Category: Legal Practice Units

Defender FY 2025 Budget Testimony

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

FY 2025 Budget Request: More resources to support Philly's Youth!

 

On April 16, 2024, Chief Defender Keisha Hudson & Deputy Defender Sarah Allen testified before City Council about our request for a $15 million budget increase in FY 2025.

 

These funds would largely be dedicated to hiring more attorneys and social workers for our child and youth clients, as well as salary increases to bring our attorneys to parity with other city agencies.

 

Read the full budget testimony here

 

Download budget request slides

 

Video: Defender Association Budget Testimony

Gideon 60/Defender 90 CLE Workshops

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

Join us in March for a series of CLE workshops celebrating 60 years of Gideon v. Wainwright and 90 Years of the Defender Association of Philadelphia! 

 

Check out any—or all!—of the workshops. CLE and CEU credits are available!

March 13, 3:00 pm:

History of Social Services and Mental Health at the Defender

 

Moderated by: James Haley

 

Panelists:

Kia Mayes

Erica Berson

Gregg Blender

Luna Pattela

Dana Cook

Candy Chang

March 25, 3:30 pm:

History of Representation of Jailed Clients  by the Defender Association: From “Inmates” to “Incarcerated People”

 

Moderated by: Tom Innes

 

Panelists:

Ben Lerner

Melanie Young

Meredith Zeitzer

March 27, 3:30 pm:

History of Homicide Representation in Philadelphia County:  Before the Defender Homicide Unit; The Sea Change; Homicide Defense Going Forward

 

Moderated by: Tom Innes

 

Panelists:

Ben Lerner

Dan Stevenson

Helen Marino

Everett Gillison

Philly Defenders argue before the PA Supreme Court

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

Defender Association attorneys will be arguing two cases before the PA Supreme Court on March 5 & 6

 

On March 5 and 6, Philly Defender attorneys Katherine Muns and Len Sosnov will be arguing two cases before the PA Supreme Court. Commonwealth v. Saunders and Commonwealth v. Berry are important cases that will have an impact on our clients and Philadelphia’s criminal justice system. More information and links to watch live proceedings are below:

 

Commonwealth v. Saunders (approx 10:00am): The case is the Defender Association’s appeal about whether Commonwealth v. Alexander prevents police from entering a car without a warrant after a vehicle stop to seize a gun or other contraband they can see in the car from the outside. Or, whether as the Superior Court held,  the “plain view exception” permits officers to enter the car and seize the contraband without getting a warrant. The Court’s decision will likely impact a large number of cases for Defender clients.

 

Click here to watch live on March 5

 

 

Commonwealth v. Berry  (9:30am): Pennsylvania law has been inconsistent about when and how a sentencing court can look at and consider a defendant’s prior arrest record. This case argues that due process and the Sentencing Code bar a trial court from considering a defendant’s bare arrest record in imposing a greater sentence.

 

Click here to watch live on March 6

Video: PAU’s Mike Mellon on PhillyCAM

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

On October 2, the Defenders’ Police Accountability Unit Chief Mike Mellon spoke with Danielle Wilson on PhillyCAM about some of the issues related to policing and public safety in Philadelphia.

 

Learn More About the Police Accountability Unit

 

Watch the video below:

 

Video: Why Black & Brown Public Defenders are Crucial

Posted on by GJackson@philadefender.org

We represent 70% of the people accused of crimes in Philadelphia. An overwhelming majority of these are Black and Brown people. Having Black & Brown attorneys and staff is a crucial part of ensuring that we not only understand their legal cases, but who they are as people and the communities they come from.

 

Watch this amazing video produced by Defender Mitigation Specialist Donte Green to hear from Defender attorneys and staff about why you should join our team if you want to make a difference in the lives of our BIPOC clients.

 

 
See Current Job Opportunities

Keisha Hudson on “New Thinking” Podcast

Posted on by 2010admin

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Listen to a snippet from Keisha Hudson here

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Chief Defender Keisha Hudson joins Michigan Law’s Eve Primus, and Brooklyn Law Center’s Alexis Hoag-Fordjour to discuss the groundbreaking yet unfulfilled legacy of Gideon v. Wainwright. 

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Social Workers Break Barriers!

Posted on by 2010admin

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During Social Work Month 2023, watch and learn how the Defender’s team of social workers breaks barriers for our clients and their families!

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Defender Expungement Services

Posted on by 2010admin

[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1651607872955{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-color: #eeeeee !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Defender provides criminal record expungement services for our adult and juvenile clients.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

Adult Record Expungement

An expungement is an order that requires state and local criminal justice agencies to erase something from a record. To be eligible for our services you must:

  1. Have an ADULT criminal record in Philadelphia (we cannot handle cases in other counties or states). If you have a juvenile record and you want to see if it can be expunged, please call 267-765-6770, or visit our Juvenile Expungement page 
  2. Have been represented by the Defender Association in your matter(s)
  3. Not have any open cases or currently be supervised on probation or parole.

If you want to get your adult criminal record expunged:

  • You can send us an email: Expungement@philadefender.org; or 
  • fill out the expungement request form on our website here

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Juvenile Record Expungement

Expungement request are the primary request from our Philadelphia community. At every community event we attend we offer one-on-one expungement clinics with our staff attorneys. In 2019 alone, we filed 405 new expungement petitions and saw 438 of our petitions granted by the courts. 

If you have questions about an expungement you can:

Learn more about juvenile record expungement here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Job Opening: Trial Attorney

Posted on by 2010admin

Job Summary

The Defender Association of Philadelphia is seeking an experienced trial attorney to join our organization’s criminal trial practice divisions. The Defender Association of Philadelphia is a non-profit law firm serving the clients in the city of Philadelphia. Defender attorneys are part of a dynamic team that includes social workers, paralegals, mitigation specialists, investigators, and administrative professionals who play critical roles serving our clients and communities. Complementing our trial practice, the Defender Association focuses on meeting the needs of clients pre-trial and following incarceration. 

Our office represents 70% of people charged with crimes in Philadelphia. We are comprised of various practice units wherein we provide representation beginning at the preliminary arraignment through the appellate process.  We employ a client centered representation model which includes providing clients with zealous advocacy in the courtroom and partnering with our community through Participatory Defense, expungement clinics and other community-based events.

Responsibilities

  • Handle all aspects of client representation in the Philadelphia Criminal Courts, including but not limited to preliminary hearings, motions, waiver trials, jury trials, and violations of probation
  • Maintain and manage an adult criminal caseload within the assigned trial unit. This involves specially-assigned, complex cases of all types, including cases where clients are charged with violent and sexual offenses
  • Draft, file, and argue all necessary motions and memoranda of law
  • Interview clients over the telephone, in-person, and at county and state correctional institutions
  • Engage in holistic representation practices that assist the client in collateral matters that may impact the direct legal representation of the client
  • Maintain a professional team-oriented work atmosphere with other attorneys, social workers, investigators and administrative staff within the unit, and all other units at the Defender Association.

Qualifications and Experience

  • Juris Doctor degree and admission to the PA Bar 
  • Minimum of three years’ experience providing direct legal representation to individuals involved in the criminal justice system, including litigating complex felony cases
  • Jury trial experience preferred
  • A demonstrated interest in and commitment to the representation of individuals within the criminal justice system
  • Ability to adapt to changing needs of the Defender Association and to work collaboratively with all Defender staff

TO APPLY E-MAIL A RESUME, COVER LETTER AND WRITING SAMPLE TO: Lori Mach: LMach@philadefender.org

 

To see more job openings, visit the Defender’s Careers Page

Follow us: @PhillyDefenders