| Brooklyn Family Defense Project |
Brooklyn Family Defense ProjectThe Brooklyn Family Defense Project (“BFDP”) was one of three providers selected by the City of New York to establish a new office to represent parents in child welfare cases filed by the Administration for Children's Services. The City’s contract requires BFDP to represent 800 low income families in Brooklyn Family Court each year. Our clients face numerous challenges to maintaining their families, including homelessness, mental illness of the parents and/or the children, physical disabilities, addiction, and domestic violence, all of which are exacerbated by our clients’ poverty. BFDP’s mission is to provide high quality legal representation to protect parents’ due process rights while promoting access to the services necessary to build safe and stable families. Each case is uniquely different and raises complex issues of law and fact. Because we represent so many of the families affected by the family court and child welfare systems, BFDP is also uniquely situated to advocate for systemic change. BFDP’s diverse and talented staff works collaboratively in teams of attorneys, social workers and paralegal/parent advocates to advocate strongly on behalf of individual parents who risk the loss of their children. To ensure that our clients receive comprehensive services we have developed collaborations with the NYU School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic, the Hunter School of Social Work, and other local schools. Through these partnerships, we receive added support in our individual cases while helping to train new generations of family defense professionals. Location:
177 Livingston Street, 7th Floor
Lauren Shapiro, Project Director Area served: All of Brooklyn |
