Investigator (Criminal Practice) - NDS Harlem

Neighborhood Defender Service • New York, NY

21d

About The Position

THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENDER SERVICE (NDS) is a community-based, client-centered, holistic public defense office located in Harlem, providing civil, criminal and family representation to residents of Northern Manhattan. The Criminal Defense Practice at NDS represents residents of Northern Manhattan who are charged with crimes and cannot afford to hire a lawyer. Clients are represented by teams composed of lawyers, investigators, social workers, advocates, and team administrators. NDS also provides pre-arrest representation to clients under threat of arrest. NDS adheres to a client-centered approach to representation that emphasizes a heightened responsiveness to clients’ needs prior to arrest, while a case is pending, and after the case concludes. NDS is committed to addressing the comprehensive legal and social service needs of clients. NDS seeks to hire an Investigator. The Investigator is an integral part of the defense team who demonstrates a commitment to serving marginalized persons and communities. The Investigator will help shape our present and future—contributing to a collaborative environment and culture of excellence in alignment with our values.

Requirements

• Must possess a demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, indigent defense, social justice issues and/or the communities of Northern Manhattan, including Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood.
• Must have a college degree.
• Must possess strong organizational skills in order to manage a high caseload and multi-task in a very fast-paced environment.
• Must possess excellent interpersonal, analytical, writing, and communication skills.
• Must possess energy, enthusiasm and ingenuity to gather and develop information from a broad spectrum of sources, ranging from community residents to City agencies.
• Must be able to work cooperatively in a team setting.
• New York Process Server License, or able to become licensed.

Nice To Haves

• Bi-lingual individuals are encouraged to apply; Spanish fluency preferred.
• Candidates from under-represented communities and from NYC’s five boroughs are encouraged to apply.
• Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NDS we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
• NDS encourages people with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated people, people of color, women, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people to apply.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with team members in preparing clients’ cases
• Conduct the team’s investigative work, including:
• Identifying, locating, and interviewing witnesses
• Visiting, photographing, and diagramming locations
• Obtaining documents, reports, and other materials from a variety of sources
• Preparing investigative reports and trial exhibits, including multimedia presentations
• Reviewing discovery, video and documents received from the prosecution
• Serving subpoenas.
• Meet with incarcerated clients and attend court appearances as needed
• Testify at trial
• Document investigative work in the case management system.

Benefits

• F ull medical and dental benefits, as well as other benefits, are provided.
• The salary, benefits, and employment policies relevant to this position are governed by the CBA between NDS and the NDS Union, part of ALAA UAW 2325.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level