Erie County, NY Assigned Counsel Program

The Erie County Assigned Counsel Program is a part of the Office of Indigent Legal Services, located in Buffalo, NY. The program strives to help those who cannot help themselves, who face steep odds against the power of the State, and who struggle with poverty, mental issues, helplessness and dread. The attorneys in the program save lives and save families. Panel attorneys are the first line of defense for the freedoms granted to us by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Panel Attorneys take Misdemeanor D and E Felonies, C, D, E Felonies, A-B Felonies and Homicide cases in Criminal Courts. They also handle Paternity, Child Support, Family Offense, Custody/Visitation, IDV, Adolescent Offender and Article 10 cases in Family Court. The Assigned Counsel Office consists of one Chief Defender, First Deputy Defender - Criminal Division, one Deputy for Litigation Support and Appeals, one Sentencing Mitigation Attorney, one Supervising Criminal Investigator and five Criminal Investigators. If the court has assigned a public defender to your case in Erie County, please contact the office head for assistance.