N.Y. CNT Law § 716

§ 716. Public defender; appointment; term; other employees. The board\nof supervisors of any county may create an office of public defender, or\nmay authorize a contract between its county and one or more other such\ncounties to create an office of public defender to serve such counties.\nA city may create an office of public defender in any county wholly\ncontained within its borders and such city shall possess with respect to\nsuch office all the powers conferred upon a board of supervisors by the\nprovisions of this article. The board or boards of supervisors may\ndesignate an attorney-at-law as public defender and shall fix his term\nand compensation. Subject to the approval of such board or boards, the\npublic defender may appoint as many assistant attorneys, clerks,\ninvestigators, stenographers and other employees as he may deem\nnecessary and as shall be authorized by such board or boards. The\npublic defender shall fix the compensation of such aides and assistants\nwithin the amounts such board or boards may appropriate for such\npurposes. Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to the\ncreation of county offices, where the board of supervisors of any county\nhas established an office of public defender by resolution, and\nthereafter such office is created by local law, such local law may\nauthorize the payment of compensation and other expenses incurred in the\noperation of said office retroactive to the date of the adoption of said\nresolution.\n