VOLS Pro Bono Library

Immigration Project Resources

• After You File: DACA Renewal 
• Video: DACA Initial Training with Arnold and Porter
• PowerPoint: DACA Initial Training with Arnold and Porter
• SIJS Training Manual
• Video: SIJS Training – January 13, 2022
• PowerPoint: SIJS Training – January 13, 2022

Incarcerated Mothers Law Project Resource List

Basics of Family Law for Incarcerated Mothers and Parents

• Basics of Family Law Video Training 
  • Powerpoint slides 
• IMLP Presents: Kinship Guardianship in a Nutshell
• Family Law Overview (handbook)
• Termination of Parental Rights Primer 

Forms for Clients

• Release Form
• Record Request Template
• General Records Release Template (with HIPAA-Specific Language)
• Permission to Obtain Information
• Permission to Obtain Information with Notary 
• Family Court Record Request Guidelines (NYC)
• Family Court Record Request Form (Nassau County)
• New York State Family Court Form Templates (Petitions, etc.)
• OCFS Release Form for Subject of Abuse or Neglect Investigation
• Legal Call Request Template
• How to File a Petition in NYC Family Court 

• Setting Up Legal Calls

  • How to Schedule Legal Calls
  • Taconic Legal Call Template 
  • Bedford Hills Legal Call Template

• For Internal Attorney Use

  • Intake Form
  • IMLP Interview Roadmap
  • Client Interviewing Techniques

Other Links

Microenterprise Project Resources

• Best Practices Presentation

Senior Law Project

• Senior Law Project Spanish-English Glossary 2023 
• Life Planning Documents Training Video 2023
• Life Planning Document Templates
• Life Planning Documents Manual. Current as of February 2024.
• Pro Bono Practice: Serving Aging and Disabled Clients Video May 2022
• Execution Instructions 
• Checklist for Pro Bono
• Weekly Senior Law Project Office Hours:  1pm on Thursdays (Zoom Meeting ID: 851 3636 8444)

Benefits Law Project Resources

• Updated Unemployment Benefits Q&A
• How your weekly benefits are calculated (link to Calculation of Benefit Rate)
• Request for Alternate Base Period calculation DOL Form
• Request for Reconsideration of WBR_DOL Form
• Answers to frequently asked questions about Payroll Protection Program (link to PPP and PUA FAQ)
  

VOLS Pro Bono Opportunities

Below are the pro bono opportunities currently available from the Volunteers of Legal Service team. If you are interested in an opportunity below, please email Pro Bono Specialist, Adama Fonah, (afonah@volsprobono.org), and we will send you a review file. In order to provide timely representation, we kindly request that you clear conflicts and confirm placement within one week after you receive the review file.

Volunteers with the Immigration Project, Senior Law Project & Veteran’s Initiative, and Unemployed Workers Project are not expected to have substantive experience with those areas of law. VOLS provides all necessary training materials, model documents, and mentorship.

Updated as of 5/1/2024 

Benefits Law Project

TRANSLATION PROJECT
Background: Increases in rent are always challenging, but they’re particularly difficult for those on fixed incomes. Seniors may be eligible for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program that allow successful applicants to freeze their rent. But there’s little information available on this program, so many might not know about it.
The Work: VOLS has created a SCRIE flyer for our clients, and we are now looking for volunteers to help with translations. We are looking for help with the following languages: Polish.

LITIGATION OPPORTUNITY

Clients: Micheal and Audrey H.

Summary: The clients are an older adult couple who reside in the Bronx who were denied the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) benefit. The SCRIE benefit allows low-income older adults who live in rent regulated apartments to freeze their rental cost in place and any rent increases on their apartments are paid to the landlord in the form of a property tax abatement. The clients’ application for SCRIE was denied by the City because their lease improperly states that they are subletters in the subject apartment. Because only prime tenants qualify for SCRIE their application was denied. The couple has lived in the apartment since 1997 and our research indicates that they were rent stabilized tenants when they moved in despite language the initial lease which claimed they were subtenants.

There is also likely a rent overcharge because the landlord was not offering renewal leases in keeping with the Rent Guidelines Board percentage increases and the renewal leases were not offered in a timely manner.

