Case Closed is a record sealing and expungement project that is part of the post-conviction team in The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice. Launched when New York’s 2017 application-based sealing law went into effect,...

The Community Justice Unit (CJU) was established in 2011 as part of the New York City Council’s Task Force to Combat Gun Violence. Recognizing the critical need to support community-based organizations whose work is to...

The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Appeals Bureau (CAB), consisting of approximately 90 attorneys, 3 social workers, 36 paralegals, an investigator and support staff, is the largest provider of services to low-income people in New York...

The expansive reach of The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice runs from its dynamic advocacy of clients in court to its presence and partnership in communities. As the primary public defender in New York...

The Decarceration Project fights to make pretrial detention obsolete. As a client and community centered project, we reject the premise that cages keep communities safe. Our integrated model ensures all pathways to individual freedom are...

For over a decade, The Legal Aid Society’s Digital Forensics Unit has used technology to advocate for our clients in courtrooms across New York City and has fought against government surveillance and the erosion of...

The DNA Unit​ advocates for people targeted by discriminatory, biased, or unfair forensics by defending clients, preventing harm to communities through educating stakeholders, and pursuing changes in policy and law. ​ The Unit is the...

The Homicide Defense Task Force (HDTF) is a highly specialized unit within the Legal Aid Society established to meet the needs of clients charged with homicide. The HDTF is able to respond quickly to homicide...

Established in 2002, The Legal Aid Society’s MICA Project is a groundbreaking nationwide initiative that embodies a unique collaboration between mental health attorneys and forensic social worker mitigation specialists. This interdisciplinary team advocates for treatment-based...

For thousands of low-income New Yorkers who have been detained at Rikers Island after being accused of violating state parole and post-release supervision, the Legal Aid Society stands alone in its knowledge, abilities and commitment...