Holistic Defense

TTA recipients (public defender offices), chosen through a highly selective application process, receive twelve months of intensive, hands-on assistance focusing on those particular aspects of holistic defense identified by the recipient office. Integrating holistic defense into any public defender office is a transformative process and one that often happens incrementally. As such, we expect applicant offices to focus their requests for assistance either on a specific area or on those areas needing the most support and with the greatest potential for change.

TTA recipients (public defender offices), chosen through a highly selective application process, receive twelve months of intensive, hands-on assistance focusing on those particular aspects of holistic defense identified by the recipient office. Integrating holistic defense into any public defender office is a transformative process and one that often happens incrementally. As such, we expect applicant offices to focus their requests for assistance either on a specific area or on those areas needing the most support and with the greatest potential for change.

On June 20, 2015 Isaac Wheeler, Legal Director of the Immigration Practice at The Bronx Defenders, gave a CLE at the American Immigration Lawyers Association Annual National Conference regarding representing clients who are in both the Criminal Justice System and the Immigration Court System. Mr. Wheeler spoke of the importance of a holistic approach to representing these clients.

On May 28, 2015 Isaac Wheeler, the Legal Director for the Immigration Practice at The Bronx Defenders gave a CLE Training on representing Immigrant Clients using Holistic Advocacy to the Suffolk County Criminal Bar Association.

On May 8, 2015 Molly Kovel, Legal Director of the Civil Action Practice gave a presentation at John Jay College of Criminal Justice regarding the reformation of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) policy of excluding people with criminal records. The presentation covered the current policy and the areas ripe for reform.

On April 8, 2015 Sarah Knight, a Social Worker at The Bronx Defenders and Maria Andia-Monica, a Civil Legal Advocate spoke at the NASW Conference. Ms. Knight and Ms. Monica spoke about the necessity for an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to representing clients in Immigration Removal Proceedings.

On April 15, 2015 Shlomit Cohen presented on a panel titled, "Perverse State Intervention: How Family Court Fails Pregnant Women and Mothers Facing Mental Health and Addiction Issues." Ms. Cohen about representing women in family court with mental health diagnoses and the Family Defense Practice's incorporation of the American With Disabilities Act into representation to give added protections to clients.

Christa Douaihy, Practice Supervisor for the Civil Action Practice at The Bronx Defenders, was a panelist at Fordham Law School on the topic of HIV and the Law. Ms. Douaihy spoke of a recent litigation victory in Criminal Court due to the work of civil attorneys at The Bronx Defenders intervening on behalf of the client to keep his HIV status from being made public in the courtroom at trial. In criminal cases when a client;'s HIV status becomes an issue there is a great necessity for civil legal involvement.

On June 17, 2015 Justine Olderman, Managing Director of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders gave testimony to the City Council of New York City. Part of the testimony focused on bail funds, which are a part of the holistic services that The Bronx Defenders provide. When clients are bailed out using the Freedom Fund bail fund affiliated with The Bronx Defenders, clients are able to access all of services, which increases their likelihood of returning to court. Ms.

on May 16, 2015 Emily Galvin, staff attorney, presented at the Incarceration in America Conference. Specifically Ms. Galvin spoke about framing prisoner's rights representation in a holistic context.