Overview

The Federal Defenders of New York (FDNY) seeks to hire a Social Worker/Mitigation Specialist for our Eastern District Offices. FDNY is a federal community defender organization that provides legal representation to indigent persons charged with federal crimes. We are a criminal defense organization; our social workers’ function is to support the lawyers on defense teams and to support our clients in their ability to meaningfully participate in their defense, as well as in their reintegration processes. FDNY in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) represents people in federal criminal cases in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island. EDNY has one Director of Client Services and Mitigation and two social workers/mitigation specialists on staff who work in both the Brooklyn and Central Islip offices.

Responsibilities of our Social Worker/Mitigation Specialists include, but are not limited to:

• Develop, assess and maintain referral and service resources with service providers.

• Stay abreast of local and national public policy, public benefits, community resources and processes.

• Assist in identifying and vetting experts.

• Prepare written mitigation materials, reentry support plans and alternative disposition requests/plans in collaboration with the attorney and client.

• Gather and summarize the client’s psychological, educational, and medical records, at the attorney’s request.

• Provide social work assessment and assistance with meeting bail conditions for new clients at arraignments, when requested by the attorney.

• Provide crisis management support for clients in acute distress, in close consultation with attorney and other team members.

• Provide long-term client-centered support and case management assistance to clients and their families in consultation with the defense team.

• Make regular visits to clients detained at MDC Brooklyn and other facilities (at the request of attorney) towards the support of clients and mitigation.

• Advocate for clients in court, when requested.

• Work with clients in the alternative/experimental courts in conjunction with the assigned attorneys.

• Supervise graduate level social work students in defense social work.

Minimum Qualifications:

• graduate level social work degree

• 2 years of social work or mitigation experience within one or more of the following:

• criminal defense (federal, state or capital defense)

civil defense (family court on behalf of clients charged with abuse or neglect, housing court on

behalf of clients facing eviction, immigration on behalf of clients facing deportation)

• impact litigation (human rights, Section 1983 litigation)

• demonstrated experience working with individuals who live with diagnosed and/or undiagnosed mental health concerns

• demonstrated experience working with people who use legal/illegal substances

• demonstrated skills in mitigation investigation and mitigation report writing

• valid NYS driver license (within six months of start).

Additional Qualifications Sought:

• experience in the application of social work advocacy and assessment within a strengths-based approach to working with and supporting clients.

• experience in the application of knowledge and engagement in dialogue around race, implicit bias, power & oppression.

• experience applying a client-centered & holistic approach to legal representation

• Knowledge of programs and services in NYC and Long Island that address the needs our clients may have: housing/shelter, mental health, substance use, vocational/educational, and reentry – and how to access those services.

• Fluency in language(s) other than English highly desired.

• We encourage people who are directly impacted by carceral systems to apply for this position.