Brooklyn Defenders
Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
Brooklyn Defenders, New York, New York, us, 10261
Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
Join to apply for the
Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
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Brooklyn Defenders Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
2 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants Join to apply for the
Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
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Brooklyn Defenders Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features. This range is provided by Brooklyn Defenders. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more. Base pay range
$90,000.00/yr - $160,546.00/yr Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks an Attorney to join the Padilla team in the Criminal Defense Practice in the Queens office.
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 needs. In 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.
Named after the landmark Supreme Court decision, Padilla v. Kentucky , 559 U.S. 356 (2010), BDS’s Padilla Team specializes in the intersection of criminal and immigration law. The Padilla attorneys are embedded within the Criminal Defense Practice and advise criminal defense colleagues and clients on the immigration law consequences of criminal cases. The Padilla Team helps devise strategies to minimize the immigration impact of clients’ criminal cases, screens clients for immigration relief, and represents some clients in affirmative applications and removal proceedings. BDS’s Padilla Team collaborates with BDS’s Immigration Practice, which represents people in detained and non-detained removal proceedings as well as complex applications before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Under the direct supervision of a Supervising Attorney, the Padilla Attorney works directly with clients and criminal defense attorneys to determine clients’ immigration status, screen for eligibility for affirmative immigration benefits or relief from deportation, identify strategies to mitigate the immigration consequences of criminal proceedings, and advise clients on the consequences of potential resolutions of their criminal cases.
Responsibilities
Work with clients to determine their immigration status, eligibility for relief, and priorities in resolving their cases in Queen’s criminal, supreme, and community justice courts. Research New York criminal law and the federal immigration consequences that correspond to various criminal statutes. Write legal memorandums to mitigate immigration consequences of criminal charges for defense attorneys. Write immigration advocacy letters to be presented to the District Attorney’s office and/or the criminal courts as mitigation in furtherance of plea negotiations. Appear in the criminal courts as needed to assist defense attorneys in advocating for immigration-informed outcomes on criminal cases. Meet with clients in person at BDS’s office and in courthouses (including in Department of Corrections holding areas) to conduct intake interviews, consultations, and plea advisals. Engage in advocacy with the District Attorney’s office. Maintain a docket of direct immigration representation cases before various federal immigration agencies and courts, caseload of affirmative immigration applications, or engage in community education projects. Maintain case files, notes, and data in our digital case management system for reporting and advocacy needs. Staff on-call shifts on certain evenings and weekends to answer immigration questions from criminal defense attorneys in arraignments. On-call shift responsibilities are fully remote. Additional responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Admitted to practice in New York, or ability to become admitted. Experience working at the intersection of immigration and criminal law, or representing clients in immigration matters, preferred. Highly organized, ability to work collaboratively with others, and attentive to details. Creativity, determination, and the ability to provide urgent assistance to clients in crisis while remaining calm and focused. Ability to perform nuanced legal research and analysis of New York State criminal law and federal immigration law using the appropriate analytical frameworks for each client’s circumstances. Ability to explain legal conclusions clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing, to clients, attorneys, and adjudicators. Familiarity with or willingness to learn digital case and document management systems and Microsoft Suite computer applications. Fluency or high proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred. Fluency or high proficiency in additional languages including Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, or Bengali is a plus.
Position Information
This is an exempt, salaried position. The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. However, Padilla attorneys are also required to do a rotating on-call assignment during criminal court arraignment shifts that take place on evenings and weekends. The position is based at BDS’s offices, and the courts located in Queens.
BDS determines salary on a pay scale based on education and experience. For this position there is a base salary range of $90,000-$160,546 depending on the applicant’s education and experience. BDS offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance and a 403(b) retirement plan. In order to support work/life balance and family-friendly policies, BDS has generous vacation, sick, holiday, family, and medical leave policies.
Application Instructions
Click apply to submit a cover letter and resume. Please submit your application by August 15, 2025.
Brooklyn Defender Services is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, expressions, orientations, disabilities, and experiences to apply. If you need an accommodation due to a disability or another reason, please contact the Managing Director of Human Resources, Christina Wallace, at cwallace @ bds.org . Seniority level
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Join to apply for the
Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
role at
Brooklyn Defenders Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
2 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants Join to apply for the
Padilla, Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
role at
Brooklyn Defenders Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features. This range is provided by Brooklyn Defenders. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more. Base pay range
$90,000.00/yr - $160,546.00/yr Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks an Attorney to join the Padilla team in the Criminal Defense Practice in the Queens office.
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 needs. In 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.
Named after the landmark Supreme Court decision, Padilla v. Kentucky , 559 U.S. 356 (2010), BDS’s Padilla Team specializes in the intersection of criminal and immigration law. The Padilla attorneys are embedded within the Criminal Defense Practice and advise criminal defense colleagues and clients on the immigration law consequences of criminal cases. The Padilla Team helps devise strategies to minimize the immigration impact of clients’ criminal cases, screens clients for immigration relief, and represents some clients in affirmative applications and removal proceedings. BDS’s Padilla Team collaborates with BDS’s Immigration Practice, which represents people in detained and non-detained removal proceedings as well as complex applications before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Under the direct supervision of a Supervising Attorney, the Padilla Attorney works directly with clients and criminal defense attorneys to determine clients’ immigration status, screen for eligibility for affirmative immigration benefits or relief from deportation, identify strategies to mitigate the immigration consequences of criminal proceedings, and advise clients on the consequences of potential resolutions of their criminal cases.
