LSNYC Celebrates National Pro Bono Week

October 20-26, 2013, New York, NY—This week marks the 5th Annual
National Pro Bono Celebration established by the American Bar
Association’s Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service to focus the
nation's attention on the increased need for pro bono services during
these challenging economic times and celebrate the outstanding work of
lawyers who volunteer their services throughout the year. Every year,
Legal Services NYC—the largest organization in the nation exclusively
devoted to providing free civil legal services to low-income
persons—leverages its resources with thousands of hours of pro bono
assistance from pro bono attorneys and other volunteers. And every year,
we are proud to honor hundreds of these attorneys and their firms for
the critical services they provide for our clients.

On Thursday night, we ourselves were honored to receive an award for our pro bono efforts from the New York State Bar Association. And recently, Legal Services NYC Board member Jeffrey S. Trachtman, a partner at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, received the ABA's Pro Bono Publico Award, given to those who have "enhanced the human dignity of others by improving or delivering volunteer legal services to the poor." More than a decade ago, Jeff was instrumental in setting up the Kramer Levin externship program, through which associates work in our Brooklyn program’s Housing Unit for four month rotations. Jeff was the chair of Kramer Levin’s pro bono work for seven years, and has been active in civil rights and civil liberties litigation and advocacy, with a particular focus on LGBT rights (including serving as co-counsel with Lambda Legal in the New York State marriage equality litigation).

As we near the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, we are pleased to report that the pro bono community continues to step up in aid of their fellow New Yorkers. More than 140 pro bono attorneys have joined us in providing direct legal assistance at disaster clinics, research and legal advocacy, and assistance with benefits and FEMA appeals. We were able to develop and implement a project that involved 30 paralegals from different firms, supervised by associates, who assisted homeowners with disaster aid. And we have had more than 185 law students help us with research, legal needs assessments, client interviews and aid applications.

Our pro bono partners have changed our clients’ lives for the better in moments of great need.  They help low-wage workers find relief from the crushing burden of debt through bankruptcy. They help low-income families put food on the table, stave off eviction and foreclosure, and keep custody of their children.  They help the elderly, people with HIV, and the disabled to draft wills and health care directives, and obtain government benefits and other entitlements.  They help make sure that kids get the special education and fair treatment they need to ensure their futures.  And they help local community-based organizations by representing them in corporate, tax and financing matters. 

Working together, we have better met the challenge to expand legal assistance for low-income New Yorkers reach to more individuals, families, and communities that need our help, deepened the knowledge of the bar about the human and legal issues facing low income people in New York City, and forged long-term commitments and relationships that last throughout careers.

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