BDS is a multi-disciplinary defense office representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters. Our work with clients is focused on the intersection of the legal systems that disproportionately impact Black and Brown people living below the poverty level in Brooklyn.
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 housing, public benefits, education, and employment issues. BDS is a public defense office where staff work collaboratively and across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services that serve the people we represent, their families and communities in Brooklyn.
BDS’ Social Work Department works closely with attorneys in all practice areas, providing comprehensive wrap-around services to help improve the life circumstances of our clients and their cases. BDS social workers advocate from a trauma-informed lens and a client-centered perspective as they collaborate with attorneys regarding case strategy, support clients in court, provide crisis management, link clients with outside resources and communicate with service providers.
Brooklyn Defender Services seeks to hire a Social Work Assistant to provide support to the Licensed Mastered Social Workers in the Homicide & Major Felony Unit. The Social Work Assistant will provide both administrative and client-facing assistance to the Social Workers on the unit. This role requires an energetic self-starter with strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
Responsibilities

• Meeting with incarcerated clients both in person (at New York City jails and detention centers) and via video conference to conduct wellness checks
• Meeting with incarcerated clients to procure signed consent forms
• Requesting client records (both virtually and in person) such as prior programs, ACS, education, DHS, Social Security, hospitals, and prisons
• Conducting follow-up outreach to the abovementioned entities to ensure timely collection of records
• Maintaining an organized list of all records requests
• Uploading all records into the BDS file management system, Egnyte
• Tracking all client visits and client-related tasks in BDS case management system, Litify
• Sourcing needed goods (such as clothing, hygiene products, phones, home goods) for clients via BDS’ internal client services and/or through community-based organizations
• Accompanying clients to programs and appointments in the community
• Identifying appropriate community-based programs (such as drug treatment, mental health treatment) based on client need and completing referral paperwork in collaboration with client
• Requesting program updates from community-based programs
• Coordinating the purchase and/or collection of trial clothing for incarcerated clients from families and arranging drop off in court and/or at jail facilities
• Coordinating packages of clothing and other goods to incarcerated clients

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree OR 2-3 years of relevant experience
• Experience serving and/or advocating for disenfranchised communities
• Excellent organization and coordination skills
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to utilize Microsoft Suite and all BDS internal tracking systems (such as Egnyte & Litify)
• Pays strong attention to detail
• Empathic communicator with the ability to work effectively with people from all backgrounds
• A willingness and ability to work within jails and detention facilities

Position InformationThis is a full-time, non-exempt, salaried position. The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm with occasional need for external visits/meetings outside those hours. The position is based at BDS’s offices, and the courts located in Downtown Brooklyn, but also anticipates visits to clients in jail, home visits and speaking to family in other locations as needed and BDS allows partial remote work for this position.
BDS determines salary on a pay scale based on education and experience. For this position there is a salary range starting at $51,880-77,880, based on education and experience. BDS offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance and a 403(b)-retirement plan. 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 on our online application portal. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.
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 accommodation due to a disability or another reason, please contact our Human Resource Manager, Christopher Cox, at ccox @ bds.org.