Seeking: Pro bono co-counsel to file an action in Bronx County Supreme Court.

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS HEARING

Client: Julio R.
Employer: Brookhaven Care Center
Issue: Terminated for Misconduct
Procedural Posture: Requested hearing week of 4/1/24.
Summary: Mr. Rodriguez worked as a facilities mechanic for this senior center. During his employment, he was switched to a different role – to work at the front desk. There were ongoing issues with residents buying, selling and using drugs as evidenced by overdoses that occurred in the facilities and Mr. Rodriguez overhearing phone calls about drugs since he worked at the desk where the phone was located. Mr. Rodriguez attempted to report these issues several times to management. Residents became aware that Mr. Rodriguez made reports and began to complain about him. When a resident was on the phone, allegedly discussing a drug-related drop off, Mr. Joseph grew upset with him and told him to “get off the f’n phone.” Mr. Joseph was terminated for “poor treatment” of residents.
Legal Needs: Representation for their virtual unemployment insurance benefits hearing.

Senior Law Project

COMMUNITY PRESENTATION (Cantonese Speaking Attorney)

The VOLS Senior Law Project is seeking to collaborate with a Cantonese speaking attorney on a presentation to the residents of the Hamilton-Madison House.  They are a non-profit settlement house located in Chinatown/Lower East Side that was established in 1898.

The presentation will focus on end of life and incapacity planning including an overview of life planning documents, such as Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Health Care Proxies.  VOLS will provide the legal information and materials for the pro bono and attendees to utilize and will accompany the pro bono attorney at the event. The event will take place on May 22, 2024 at 2pm.  The audience size can usually range from approximately 30-60 attendees, we will have a better idea as we get closer to the date.  The time commitment is 1 hour of presenting, 1 hour travel to and from the event and any additional time that is needed for the pro bono attorney to prepare their Cantonese notes (notes not to be distributed, just for the pro bono’s own use) and review of the link below.

Please see our pamphlet at this link to see what we will present to the seniors.

WILLS MATTERS

Client: Arthur S. & Delores S.
Summary: Arthur and Delores are a married couple. Both are African American and in their seventies. One spouse is a US Veteran. They would like to assign their children to all pivotal roles.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Power of Attorney

Client: Sevinc Y.
Summary: Sevinc is an 86-year-old divorced woman with one child. She would like to leave her estate to her child and to appoint her child and daughter-in-law in pivotal roles. Her only income comes from a pension, and she rents her apartment in the Bronx.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Control of Remains
Language: Sevinc is a Turkish-speaking client and will need interpretation.

Client: Kathleen T.
Summary: Kathleen is a 76-year-old single woman with no children. She would like to leave her estate between her sister and sister’s children, as well as her sister and nephew’s respective partners, and to name her sister and sister’s children in pivotal roles. Her income consists of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, she has minimal resources, and she rents her apartment in East Harlem. She is unable to travel and will need a home visit.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains

Client: Michael H.
Summary: Michael is an 81-year-old man with no children. He is naming his partner in all pivotal roles and leaving his estate to her, including his HDFC co-op. His income consists of SSI, a pension, and food stamps. He has minimal other resources. He would like to donate his body to science.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains, Power of Attorney

Client: Joel W.
Summary: Joel is a 64-year-old single man with no children. He would like to leave his estate to his friends and home health aide and to name his friend in pivotal roles. His only income comes from Social Security, he has minimal resources, and he rents his apartment on the Upper West Side. He is completely blind and will need his documents read to him. He also has difficulty traveling and will need a home visit.
Legal Needs: Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains

Client: Chitra D.
Summary: Chitra is an 87-year-old widow with no children. She would like to leave her estate between her brother and his children. Her only income comes from Social Security, she has minimal resources, and she rents her apartment on the Upper West Side. She is unable to travel and will need a home visit.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Living Will

Client: Carmen P.
Summary: Carmen is a Spanish speaking widow and has one adult child. She does not currently have a spouse.  She owns an HDFC Co-op.  She wishes to name her adult child to all pivotal roles.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Living Will, Control of Remains
Language: Carmen is a Spanish-speaking client and will need interpretation.

