In the News
Newsday: Aid offered for 9/11 health claims process
April 16, 2012
So far, the Justice Center has helped 94 clients at three clinics since last fall, Executive Director Lynn Kelly said Friday.
New York Times: As Barriers to Lawyers Persist, Immigrant Advocates Ponder Solutions
May 4, 2011
More than two years ago, a federal judge in New York began a crusade to find lawyers for the many immigrants who are detained...
Justice Center Testifies at NY State Assembly Foreclosure Hearings
November 18, 2010
Lynn Armentrout, the director of the City Bar Justice Center's Foreclosure Project, testified yesterday at a New York State Assembly public hearing on the "Impact of the Mortgage Foreclosure Process and Crisis."
WBAI: Varick Street Federal Detention Center Closing
February 3, 2010
Kiera LoBreglio, Fragomen Fellow at the Justice Center, is interviewed on WBAI 99.5 FM about the announced closing of ...
Latin Lawyer - Vance Center Promotes PBDA Implementation in Peru
November 19, 2009
"We hope that once we have a robust commitment among firms with international connections, more and more firms will sign up, as has been the case in Chile," says Shearman partner Antonia Stolper, who is president of the Vance Center.
El Diario - Legal Representation for All
November 4, 2009
Under current policies, non citizen immigrants can be held without legal representation and abruptly moved from state to state. The City Bar Justice Center began looking at the consequences of these policies after receiving a petition from 100 detainees citing deplorable conditions at the Varick facility.
New York Times: Immigrant Jail Tests U.S. View of Legal Access
November 2, 2009
A startling petition arrived at the New York City Bar Association in October 2008, signed by 100 men, all locked up without criminal charges in the middle of Manhattan. In vivid if flawed English, it described cramped, filthy quarters where dire medical needs were ignored and hungry prisoners were put to work for $1 a day. Galvanized by the petition, the bar association sent volunteers into the jail to offer legal counsel to detainees — a strategy the Obama administration has embraced as it tries to fix the entire detention system.
New York Daily News: When Bankruptcy Looms, What Are Your Options?
October 12, 2009
"Most middle- and low-income people are eligible," said John McManus, director of the New York City Bar Association's consumer bankruptcy project.
Washington Post: Diplomatic Immunity Leaves Workers in Shadow
September 20, 2009
"Unfortunately, cases involving diplomatic employers represent a disproportionate amount of the domestic-worker abuse cases we see," said Suzanne Tomatore, director of the Immigrant Women and Children Project at the New York City Bar Justice Center.
Justice Center Statement on Change in U.S. Policy on Asylum for Survivors of Domestic Violence
July 17, 2009
Justice Center Statement on Change in U.S. Policy on Asylum for Survivors of Domestic Violence
Foreclosure-Support.com: New York Lawyers Help Reduce Foreclosed Housing Inventories
June 5, 2009
This week, members of the Lawyers' Foreclosure Intervention Network gathered to mark their first year of operation and to discuss ways to encourage more lawyers to join the network, particularly attorneys from big firms.
TheRealDeal.com: Foreclosure Program Seeks Volunteer Attorneys to Help Homeowners
June 4, 2009
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the City Bar Justice Center are working to recruit more attorneys to volunteer to save New York City homeowners from foreclosure.
NY Law Journal: City Launches Program to Boost the Ranks of Pro Bono Attorneys
April 28, 2009
With foreclosures and evictions on the rise and consumers increasingly saddled with debt, New York City officials are enlisting attorneys to volunteer their time for a new pro bono effort.
Justice Center Executive Director Lynn Kelly's remarks at City Hall kickoff of NYC Legal Outreach
April 27, 2009
The Houses They Could Never Afford
April 2, 2009
To all those railing about "rewarding bad behavior" by helping "irresponsible homeowners who bought houses they could never afford," let me introduce you to Ms. A.
On the Front Lines of Foreclosure
April 1, 2009
44th Street Notes recently sat down with City Bar Justice Center Project Director Lynn Armentrout and six volunteer attorneys for the Lawyers Foreclosure Intervention Network
NY Times: An Immigration Attorney Is Accused of Being a Fraud, and His Clients Scramble for Help
February 25, 2009
More than 100 former clients of a man accused of falsely posing as an immigration lawyer thronged the 19th-century marble lobby of the New York City Bar Association on Monday night, drawn by an offer of free advice from real lawyers.
LSC Funding and High-Tech Partnerships Keep Expanding Access to Legal Aid
February 23, 2009
It's a website that offers self-help resources in 15 areas of law, and in 34 languages, including Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Russian and Spanish. Last year, it recorded more than 1.6 million page views.
NY Law Journal: Finally! Green Cards for Victims Of Trafficking, Serious Crimes
January 26, 2009
It has been a long and frustrating journey for advocates promoting a path to permanent residence ("the green card") for foreign victims of domestic violence, trafficking and other crimes.
Homeless but not Helpless
January 2, 2009
In 2007, approximately 9,000 families stayed in New York City's homeless shelters each night. It was the worst year for family homelessness in the city's modern history, and the current economic climate has only made a bad situation worse.
Legal Hotline Heats Up
December 1, 2008
The City Bar Justice Center's Legal Hotline has received a marked increase in calls since the start of the economic downturn this summer. The Hotline had nearly twice as many consumer-related calls from July through September as it did during the same period in 2007. Many of these callers are facing bankruptcy or foreclosure and have few places to turn for help. In typical fashion, the Justice Center has mobilized support to address these urgent citywide issues.
Think Small: Make a Big Impact
November 1, 2008
Small businesses are the foundation of our economy, accounting for up to 80% of net new jobs over the last decade and employing half of all private sector workers, according to the Small Business Administration. But starting a business is not easy, especially for lower income individuals struggling to make ends meet in the current economic climate. Without an understanding of the relevant laws or the resources to access legal assistance, many potentially successful projects fail.
Supporting Our Troops through the Law
October 1, 2008
Convinced that having skilled legal counsel greatly improves veterans' chances of receiving the benefits they deserve, the City Bar Justice Center launched the Veterans Assistance Project last October. With the guidance of Justice Center staff, volunteer lawyers are helping veterans file claims and appeals with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Over the course of the year, more than 150 veterans met with legal counsel, with the Project leveraging over half a million dollars in free legal services for veterans.
An Incredible Journey
October 1, 2008
One year ago, Dhineshree "Dhiny" Pillay was working at a small law firm called Ganie & Company in Pietermaritzburg, in the region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where she was born. Of Indian descent, Dhiny and her family are part of a sometimes overlooked group, comprising about three percent of the country's population, that has suffered greatly from the effects of apartheid.
Reaching Out to Immigrants in Their Communities
April 4, 2008
Through the Immigrant Women and Children Project and the Refugee Assistance Project, the City Bar Justice Center provides pro bono legal services in hundreds of cases in various stages of development.