The Legal Aid Society welcomed its fall 2019 Criminal Defense Practice (CDP) class yesterday, which includes 48 public defenders – graduates of law schools from around the country. After eight comprehensive weeks, the fall 2019 group will begin representing clients in the New York City Criminal Court, start work in Legal Aid’s Parole Revocation Unit, and join other teams across CDP.

This class will also be the first to be trained and to practice the systemic changes to New York’s criminal discovery, bail, and speedy trial laws that become effective in January 2020, according to the New York Daily News.

“The folks we’re bringing in are going to really help us move a culture, which I think is really exciting. Public defenders are critical to justice and are often the only people standing up unequivocally for clients,” said Tina Luongo, Attorney-In-Charge of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society.