Client: Sonia P.
Summary: Sonia is a Spanish speaking widow in her 80s seeks life planning documents. She does not own any real property. She wishes to name her two adult sons and one grandchild to all pivotal roles. She considered her grandchild her third child because the grandchild’s mother passed away and thus she raised the grandchild as a daughter.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy and Control of Remains
Language: Sonia is a Spanish-speaking client and will need interpretation.

Client: Brian B.
Summary: Brian is an 82-year-old single man with no children. He would like to leave his estate between his friends and to appoint the same, along with his brother, in pivotal roles. His only income comes from Social Security, he has a modest amount of resources, and he rents his apartment in Kips Bay. He is unable to travel and will need a home visit.
Legal Needs: Last Will & Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Control of Remains

OFFICE HOURS
The Senior Law Project team hosts virtual office hours over Zoom every Thursday from 1-2PM. Our staff are always available to answer questions about your cases over email or on the phone, but we also wanted to set up this forum to make it as convenient as possible to ask any questions you may have and meet the VOLS staff. The office hours do not require pre-registration and you can join the meeting any time during the hour. Please find the Zoom link here.

Microenterprise Project

CONTRACTS

Client: Jennifer S. / Nasir and Idie LLC
Business Description: Jennifer and her sisters combined their business and design backgrounds to found Nasir and Idie, a company that will design and sell clothing for children with disabilities or sensory sensitivities, inspired by their nephew who has autism. Nasir and Idie is planning to launch their company website this spring and start selling their products nationwide.
Legal Needs: Jennifer requests assistance reviewing her website’s policies including: privacy policy, terms & conditions, and an accessibility statement.

Client: Souleymane S. / Complex Ramses
Business Description: Souleymane founded Complex Ramses, a business that specializes in African hairdressing, hair braiding, and the sale of wedding dresses. Souleymane currently sells the dresses on the business’s website, but he hopes to lease a brick and mortar location to house all aspects of the business.
Legal Needs: Souleymane requests legal assistance with reviewing a lease for a new commercial space in the Bronx.

Client: Judi D. / Uptown & Boogie Healthy Project
Business Description: Judi is founder and President of Uptown & Boogie Healthy Project, a New York not-for-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. Uptown & Boogie’s mission is to promote education on healthier living and expand access to fresh, nutritious food for communities in Harlem and the Bronx.
Legal Needs: (1) Judi requests legal assistance with drafting standard employee onboarding agreements and policies, including a confidentiality agreement, sexual harassment policy, equal employment opportunity policy, and use of technology policy. (2) Judi requests legal assistance with drafting a template agreement for use with schools and other organizations to participate in Uptown & Boogie’s community supported agriculture (CSA) program.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Client: Norine M / Canarsie Merchant Association
Business Description: Norine is the founder and Executive Director of the New York nonprofit, Canarsie Merchant Association (CMA). CMA is dedicated to advocating for the interests of Canarsie-based small businesses, beautifying the neighborhood, and conducting other community development activities that improve commercial conditions in Canarsie.
Legal Need: (1) reviewing CMA’s bylaws and conflict of interest policy; and (2) applying for 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status on behalf of the New York nonprofit corporation.

Client: Amorisa R. / Occupational Therapy PLLC
Business Description: Amorisa is a licensed occupational therapist and certified home safety assessor from the Bronx. Amorisa decided she wants to enter solo practice and after consultation with VOLS, she has determined she would like to form a PLLC. Her business will provide traditional occupational therapy services to patients, including rehabilitative treatment and training in medical equipment. Additionally, she will be offering home-safety consultations.
Legal Needs: Amorisa requests assistance with the formation and registration of her PLLC in New York State.

Client: Francia B. / Leer Para Liderar (“Read to Lead”)
Business Description: Francia is a retired teacher who taught reading and literacy in a bilingual format (English and Spanish) looking to form an educational nonprofit. The nonprofit will utilize Francia’s experience and pedagogical methods to improve literacy in Latin America, beginning with the Dominican Republic. She also hopes to organize language and cultural exchange programs with New York City students, as well as fundraising events with the Dominican community in New York City.
Legal Needs: Francia requests legal assistance with incorporating a NY not-for-profit corporation and applying for tax exemption.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Client: LaToya M. / Collective Food Works
Business Description: LaToya is a former chef with significant experience in providing food access for underserved communities. LoToya established Collective Food Works as a nonprofit whose mission is to create, collaborate and sustain equitable initiatives surrounding community food systems, food security, workforce development, and the necessary changes needed toward food sovereignty.
Legal Needs: LaToya requests legal assistance with: (1) advising on whether she should register certain trademarks for her nonprofit; and (2) if registration is advised, registering trademarks with the USPTO.

