Social Worker

AboutNDS:

Neighborhood Defender Service (NDS) is a national nonprofit public defense organization that pioneered the holistic defense model more than 30 years ago. Founded in Harlem NDS was built to challenge the traditional public defense model by centering clients communities and interdisciplinary advocacy. Today NDS operates community-based offices in Harlem; the Bronx; Detroit; and Hays County Texas supported by a unified national infrastructure that allows local teams to deliver high-quality responsive representation rooted in the communities they serve.

Across all locations NDS provides client-centered legal representation through interdisciplinary teams composed of attorneys investigators social workers client advocates and team administrators. Our approach emphasizes early and ongoing engagement with clientsbefore arrest where possible throughout the life of a case and beyond case resolutionwhile addressing the legal social and systemic challenges thatimpactlong-term stability. NDS is committed to treating every client with dignity and respect and to advancing justice for individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized and over-policed.

Core Purpose of the Role:

The Social Worker is an integral part of the defense team whodemonstratesa commitment to serving marginalized people and communities. The Social Worker contributes to a collaborative environment and culture of excellence in alignment with our values. At NDS Detroit how werepresentour clients is as important as individual case outcomes and our ideal Social Worker approaches the cultivation of a positive office culture and the representation of indigent clients with equal rigor and commitment.

• Embrace NDS philosophy of client-centered community-based holistic representation and commitment to excellence by providing vigorous representation with energy and enthusiasm to the residents of Wayne County.

• Work closely and collaboratively with team members to advocate for reduced sentences and/or alternatives to incarceration for clients. This advocacy includes:

• Gathering factual mitigation through interviews and obtaining records;

• Analyzing records;

• Researching and recommending alternatives to incarceration;

• Writing pre-pleading memoranda to judges and prosecutors seeking reduced sentences and ATIs.

• Work closely with clients to:

• Makeappropriate referralsto address clients social service needs (drug treatment mental health treatmenthousingand other benefits);

• Assistclients in navigating social service agencies;

• Advocate on behalf of clients to social service agencies.

• Advocate orally and in writing on behalf of clients to judges programs and Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys.

• Work primarily at NDSmain officewhen not in Court.

• A masters degree in social work combined with valid clinical social work licensure or certification in Michigan.

• A demonstrated commitment to criminal justice indigent defense racial equity and social justice issues and the Wayne County communities.

• Experience advocating for clients in a direct client services context.

• Must be comfortable in a court environment.

• Anunderstanding of social caseworkobjectivesprinciplesand methods; casework management and organization; communityresources;interviewing techniques andproblem-solvingmethodology.

• An ability to quickly build relationships across varying identities income levelsracesand ethnicities.

• A high levelof organizational and administrative skills to handle a high caseload and multi-task in a very fast-paced environment.

• Mustpossessexcellent interpersonal analytical writing and communication skills

• Energy enthusiasm and ingenuity to gather and develop information from a broad spectrum of sources ranging from community residents to county state and federal agencies.

• An ability to work cooperatively in a team setting and independently with minimal oversight.

• Knowledge and experiencewithMicrosoftOfficeSuiteto includeMicrosoft Wordand OneDrive.

Preferred

• Experience in a public defender office or related criminal justice agency is a plus.

• Bilingual (Spanish or Arabic) individuals are encouraged to apply.

• Experience working in an interdisciplinary setting.

• Experience in a courtroom setting.

Compensation:

Compensation iscommensuratewith medical and dental benefits as well as retirement plan with company match robust time offperks paid parental leave and other benefits are provided. The salary range for this position is $.

The salary benefits and employment policies relevant to this position are governed by the CBA between NDS and the NDS Union part of ALAA UAW 2325.

The Neighborhood Defender Service is committed to creating a diverse environment that reflects the community we serve. NDS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race religion gender gender identity or expression sexual orientation national origin genetics disability age or veteran status. NDS encourages people with incarcerated loved ones formerly incarcerated people people of color women queer transgender gender non-confirming and gender fluid people to apply.