What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:45am - 5:45pm Tuesday 8:45am - 5:45pm Wednesday 8:45am - 5:45pm Thursday 8:45am - 5:45pm Friday 8:45am - 5:45pm

Neighborhood Defender Service

Home
United States
New York, NY
Neighborhood Defender Service

Neighborhood Defender Service (NDS) is known nationally and internationally for its innovative, community-based, holistic public defense practice.

Our dedicated staff is committed to providing unparalleled legal representation. Since we opened our doors in Harlem in 1990, we have pioneered the holistic model as a way to address problems plaguing public defense. In contrast to a traditional public defense practice, NDS clients have an entire team fighting on their behalf, including criminal and civil attorneys, family defense attorneys, advoc

ates, social workers, investigators, paralegals, law school and social work interns, and pro bono attorneys. NDS deploys all of these resources on behalf of our clients, addressing the underlying issues that bring them into contact with the criminal legal system. NDS staff use their engagement with a client as an opportunity to disentangle them from the system completely. This approach allows defense to extend well beyond the courtroom, with robust social services and comprehensive teams meant to protect our clients from the damages of criminal legal proceedings. When clients face consequences with employment, schooling, immigration or in family or housing court, NDS works alongside them to resolve these issues. NDS fights for our clients both by working their cases and by advocating for policy changes that provide a measure of justice to their communities. NDS is an active member of these communities, establishing meaningful relationships with clients and their families. NDS hosts frequent education and outreach events to support its neighbors and participate in local events. NDS has been a part of the Harlem community for nearly 30 years. In 2019, NDS opened a second office in Detroit, providing the same world-class service to the people of Wayne County. In 2022, NDS will open NDS Texas in San Antonio, to provide legal representation to immigrants arrested through Operation Lone Star along the Texas/Mexico border. NDS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations to NDS are tax-deductible as permitted by law.

02/03/2026

Join us on March 17th for Defending Justice and Protecting Immigrant Communities, an important panel discussing the intersection of family separation and immigration. Afterwards, come together in community at our reception. If you are a Harlem community member, we invite you to join us for free. RSVP required. Hope to see you there!

12/17/2025

Donate NDS’d holiday toy drive. Link in bio and here: https://linktr.ee/NDSFDPDRIVE

04/16/2025

09/24/2024

Aspiring students, join us this Thursday 9/26 from 1-3 for an HBCU Black College tour, feat. NDS & other speakers!

09/05/2024

Know your rights in the family policing system! This month’s Criminal Law Talks series, every Saturday from 10 am - noon at the Harlem YMCA, kicks off with NDS-Harlem’s new Managing Director Piyali Basak on how to navigate the intersection of family and criminal law. Free and open to all!

07/31/2024

Did the NYPD force you to remove a religious head covering for a post-arrest photo? You could get $7,824 or more from a class action settlement.

➡️ Visit www.headcoveringcase.com or call 1-833-637-4794 to learn more.

04/30/2024

Join us on May 15 to advocate for 4 essential state bills: the Family Miranda Bill, the Informed Consent Bill, the Anti-Harassment in Reporting Bill, and the Preserving Family Bonds Act.

12/05/2023

Don’t miss this op-ed in support of in today’s Albany Times Union. Tell to sign it into law!!

12/01/2023

BREAKING NEWS: The Preserving Family Bonds Act is on the Governor’s desk.

The time to act is now!! Visit bit.lySignPFB to tell to enact the bill - because children deserve more love in their lives, not less.

10/06/2023

As part of the "Make Our Voices Heard" campaign granted by the , curated guest blogs, each an insightful + informative piece from one of our members highlighting their insights, learnings, + recs around immigration legal svcs. Read here: bit.ly/3RmgtQy

10/06/2023

Join us on Thursday Oct 12 to learn about your rights in encounters with the NYPD. Drop in anytime btwn 3:30-5:30. You’ve got a right!

09/28/2023

NDS representing at a rally this morning prior to a hearing on mandatory reporting — a practice that, rather than fulfilling its stated purpose to detect child abuse, serves to surveil, criminalize, and punish disproportionately Black, Latine, Indigenous, and low-income families.

Address

New York, NY

Opening Hours

Monday	8:45am - 5:45pm
Tuesday	8:45am - 5:45pm
Wednesday	8:45am - 5:45pm
Thursday	8:45am - 5:45pm
Friday	8:45am - 5:45pm

Telephone

(212) 876-5500

Website

http://neighborhooddefender.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Neighborhood Defender Service posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.