/mental health records, preparing comprehensive reports on life and mental health histories.
- Attend court appearances and provide oral advocacy as needed.
- Provide emotional support, guidance, and crisis intervention to clients.
- Maintain and foster relationships with external programs.
- Maintain case notes and documentation in an electronic database.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
Requirements
- LCSW preferred or LMSW with at least two years’ experience in defense-based social work practice.
- Ability to work as part of a client-centered defense team.
- Strong written and verbal advocacy skills.
- Knowledge and interest in unique issues impacting female identifying clients.
- Experience working with clients with mental illness preferred.
- Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues on an interdisciplinary team.
- Ability to write detailed and persuasive reports including mitigation for pre-pleading and post-conviction phases.
- Strong interpersonal skills to engage with various individuals for information gathering.
- Knowledge of DSM-5 conditions and understanding of intergenerational and complex traumas.
- Strong clinical assessment, crisis intervention, and client advocacy skills.
- Excellent writing, interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills.
Skills
- Social work
- Criminal defense
- Client advocacy
- Report writing
- Interpersonal skills
- Clinical assessment
- Crisis intervention
- Oral advocacy
- Written advocacy
- Collaboration
- Organization
- Analysis
Location
- Brooklyn, NY
- Courts in Brooklyn and Queens
- Jail visits
- Home visits
Work Type
- Exempt, salaried position
- Monday to Friday 9am-5pm schedule
- Some remote work permitted
- Onsite
Experience Level
- At least two years’ experience in defense-based social work practice (for LMSW)
Education Level
- LCSW preferred
- LMSW
Salary/Compensations
- $88,000-$95,000
- Additional pay possible for extensive experience
Benefits
- Health insurance
- 403(b)-retirement plan
- Generous vacation
- Sick leave
- Holiday leave
- Family leave
- Medical leave
About the Company
- Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) is a public defense office representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters.
- For nearly 30 years, BDS has worked to protect and uphold the rights of individuals and to change laws and systems that perpetuate injustice and inequality.
- BDS's work with clients focuses on the intersections of legal systems that disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities living in poverty.
- BDS represents thousands of people each year with diverse, complex, and multi-faceted legal needs.
- BDS provides zealous legal defense and a wide range of legal and advocacy services through interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers, and advocates.
- BDS staff work collaboratively across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services.
Equal Opportunity
- Brooklyn Defender Services is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment.
- Strongly encourage candidates of all identities, expressions, orientations, disabilities, and experiences to apply.
- Accommodation available for individuals with disabilities or other reasons.