Investigator; Criminal Practice; NDS Harlem

Job Title: Investigator

Department: Criminal Defense Practice

Location: Harlem

Reports To: Supervising Investigator

Position Type: Full Time

Union Status: Union Eligible

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

About NDS:

Neighborhood Defender Service (NDS) is a national nonprofit public defense organization that pioneered the holistic defense model more than 30 years ago. Founded in Harlem, NDS was built to challenge the traditional public defense model by centering clients, communities, and interdisciplinary advocacy. Today, NDS operates community-based offices in Harlem; the Bronx;
Detroit; and Hays County, Texas, supported by a unified national infrastructure that allows local teams to deliver high-quality, responsive representation rooted in the communities they serve.

Across all locations, NDS provides client-centered legal representation through interdisciplinary teams composed of attorneys, investigators, social workers, client advocates, and team administrators. Our approach emphasizes early and ongoing engagement with clients-before arrest where possible, throughout the life of a case, and beyond case resolution-while addressing the legal, social, and systemic challenges that impact long-term stability. NDS is committed to treating every client with dignity and respect and to advancing justice for individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized and over-policed.

Core Purpose of the Role:

The Investigator is an integral part of the defense team whodemonstratesa commitment to serving marginalizedpeopleand communities. The Investigator will help shape our present and future-contributing to a collaborative environment and culture of excellence in alignment with our values. At NDS Harlem, how werepresentour clients is as important as individual case outcomes, and our ideal Investigator approaches the cultivation of a positive office culture and the representation of indigent clients with equal rigor and commitment.

• Embrace NDS' philosophy of client-centered, holistic representation, providing vigorous investigative support to the communities of Northern Manhattan, including Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood.
• Work closely with attorneys, social workers, and client advocates to prepare clients for hearings and trials.
• Meet with clients to gather information relevant to defense theory and case planning.
• Identify, locate, and interview witnesses, including hostile or reluctant witnesses.
• Visit, photograph, and diagram crime scenes and other relevant locations.
• Collect, preserve, and document evidence per proper chain-of-custody procedures.
• Obtain documents, records, and reports from law enforcement, agencies, and other sources via subpoenas, FOIA requests, and direct outreach.
• Prepare, issue, and serve subpoenas.
• Prepare, issue, and execute affidavit.
• Conduct background research on witnesses and other case-relevant parties.
• Analyze discovery materials to identify investigative leads and inconsistencies.
• Prepare clear, timely investigative reports and trial exhibits.
• Testify credibly at trials, hearings, and depositions.
• Document all investigative work in the case management system.
• Contribute to a collaborative, respectful team culture.
• Apply working knowledge of the criminal court system and evidence of documentation standards.
• Communicate effectively, both written and verbally, with clients, witnesses, and colleagues.
• Bring sharp observation skills and attention to detail to all casework.
• Maintain high ethical standards - approaching each case open-mindedly and without judgment and protecting clients' rights.

Required

• A demonstrated commitment to criminal justice, indigent defense, racial equity, and social justice issues, and a substantive understanding of the…