Litigation Support Paralegal, Homicide Unit

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks experienced professionals with advanced computer, paralegal, and organizational abilities for the position of Litigation Support Paralegal in the Homicide Unit. 

BDS is a public defense office representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters. For nearly 30 years, BDS has worked, in and out of court, to protect and uphold the rights of individuals and to change laws and systems that perpetuate injustice and inequality. Our legal expertise work with clients is focused on the intersections of these legal systems that disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities living in poverty. 

BDS represents thousands of people each year who have diverse, complex, and multi-faceted legal needs. In addition to a zealous legal defense, our interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers and advocates provide a wide range of legal and advocacy services, including for housing, public benefits, education, and employment. BDS staff work collaboratively and across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services that serve the people we represent, their families and communities.

The Homicide Unit utilizes a team approach in the representation of clients, with an attorney, investigator and social worker assigned from the inception of the case who conduct regular team strategizing and information gathering sessions. In addition, the unit as a whole works very closely together in order to take advantage of the wealth of expertise of the unit’s attorneys and staff. 

As a member of homicide litigation teams, the Litigation Support Paralegal will be responsible for providing a full range of litigation support services in all aspects of litigation and trial work.

Responsibilities:

• Work with attorneys and investigators in all aspects of case preparation, including the discovery phase, evidentiary hearings, trials, and sentencings.

• Serve as a discovery manager to assist homicide litigation teams to best utilize tools for hosting, organizing, managing, reviewing, and analyzing electronic and paper discovery, and for producing case materials for litigation and trial presentation.

• Process, organize, index, and format discovery so that homicide litigation teams can use it for case preparation, hearings, trials, and mitigation.

• Summarize evidence for homicide litigation teams.

• Prepare demonstrative evidence and exhibits for pleadings, hearings, and trials.

• Be available for last-minute assistance related to hearings, trials, and other case appearances on an occasional basis for cases the paralegal has been working on.

• Additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Detail-oriented multitasker with an aptitude for noticing details, creating systems and structures to efficiently advance work, and keeping track of multiple priorities and deadlines at once.

• Vigilance when working with very sensitive and privileged information including the ability to treat such information with the security and care it requires.

• A team player with ability to work effectively in a high stakes environment as well as step on when urgent matters arise. 

• Familiarity with any of the software below a plus:

o E-discovery management software (e.g. Everlaw, Relativity)

o Presentation software (e.g. PowerPoint)

o Trial presentation software (e.g. TRIAL DIRECTOR)

o Media player software (e.g. VLC media player)

Position Information

This is a full-time, non-exempt, salaried position in the collective bargaining unit. The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. The position is based at BDS’s offices, and the courts located in Downtown Brooklyn. From time to time, this position may entail working overtime, specifically when a case is on trial or for other important assignments. 

The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. The position is based at BDS’s offices, located in Downtown Brooklyn.

BDS determines salary based on education and experience. For this position, there is a salary range from $63,000-70,000 based on the applicant’s experience and education. Applicants with more than five years of experience may earn more than the top of the range.

BDS also offers comprehensive benefits including health and dental insurance, short-term disability and life insurance, a 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution, pre-tax commuter benefit, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, and above-average vacation, sick, holiday, family, and medical leave policies. 

Application Instructions  

Click “Apply Now” to submit a cover letter and resume on our application portal. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. We recommend you submit your application by 6/30/26.

Brooklyn Defender Services is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, expressions, orientations, disabilities, and experiences to apply. If you require an accommodation due to a disability or another reason, please contact the Managing Director, H.R. Manager, Christina Wallace at cwallace@bds.org.