Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks experienced attorneys to join the Homicide Unit in our Brooklyn and Queens offices.

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 in and out of court to protect and uphold the rights of individuals and to change laws and systems that perpetuate injustice and inequality. Our legal expertise work with clients is focused on the intersections of these legal systems that disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities living in poverty.

BDS represents thousands of people each year who have diverse complex and multi-faceted legal addition to a zealous legal defense our interdisciplinary teams of attorneys social workers and advocates provide a wide range of legal and advocacy services including for housing public benefits education and employment. BDS staff work collaboratively and across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services that serve the people we represent their families and communities.

The Homicide Unit utilizes a team approach in the representation of clients with an attorney investigator and social worker assigned from the inception of the case who conduct regular team strategizing and information gathering addition the unit as a whole works very closely together in order to takeadvantageofthewealth ofexpertiseoftheunits attorneys and staff.

Becauseofthenatureof homicidecasesthe useof experts is alarge part of the legalpractice including ID and false confession medical and pathology digital forensics photogrammetry and video enhancement as well as creative use of new types of has an in-house forensic unit that assists withallareas of experttestimonybutattorneysshouldbepreparedto build their own expertise in the wide range of forensic and scientific evidence that are collected or are necessary to defend a homicide case.

Responsibilities:

• Directly represent clients in Brooklyn or Queens Criminaland Supreme Courts from intake through dismissal plea or trial in the most serious and complex cases including major felonies and homicide.
• Fosterstrongattorney/clientrelationships.
• Work collaboratively on interdisciplinary case teams withexperienced investigators social workers with mitigation expertise attorneysspecializingin appellate issues forensic/DNA expert/attorneys paralegals and admins.
• Work closely withexpertsincludingIDandfalseconfessionmedicalandpathology digitalforensics photogrammetryandvideoenhancementaswell as develop creativeuses ofnewtypes ofexperts.
• Participate ina rotationtobe available toappearatthe arraignmentof ahomicide case orother casedeemed appropriatefor theuniton weekdays nights weekends and holidays.
• Prepare for and litigate hearings and trials in Supreme Court as well as collateral administrative tribunals.
• Prepare and argue written motions argue in court regarding discovery answer legal motions filed by the District Attorneys office and other legal written and oral arguments in cases assigned to the attorney.
• Collaborate with other BDS staff from our housing immigration family defense and education
• practices to provide comprehensive assistance to clients.
• Meetregularlywithsupervisortoreviewcaseloaddiscusscasestrategyandpreparefortrial.
• Beanadvisortotheclientwhendecisionsaremadeabout thecase.
• Meetwithfamilymembersorothersupportnetworksasclientrequests.
• Additionalresponsibilitiesasassigned.

Qualifications:

• AdmissiontotheNewYorkBarorabilitytobecomeadmittedinNewYork.
• At leastfiveyears ofpriorexperienceasa criminaldefenseattorney although morethan fiveyears is preferred.
• Meet minimum homicide requirements (see application questions) or be close to meeting the requirements.
• Demonstratedabilityasalitigatorinthecourtroom.
• Stronginterpersonalskillswithclientsfamilymembersandfriends.
• Excellentwrittenworkonlegalmotionsandmemorandumoflaw.
• Desire to delve deeply into cases find factualand legalissues and utilize mitigation and socialwork wouldinclude conductingmultiple investigations in each case fully exploring the prior record of the client as wellas his/her life circumstances in detailas wellas litigating multiple legal issues in each case.
• Work effectively in a team as described above particularly as regards to collaborating with the investigator and social worker on the case.
• The ability and dedication to work with experts and develop your own expertise in technicalareas like DNA fingerprint hair analysis cell phone triangulation etc.

Position Information

This is a full-time exempt salaried position in the collective bargaining unit. The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. The position is based at BDSs offices and the courts in Brooklyn or Queens.

BDS determines salary on a pay scale based on education and experience. Forthis position there is a base salary range of $90000-$160546depending on the applicants education and experience.

If accepted as a homicide attorney the salary is a $10000 differential above the attorney level salary.

BDS also offerscomprehensivebenefits including health and dentalinsurance short-term disability and lifeinsurancea403(b)-retirementplanwithemployercontributionpre-taxcommuterbenefitpre-tax

flexible spending accounts and above-average vacation sick holiday family and medical leave policies.

Application Instructions

will be reviewed until the

:

1. Numberoftrialsconductedspecifying:
2. felonyormisdemeanortrialslistingthechargesinvolved
3. foreachtrialconductedweretheysolecounselorco-counsel
4. for each trialconducted as co-counselwere they lead counsel second seat or they conducted examinations and made arguments before the court
5. Numberoflitigatedmotionsconductedwheretestimonywastakenspecifying:
6. felonyormisdemeanorhearinglistingchargesinvolved
7. foreachhearingconductedwhetherassolecounsel orco-counsel
8. for each hearing conducted as co-counsel were they lead counsel second seat or they conducted examinations and made arguments before the court.
9. Numberof trial cases conductedwhere there wascross-examinationand/ordirect examination of any of the following expert testimony listing the nature and the number of each type of expert as follows:
   1. ID orFalseConfessionexperts
   2. PsychologistsorPsychiatrists
   3. DNAexperts
   4. ForensicScienceexperts
   5. Medicaldoctors/pathologists
   6. Ballisticsorfingerprintexperts
   7. Undercoverofficers
   8. Labtechnicians
   9. Anyotherexpertwitnessnotmentionedabove.
10. Numberand nature of trialcases where there weremotions litigating admission of expert testimony either for admission or exclusion
11. NumberandnatureofFryemotionsand/or hearings
12. Typesof caseswhere mitigation reportswere usedtoaffectthe outcome ofthe plea or sentence including Clayton motions (attach motion if possible)
13. Anycomplexlegalmotionspreparedbytheapplicant.(attachmotionifpossible)
14. If you have a preference about working in Brooklyn or Queens.

Please submit your application by October 17 2025.

BrooklynDefenderServicesisaproudequalopportunityemployercommittedtocelebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates of allidentities expressions orientations disabilities and experiences to apply. If you require an accommodation due to a disability or another reason please contact the Managing Director HR Manager Christina Wallace atcwallace @ .