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Our Mission To support and advance the criminal defense function by enhancing the quality of defense representation taking positions on important defense issues fostering understanding and consensus in areas of mutual concern to defense lawyers and prosecutors and promoting collegiality among lawyers on both sides and the bench. About Us The New York Council of Defense Lawyers NYCDL established in 1986 as a notforprofit professional association has a membership of over 300 very experienced lawyers whose principal area of practice is the defense of criminal cases particularly in the federal courts in New York. Many of our members are former Assistant United States Attorneys including a number of former Chiefs of the Criminal Division in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Our membership also includes lawyers from the Federal Defender offices in these two districts including the Executive Director and AttorneyinChief of the Federal Defenders of New York.