Capacity-Building Through Expert Integration

Files amicus briefs in trial and appellate courts on major legal issues affecting criminal defense, including challenges to executive overreach, sentencing disparities, compassionate release rights, and constitutional protections such as the Confrontation Clause and limits on forfeiture.

Organizes a biennial weekend retreat that brings together defense lawyers, prosecutors, judges, and other legal professionals to discuss issues of concern to the criminal defense bar.

Facilitates informal luncheons for members and invited judges to build relationships and promote collegiality within the legal community.

Operates with a formal leadership structure composed of elected officers and a board of members to govern the organization.

Establishes rigorous membership criteria requiring at least 10 years of legal practice, substantial criminal defense experience, good standing in court, and nomination by a current member, with applications reviewed through a formal process including reference checks and a Board of Directors vote.

Maintains three Liaison Committees that meet periodically with U.S. Attorneys and the District Attorney for New York County to discuss issues of mutual concern and improve professional dialogue.

Conducts panel programs for members and non-members focused on current and significant topics in criminal defense practice and law.

Recognizes outstanding contributions to the defense of liberty and preservation of individual rights by presenting the Norman Ostrow Award annually to a defense lawyer.

Submits formal comments, proposed amendments, and letters to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, rules committees, and other legal policy bodies to influence sentencing guidelines and procedural rules.

Advocates for statutory and policy reform of the Sexual Assault Reform Act (SARA) through amicus briefs, policy proposals, and community outreach in collaboration with legal and community organizations.

Provides high-quality appellate defense representation to individuals convicted of crimes in New York State who cannot afford private lawyers, reviewing convictions for legal errors and challenging improper actions by criminal justice actors. The organization has won over 1,100 direct appeals in the Appellate Division and more than 70 cases in the New York Court of Appeals.

Provides trauma-informed supportive counseling to clients in the community and those currently incarcerated through licensed social workers and social work interns. Delivers comprehensive mitigation reports, social work evaluations, and mental health assessments to support post-conviction legal representation.

Conducts criminal-immigration analysis in every case to assess risks of deportation, inadmissibility, or denial of naturalization for non-citizen clients. Pursues direct appeals and additional legal relief, such as C.P.L. § 440 motions, to minimize negative immigration consequences.

Operates a summer internship program for law students who have completed their first or second year of law school, offering opportunities to draft legal documents, conduct legal research, participate in post-conviction investigations, attend oral arguments, and support office functions in areas including SORA cases, post-conviction immigration relief, and direct appeals.

Provides law students with supervised opportunities to represent indigent individuals in criminal appeals through fieldwork and weekly seminars focused on appellate record review, legal issue assessment, and appellate brief writing.

Provides legal representation to vacate criminal convictions for survivors of human trafficking in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

Provides legal advocacy for individuals affected by the Sexual Assault Reform Act (SARA), which imposes 1,000-foot residential restrictions around schools, often resulting in homelessness or continued incarceration due to lack of compliant housing in New York City. Conducts targeted litigation and client education to challenge the unlawful impacts of SARA on individuals with sex offense convictions.

Identifies eligible domestic violence survivor clients and files for resentencing under the DVSJA, both proactively and when assigned by the court. Provides trauma-informed legal representation supported by social work and re-entry teams, resulting in reduced prison sentences and elimination of lifetime parole or post-release supervision for successful applicants.