Investigator (Bronx)

The Legal Aid Society•New York, NY

12d

About The Position

As New York City's leading public defender, The Legal Aid Society is committed to vigorously advocating for the rights of the most marginalized and disenfranchised individuals. The reach of its Criminal Defense Practice extends beyond the courtroom, with a strong presence and collaborative partnerships within the communities it serves. The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice is currently seeking to fill 3 openings in the Bronx Trial Office. Investigators will work closely with the defense team under the guidance of the Supervising Investigator, Attorney-in-Charge, and Director of Investigative Services. The caseload includes, but is not limited to, misdemeanors, domestic violence, burglaries, robberies, sexual assaults, and other serious felonies. This role demands a high level of initiative, resourcefulness, creativity, and determination.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or 3-4 years of relevant work experience
Prior experience conducting investigations on criminal cases preferred, including investigative internships
Commitment to obtaining justice for indigent people and zealous defense representation required
Ability to analyze and evaluate facts, as well as integrity and discretion
Good listening and questioning skills
Familiarity with MS Office and social media platforms required
Excellent written skills
Skillful interpersonal interactions
Requires field work during office hours as well as at irregular hours
Ability to travel 95% of time required
Familiarity with borough neighborhoods
Vehicle is required

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or in a related field is strongly preferred
Additional training/certifications relating to criminal investigations preferred
Spanish language fluency strongly preferred
Notary License preferred

Responsibilities

Locate and interview complainants, witnesses, defendants, and other relevant parties
Investigate crime scenes and other relevant locations
Document scenes (photographs, video, diagrams, measurements, etc.)
Create crime scene sketches/diagrams/maps
Prepare written summaries of investigation results via our case management system
Conduct background checks, internet, and social media investigations/research
Use databases to retrieve relevant case information (e.g., CLEAR, DMV, ACRIS, etc.)
Testify in court
Accompany all defense players to crime scenes and relevant locations
Witness lineups and other police procedures (e.g., Ballistics test, examination of evidence at DA’s offices, vehicular inspection at NYPD Auto Yards, etc.)
Discover and manage physical and digital evidence (e.g., cellphones, surveillance video, social media, etc.)
Locate and extract surveillance footage from varying locations and buildings
Communicate with other city agencies as necessary
Provide accurate, detailed reports on investigations; as well as maintaining other necessary documents (e.g., chain of custody, witness statements, investigation summaries etc.)
Travel within borough as well as out-of-borough as needed
Communicate with clients and clients’ family and friends, as needed
Communicate with other members of staff/team to effectively analyze and discuss cases
Review detailed and voluminous discovery
Locate clients in person, as needed
Serve subpoenas, motions and other legal documents, as needed
Perform field work during office hours as well as during irregular hours as directed
Other duties as assigned