Legal Fellowship Opportunity for 2027- Education Surveillance

Brooklyn Defender Services•New York, NY

10d•$90,000 - $95,000•Onsite

About The Position

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) is seeking rising third-year law students, judicial law clerks, and recent law school graduates to sponsor for a post-graduate public interest law fellowship. The fellow will join the Seizure and Surveillance Defense Project within the Criminal Defense Practice. This role involves designing and executing direct advocacy, policy, and litigation projects aimed at challenging the increasing law enforcement surveillance of young people in schools. BDS, a public defense office, represents low-income New Yorkers across various legal matters, focusing on the intersection of legal systems that disproportionately affect Black and brown communities. The Seizure and Surveillance Defense Project (SSDP) is a specialized initiative in New York City focusing on criminal defense, property seizure, and digital surveillance. The project advocates for property return, tracks patterns in technological device seizure, and challenges emerging surveillance practices through policy and special litigation. They also conduct trainings on constitutional trends and data privacy. The fellowship specifically focuses on education surveillance, involving policy and litigation projects, coordination with Education, Policy, and Adolescent Representation teams, and direct case advocacy on tech seizure cases for youth clients.

Requirements

Rising third-year law student, judicial law clerk, and/or recent law school graduate.
Demonstrated commitment to social justice and criminal defense issues.
Interest or ability to learn about emerging surveillance technologies.
Committed to client-centered representation.
Good oral and written communication skills.
Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with interdisciplinary staff members.
Willingness and ability to commit time to write fellowship applications.

Responsibilities

Design and execute direct advocacy, policy, and litigation projects to challenge law enforcement surveillance of young people in schools.
Work collaboratively with BDS teams, including Education, Policy, and Adolescent Representation.
Engage in direct case advocacy on tech seizure cases for youth clients.
Advocate for property return for clients whose property has been seized in connection with their arrests.
Track patterns across the seizure of technological devices to identify impacts on arrests, prosecution, and community surveillance.
Pilot policy and special litigation projects to challenge the constitutionality of emerging surveillance practices.
Appear at conferences and conduct trainings on constitutional trends and data privacy.
Commit time to write fellowship applications with guidance from BDS staff.