Black and Puerto Rican Caucus Weekend Panel on Client Advisory Boards and Improving Public Defense

With an Executive proposal pending in the Legislature as part of the budget – watch here for updates – public defense reform is bubbling in Albany!

This coming Saturday the New York State Defenders Association Client Advisory Board will present a panel discussion: “Public Defense Representation from the Client’s Point of View.” The presentation is part of the annual Black and Puerto Rican Caucus legislative weekend. If you will be in town, come by Meeting Room 3 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center at 3:00 pm. If you can’t be there, please let others know!

Too often, those most affected by public defense problems are not included in discussions about fixing the problems. NYSDA’s Advisory Board has helped change that. It has, among other things:
• created Client-Centered Representation Standards,
• worked with the Association on a series of hearings soliciting testimony from clients and client advocates concerning the quality of public defense in New York State, and
• initiated a project to assist local public defense offices that want to develop or reinvigorate a local client advisory board (see pages 5-6 of article here).

The Campaign hopes that this panel, sponsored by Assemblymember Vivian E. Cook and NYSDA, will inspire all those attending Caucus Weekend to support public defense reform.