Brooklyn Women's Bar Association

Jillian Modzeleski is a staff attorney at Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS). Ms. Modzeleski joined BDS in 2011 and became their dedicated attorney in the Human Trafficking Intervention Part. Most recently, Ms. Modzeleski created the Women’s Defense Unit, which represents cisgender and transgender women who have a history of trauma, abuse, and exploitation that has directly or indirectly led to their involvement in the criminal legal system. The Women’s Defense Unit seeks to highlight, for the Judge and Prosecutor, the significant impact that a client’s gender-specific experiences have on their current circumstances while, at the same time, addresses a client's needs, including social welfare, trauma-informed services, and caregiver responsibilities.

Ms. Modzeleski has testified in front of the New York City council, participated in numerous panels about the intersection of victims of human trafficking and the criminal justice system, as well as co-authored an op-ed piece for GQ Magazine.

Ms. Modzeleski graduated from New York Law School in 2006. After law school, she worked for Judge Michael Corriero in Manhattan Supreme Court’s Youth Part and then for the Children’s Law Center.