Defenders Clinic

The Defenders Clinic provides legal representation to indigent teenagers and adults through relationships with the Criminal Defense Practice of the Legal Aid Society and Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York State. Practice areas may include:*representing clients charged with misdemeanor offenses in the New York City Criminal Court,*representing clients seeking clemency or a pardon, *representing and assisting clients at parole proceedings, *representing clients on appeal of their criminal convictions, *representing clients placed in solitary confinement for long periods of time as a result of alleged prison disciplinary infractions, *representing clients at school suspension hearings, and*representing clients at civil forfeiture hearings. Student Defenders in the Clinic are supervised by Law School faculty who are assisted by the support staff of Main Street Legal Services (the Law School’s clinical program). Student Defenders represent clients pursuant to the Student Practice Order authorized by the Supreme Court, Appellate Division for the Second Department, in effect for both Main Street Legal Services and for the Legal Aid Society. In addition to direct client representation, students will be assigned to work with a community-based organization on a policy or practice issue relevant to the criminal justice system, or may work with outside organizations and practitioners on another case, such as a trial, a direct appeal, or a post-conviction matter. Students are also expected to research and write on an issue of significance to criminal defense practice. Field visits and presentations by guest speakers comprise part of the Clinic.