By Michele Evans | NYWeeklyRecord.com | July 16, 2026
Thousands of New Yorkers who rely on public defenders in Brooklyn and Queens may notice changes at the courthouse today after unionized employees at Brooklyn Defender Services officially walked off the job.
As of 8 a.m. Thursday, members of the ALAA-UAW Local 2325 Brooklyn Defender Services Union Chapter began a strike after contract negotiations failed to produce an agreement before the union’s deadline. The work stoppage includes staff attorneys, social workers, and support staff across the organization’s Brooklyn and Queens offices.
Brooklyn Defender Services said supervisors and managers will continue representing clients while the strike is underway, covering court appearances and handling active cases to ensure legal services remain available.
“After months of intensive and good-faith bargaining with the BDS Union, we regret to announce that we have not yet reached a tentative agreement,” Executive Director Lisa Schreibersdorf said in a statement, adding that protecting clients remains the organization’s highest priority.
The strike affects one of New York City’s largest public defender organizations, which represents low-income clients in criminal, family, immigration, and other legal matters throughout Brooklyn and Queens. The union has been negotiating over issues including pay, benefits, sick leave, and workplace policies since the previous contract expired at the end of June.
If you’re currently represented by Brooklyn Defender Services and need assistance with your case, the organization says you should call (718) 254-0700, where supervisors and managers remain available to help.
The strike also comes as labor tensions continue across New York City’s legal services community, with other ALAA-UAW Local 2325 bargaining units authorizing strike action if negotiations at their organizations break down.
For now, Brooklyn Defender Services says it hopes negotiations resume quickly and that both sides can reach an equitable agreement that brings employees back to work as soon as possible.
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