Responsibilities
Work with clients to determine their immigration status, eligibility for relief, and priorities in resolving their cases in Queen’s criminal, supreme, and community justice courts. Research New York criminal law and the federal immigration consequences that correspond to various criminal statutes. Write legal memorandums to mitigate immigration consequences of criminal charges for defense attorneys. Write immigration advocacy letters to be presented to the District Attorney’s office and/or the criminal courts as mitigation in furtherance of plea negotiations. Appear in the criminal courts as needed to assist defense attorneys in advocating for immigration-informed outcomes on criminal cases. Meet with clients in person at BDS’s office and in courthouses (including in Department of Corrections holding areas) to conduct intake interviews, consultations, and plea advisals. Engage in advocacy with the District Attorney’s office. Maintain a docket of direct immigration representation cases before various federal immigration agencies and courts, caseload of affirmative immigration applications, or engage in community education projects. Maintain case files, notes, and data in our digital case management system for reporting and advocacy needs. Staff on-call shifts on certain evenings and weekends to answer immigration questions from criminal defense attorneys in arraignments. On-call shift responsibilities are fully remote. Additional responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Admitted to practice in New York, or ability to become admitted. Experience working at the intersection of immigration and criminal law, or representing clients in immigration matters, preferred. Highly organized, ability to work collaboratively with others, and attentive to details. Creativity, determination, and the ability to provide urgent assistance to clients in crisis while remaining calm and focused. Ability to perform nuanced legal research and analysis of New York State criminal law and federal immigration law using the appropriate analytical frameworks for each client’s circumstances. Ability to explain legal conclusions clearly and persuasively, both orally and in writing, to clients, attorneys, and adjudicators. Familiarity with or willingness to learn digital case and document management systems and Microsoft Suite computer applications. Fluency or high proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred. Fluency or high proficiency in additional languages including Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, or Bengali is a plus.
Position Information
This is an exempt, salaried position. The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. However, Padilla attorneys are also required to do a rotating on-call assignment during criminal court arraignment shifts that take place on evenings and weekends. The position is based at BDS’s offices, and the courts located in Queens.
BDS determines salary on a pay scale based on education and experience. For this position there is a base salary range of $90,000-$160,546 depending on the applicant’s education and experience. BDS offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance and a 403(b) retirement plan. In order to support work/life balance and family-friendly policies, BDS has generous vacation, sick, holiday, family, and medical leave policies.
Application Instructions
Click apply to submit a cover letter and resume. Please submit your application by August 15, 2025.
Brooklyn Defender Services is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, expressions, orientations, disabilities, and experiences to apply. If you need an accommodation due to a disability or another reason, please contact the Managing Director of Human Resources, Christina Wallace, at cwallace @ bds.org . Seniority level
Seniority level Entry level Employment type
Employment type Full-time Job function
Job function Legal Industries Legal Services Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Brooklyn Defenders by 2x Get notified about new Criminal Defense Attorney jobs in
Brooklyn, NY . New York, NY $123,600.00-$159,800.00 3 weeks ago Entry Level Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice
Brooklyn, NY $81,000.00-$157,261.00 8 months ago New York City Metropolitan Area 4 days ago New York City Metropolitan Area 5 days ago New York City Metropolitan Area 2 weeks ago New York City Metropolitan Area 19 hours ago New York, NY $175,000.00-$200,000.00 1 day ago Brooklyn, NY $76,500.00-$128,520.00 3 weeks ago Brooklyn, NY $76,500.00-$128,520.00 1 month ago New York City Metropolitan Area 1 week ago New York City Metropolitan Area 2 weeks ago New York City Metropolitan Area 2 weeks ago Attorney - Supreme Court - Criminal Term
New York City Metropolitan Area $89,579.00-$128,148.00 1 week ago Associate Attorney (Civil Defense Litigation)
New York, NY $100,000.00-$160,000.00 2 weeks ago New York, NY $76,500.00-$128,520.00 1 month ago Trial Attorney, Preventing System Involvement (PSI)
New York, NY $64,500.00-$128,520.00 1 month ago Associate Attorney - Civil Rights, Labor & Employment Litigation
Fall 2025 Housing Staff Attorneys/Law Graduates (Right to Counsel) - Queens Office
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Brooklyn, NY $80,000.00-$157,261.00 8 months ago Legal, Litigation Attorney, Vice President, New York
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New York, NY $66,800.00-$120,650.00 1 week ago Garden City, NY $60,000.00-$65,000.00 1 month ago New York City Metropolitan Area 2 weeks ago Queens, NY $76,500.00-$128,520.00 1 month ago New York City Metropolitan Area $130,000.00-$170,000.00 1 day ago New York City Metropolitan Area 1 week ago New York, NY $260,000.00-$261,000.00 3 weeks ago Manhattan, NY $115,283.00-$145,682.00 1 week ago Manhattan, NY $141,581.00-$178,874.00 1 week ago We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
#J-18808-Ljbffr