Access to Justice through Pro Bono
December is a busy season that fills your inboxes with requests for support for many worthy organizations. We want to thank everyone who has supported the VOLS Annual Appeal Campaign to date. This past fiscal year, we provided free high-quality civil legal services to more than 6,200 New Yorkers who would otherwise be unable to access a lawyer for their civil legal challenges. To put it simply, we can’t do this without you.
This month, VOLS’ team continued to support the community in their civil legal challenges, providing legal services, education, and testimony to City Council. As the end of our Campaign draws near, we hope you will consider a gift to VOLS to support our work. Your gift helps eliminate financial barriers to accessing justice for our neighbors and community members. Your support makes a difference.
Happy Holidays and thank you for being part of the VOLS community!
Best,
Abja Midha | She/Hers
Executive Director, Volunteers of Legal Service
Save The Date: VOLS New York, Together 2024 Gala
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 | volsprobono.org/GALA2024
VOLS x BE NYC
VOLS has a new partnership with New York City Small Business Services’ Black Entrepreneurs NYC (BE NYC) that will make transaction legal services even more accessible to NYC’s entrepreneurs. Read the full press release.
Give a Gift that Makes a Difference
Want to give a gift that makes a difference? Celebrate a loved one, friend, or colleague by donating to VOLS in their honor. Your gift helps New Yorkers access free civil legal services, when and where they are needed the most. Your recipient will be notified of your gift with a personalized e-card.
Ethical Issues in Pro Bono Representation
VOLS participated at the Practising Law Institute’s “Ethical Issues in Pro Bono Representation 2023” CLE program earlier this month. The discussion included identifying ethical issues that arise within the context of pro bono representation, and best practices to avoid them. Further information about the program can be found on the Practising Law Institute’s website.
Project Updates
VOLS Benefits Law Project (BLP) held Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) clinics at the Park Slope Center for Successful Aging – Heights and Hills, joined by volunteer attorneys from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, at Breaking Ground alongside pro bono attorneys from Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and at Village View Senior Program. The team also conducted a training for attorneys at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen LLP on New York State Unemployment Insurance (UI) eligibility and application processes.
VOLS BLP testified at the New York City Council’s Committee on Aging in reference to Introduction 0985-2023. Our team underscored the need to increase access to Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) benefits for older adults living in New York City and to make the application process easier. VOLS BLP noted that providing pre-populated SCRIE applications to eligible residents living in city-supervised Mitchell-Lama housing would have a positive impact on ensuring more older adults are aware of the program, assist with the ease of filling out the application, and help older adults obtain these critical benefits. A full copy of the testimony is available on our website.
VOLS Immigration Project (IP) conducted a virtual immigration relief screening clinic for students at Brooklyn College and a virtual DACA renewal clinic alongside pro bono volunteers from Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP. VOLS is proud of our continued work to assist recently arrived immigrant families; our team partnered with volunteer attorneys from WilmerHale to provide TPS application assistance to recently arrived Venezuelan families, many of whom traveled by foot from Venezuela and are residing in shelters across NYC. We also presented to school principals within the Internationals Network, discussing VOLS’ immigration legal services and referral processes.
VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Law Project (IMLP) worked with pro bono attorneys from Davis Polk & Wardwell, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, and Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP, to provide education, advocacy, and counsel at Taconic Correctional Facility. Later this month, VOLS IMLP will hold a clinic at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility alongside volunteers from Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen LLP, and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP.
VOLS Microenterprise Project (MEP) conducted a Legal Basics workshop for entrepreneurs from NYCHA REES’ Food Business Pathways program on the benefits and disadvantages of different business entity types, licensing, and common legal challenges. VOLS MEP offered two opportunities to assist small business owners with their intellectual property legal needs: We hosted a legal clinic with Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman and the Association of Corporate Counsel, and were proud to join pro bono from DLA Piper and Genpact in a workshop hosted by the Black Chamber of Commerce of New York City and the Brooklyn NYC Business Solutions Center focused on protecting intellectual property.
VOLS Microenterprise Project testified at the New York City Council’s Committee on Aging that the introduction of a focused program providing education and training for individuals aged 50 and older, managing transitions from current employment, retirement, or other life statuses to becoming encore entrepreneurs is expected to enhance opportunities for clients, promote economic self-sufficiency and contribute to stimulating the economy. A full copy of the testimony is available on our website.
VOLS MEP also gave testimony at the New York City Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection that expanding access to licensing will allow street vendors to formalize and grow their business under a fair regulatory system in which vendors would no longer have to choose between operating without a permit or renting one in the underground market. VOLS MEP noted that the food vendor licensing training process in Introduction 1270 includes valuable information on vending restrictions for prospective license holders and highlighted the need to ensure this information is language accessible. A full copy of the testimony is available on our website.
VOLS Senior Law Project (SLP) continues to assist older adults obtain essential life planning documents, this month holding legal clinics and educational programs with community partners Greenwich House, Encore Older Adult Center, Covello Older Adult Program, St. Martin’s Tower Naturally Occurring Retirement Community run by JASA, and Fort Greene Council in partnership with New York City Councilmember Hudson‘s office. VOLS SLP also held a life planning clinic in collaboration with pro bono partners David Polk & Wardwell LLP and Bloomberg LP, for older adults at partnering community-based organization, Service Program for Older People (SPOP). In November, VOLS SLP conducted a staff training for the NYC Department of Veterans Services.
VOLS SLP testified before the New York City Council Committee on Veterans, underscoring the critical importance of screening for, and collecting data with respect to, military service. VOLS SLP highlighted the need to not only collect data, but to apply the data to create solutions to best serve veterans, and also urged agencies to create systems to direct veterans to targeted services, creating a feedback loop with the Department of Veterans Services to ensure that veterans have access to the resources and assistance they require. A full copy of the written testimony is available on our website.
VOLS Benefits Law Project Director Stephanie Taylor (left) testified before the NYC Council Committee on Aging.
VOLS Microenterprise Project Staff Attorney Annie Xie (third from left) testified before the NYC Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection.
VOLS Legal Director & Senior Law Project Director Peter Kempner testified before the NYC Council Committee on Veterans.
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