Ellen Pachnanda
Ellen Pachnanda (she/her) is Director of the Immigration Practice at Brooklyn Defenders Services (BDS). In this role, she manages teams that handle detained and non-detained removal defense as well as complex applications before USCIS. Ms. Pachnanda also leads the BDS external training program through the Vera Institute’s SAFE (Safety and Fairness for Everyone) Network and Upstate NYIFUP programs, developing trainings and providing technical assistance to removal defense providers across the country.
Prior to her role at Brooklyn Defender Services, Ms. Pachnanda served as associate counsel in the criminal division at the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County for 9 years, handling felony criminal matters. While at Legal Aid, Ms. Pachnanda established and ran their Padilla practice. During law school, Ms. Pachnanda served as the lead law clerk for the United States Attorney for the Western District of New York. Upon graduation, Ms. Pachnanda remained in her hometown of Buffalo, as an associate with the Criminal Defense firm of Harrington & Mahoney, practicing primarily in Federal Court.
Ms. Pachnanda earned her B.A. from Cornell University and her J.D. from State University of New York at Buffalo Law School.