Robin Steinberg, founder and executive director of The Bronx Defenders, had a vision fifteen years ago that the people of the Bronx- especially low-income clients who could not afford private lawyers- deserved better, more holistic legal representation. Rather than just determining the facts of the crime, she sought to redefine the whole paradigm of criminal public defense, by working with clients on their housing, family support, and education to best represent not only their criminal case but provide opportunities for a better future outside the justice system. In 1997, Steinberg made this vision a reality, with the founding of The Bronx Defenders, a public defense organization that aims to do just that.
Now, a decade and a half later, the court ruling Padilla v. Kentucky has made it obligatory for all lawyers to adequately advise their clients on the potential immigration consequences of a plea- which is especially significant in the push towards a more holistic system of public legal representation. For example, a marijuana violation is usually one of the less consequential pleas a defendant can take, and is supposed to disappear from one's record after a year; however, for a someone who isn't a US citizen (even if they are documented), a marijuana plea could lead to deportation.
Check out Steinberg's Huff Post article, "Supreme Court Ruling Speaks of a New Kind of Public Defense,"for a deeper analysis of what Padilla v. Kentucky means for both immigration law and public defense- and be sure to come to Robin Steinberg's talk on "Redefining Public Defense" Monday Feb. 28th at 4:30 in BiHall 220!
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