Client: Adriane M. / Miss Mack Enterprises, Inc.
Business Description: Adriane, a Black female entrepreneur, is the founder of Miss Mack Enterprises, a consulting business with a mission to “Bring Business Outcomes and Social Impact Together.” Adriane is creating an app to provide users with hospitality training, work opportunities, and a rewards program. She is seeking assistance with protecting her intellectual property.
Legal Needs: Adriane requests legal assistance with 1) filing a trademark for the name of the app and 2) advice on how else to protect her intellectual property regarding the app.

Client: Raquel M. / Bunchful
Business Description: Raquel founded the social enterprise, Bunchful, to encourage individuals, organizations, and businesses to further philanthropy and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. To do this, Bunchful will publish a directory of businesses that meet certain philanthropic and sustainability criteria, organize philanthropy summits and fundraising events, and publish its own media through a podcast and blog.
Legal Needs: Raquel requests legal assistance with: (1) advising on whether she should register copyrights for various works, including artwork, short stories, and a promotional jingle; and (2) if advisable, registering such copyrights.

TAX

Client: Norine M. / Canarsie Merchant Association
Business Description: Norine is the founder and Executive Director of the New York nonprofit, Canarsie Merchant Association (CMA). CMA is dedicated to advocating for the interests of Canarsie-based small businesses, beautifying the neighborhood, and conducting other community development activities that improve commercial conditions in Canarsie.
Legal Needs: Norine requests legal assistance with: (1) reviewing CMA’s bylaws and conflict of interest policy; and (2) applying for 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status on behalf of the New York nonprofit corporation.

 

Immigration Project

ASYLUM

Client: JK
Description: JK is a 31-year-old woman from Sierra Leone who entered the United States in October 2023. JK is seeking asylum in the United States. When JK was around 9 years old, she was subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone. JK experiences trauma related to the FGM and fears returning to Sierra Leone because of this. JK also fears returning to Sierra Leone because she will be targeted as a former police officer and as a HIV+ individual. JK is seeking full representation for her affirmative asylum application.
Legal Needs: Representation for Affirmative Asylum Application
Language Needs: JK is an English-speaking individual.

SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS (SIJS) 

Client: DR
Description: DR is an 18-year-old Guatemalan citizen who arrived in the U.S in January of 2019. Alongside his brother, they left Guatemala to seek a better life and reconnect with their mother. DB is eligible for guardianship proceedings and associated special findings for a special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS) predicate order in family court, to allow him to petition for SIJS based on his father’s abandonment. DB lives with his trusted mother in the U.S who he wishes to appoint as guardian. This is an affirmative case.
Legal Needs: DR is seeking assistance with obtaining Guardianship and SIJS predicate Order in Queens County Family Court and SIJS Petition.
Language: DR is a Spanish speaking client. Spanish speaker or interpreter needed.

Client: KN
Description: KN is a 16-year-old Ecuadorian citizen who arrived in the U.S in October of 2022. She left Ecuador with her mother seeking safety from gang violence in their community. KN is eligible for guardianship proceedings and associated special findings for a special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS) predicate order in family court, to allow her to petition for SIJS based on her father’s abandonment and neglect. KN’s father abandoned her at birth and has never provided for KN. KN lives with her mother in the U.S who she wishes to appoint as guardian. This is an affirmative case.
Legal Needs: KN is seeking assistance with obtaining Guardianship petition and SIJS predicate Order in Queens County Family Court and SIJS Petition.
Language: KN is a Spanish speaking client. Spanish speaker or interpreter needed.

OFFICE HOURS
The Immigration Project team hosts virtual office hours over Zoom every fourth Thursday of the month from 11AM-12PM.  The office hours do not require pre-registration and you can join the meeting any time during the hour. Please find the Zoom link here.