| Legal Services NYC |
Legal Services NYCFor more than 40 years, our staff of talented attorneys, paralegals, social workers and clerical workers have helped low-income New Yorkers with nowhere else to turn navigate the civil legal system. Each year, through our efforts, we have helped more than 10,000 families avoid homelessness and more than 25,000 poor and low-income New Yorkers with a full range of their legal needs. Our network is community-based and includes offices in low-income communities and transportation hubs throughout New York City. |
What's New at Legal Services NYC
As details emerge about an order of protection obtained against a top aide to Governor David Paterson, a February 27th New York Times article looks at obstacles to serving and enforcing such orders. Legal Services NYC Family Law Coordinator Caroline Kearney is quoted.
Legal Services NYC attorneys from every borough in New York City came together before the City Council on February 9th to give important testimony about the dramatic impact that the cuts of roughly 2,000 Section 8 vouchers will have on the city’s low-income residents.
January 28, 2010– Legal Services NYC is pleased to announce that Jennifer Ching has been appointed Project Director at Queens Legal Services (“QLS,” a program of Legal Services NYC).
“We are enormously pleased to welcome Jennifer to Legal Services
NYC’s leadership as Project Director of Queens Legal Services,” said
Legal Services NYC Executive Director and President Andrew Scherer.
“Jennifer brings to the position talent, energy, a deep commitment to
the communities of Queens, and broad experience in public interest
advocacy. The need for legal help for New York City’s low income
households and communities has been rapidly expanding due to the poor
state of the economy, and Jennifer is just the right person to lead our
talented Queens staff in the provision of critical civil legal services
in this challenging time.”
January 25, 2010— In a major victory for New York City’s rent stabilized tenants, New
York State Supreme Court Justice Emily Jane Goodman struck down a 2008
supplemental adjustment imposed by the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB),
which has been characterized as a “poor tax” against low-income tenants
who have lived in an apartment for more than six years and pay less
than $1,000 a month in rent. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by South Brooklyn Legal Services ("SBLS," a program of Legal Services NYC) Housing Unit Director Ed Josephson and Staff Attorney Rachel Hannaford, along with attorneys from the Legal Aid Society.
On December 15, Legal Services NYC Bankruptcy Assistance Project Coordinator Bill Kransdorf was a guest on WBAI's "You and Your Money" with host Susan Lee. Bill answered questions about bankruptcy-- what it is, what it does, and who should consider it. Click here to download the program.
On December 31, 2009, Steven M. Bernstein retired from
his position as founding Project Director of Legal Services NYC’s
Brooklyn Branch. His retirement caps a remarkable 35 years of service
with Legal Services NYC and nearly 50 years working on
behalf of New York’s low-income residents.