On September 22, 2022, Catholic Law’s Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD), Modern Prosecution Clinic, Black Law Students Association (BLSA), and Criminal Law Society co-sponsored a lunchtime discussion with Darcel Denise Clark, District Attorney for Bronx County.

District Attorney Clark became the 13th District Attorney for Bronx County on January 1, 2016. She is the first woman in that position and the first African American woman to be elected a District Attorney in New York State. She was re-elected to a second term in 2019. District Attorney Clark's mission is “Pursuing Justice with Integrity," and in fulfilling that mission she has restructured the Bronx District Attorney's Office to reflect 21st-century prosecution, focusing on assistance for victims, fairness to defendants, crime prevention, and community outreach. She created a Conviction Integrity Bureau, a Public Integrity Bureau, established a Rikers Island Prosecution Bureau to decrease violence and corruption in the jails, and enhanced services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. District Attorney Clark has pioneered alternatives to incarceration initiatives such as Bronx Community Justice, which involves “circles" of community volunteers who resolve petty crimes with offenders outside of the criminal justice system.

Julie Dietrich, Assistant Dean for Career & Professional Development, welcomed the group of 68 students attending in person and via Zoom, before turning the floor over to District Attorney Clark. District Attorney Clark outlined the trajectory of her career, the work that she puts into creating and sustaining a 21st-century district attorney’s office, and opportunities for law students within the office. She emphasized that while “[the work] is challenging and it’s not for everyone,” she hopes to create a pipeline for law students interested and dedicated to public service to apply for positions in her office. With the time that remained, District Attorney Clark answered questions from students in attendance. Questions included more general topics like the use of discretion in sentencing to the structure of available internships and the common traits of lawyers who are successful in the office.

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