The Immigrant Women and Children Project recruits and trains volunteer attorneys to help immigrant victims of domestic violence seek freedom from their abusers and attain legal status in the United States. Founded in 1996, the Project was developed to assist women and children prepare self-petitions to obtain legal immigration status without relying on the sponsorship of an abusive spouse or parent. Volunteer attorneys assist clients with the preparation of immigration applications, including those needed to obtain work authorization. In 2002, an Anti-Trafficking component was added and the Project began to train law enforcement, community-based organizations and NGOs about the legal remedies available to victims of human trafficking, and started representing victims of trafficking in obtaining legal immigration status and public benefits, as well as counseling on civil, criminal and other legal issues.

The Refugee Assistance Project recruits and trains volunteer attorneys to represent asylum seekers who have suffered torture and other forms of persecution in their home countries and who are seeking political asylum in the United States. Since 1987, volunteer attorneys have been preparing asylum applications and representing clients at the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the INS) interviews and at Immigration Court hearings. Ancillary immigration relief, such as work authorization and relative petitions, is also provided.

The Pro Bono Consumer Bankruptcy Project was established in 2004 to meet the ever-increasing requests for assistance from debt burdened low-income New York City residents. The Project recruits, trains and mentors volunteer attorneys to advise low-income consumers of their rights and responsibilities regarding outstanding debts. Where appropriate, volunteers prepare the forms and schedules necessary for debtors to file pro se Chapter 7 cases and advise them on the steps needed to successfully obtain discharge. This Project allows clients who would otherwise be unable to file, due to an inability to retain counsel, to reorder their finances and obtain an economic “fresh start.”

The Elderlaw Project maintains the dignity and independence of elderly people by training volunteer attorneys to counsel and represent elderly New Yorkers in a variety of areas. At legal clinics held at the Association and at senior centers, staff and volunteer attorneys provide seniors with advice and representation regarding wills, living wills, health care proxies, powers of attorney, government benefits and consumer issues, and more. Staff and volunteer attorneys also provide training and public education on legal issues of interest to the elderly at senior centers throughout the City.

The Housing Court Summer Assistance Project recruits summers associates from New York City law firms and corporations to assist unrepresented tenants in the Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens Housing Courts. The students spend a week volunteering in the Pro Se Offfice of the Housing Court, providing information to unrepresented parties about their legal rights.

The Legal Clinic for the Homeless has been providing free legal assistance to the homeless since 1991. This program reaches out to individuals and families through legal clinics held at homeless shelters and drop-in centers and through presentations to community groups and to staff and residents of shelters. Staff and volunteer attorneys offer advice, advocacy and representation on issues such as accessing and challenging denials of public benefits, including public assistance, Medicaid, food stamps, public housing and public housing subsidies.

The Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project provides free legal assistance to low-income micro-entrepreneurs within New York City. The project matches microentrepreneurs who are in the initial stages of structuring a company or hoping to strengthen an existing business with a volunteer attorney who has expertise in the relevant areas of law. Project volunteers handle issues related to business structure, tax law, commercial lease negotiations, employment contracts as well as trademark and copyright law. The Project also offers presentations and legal clinics on issues of concern to microentrepreneurs at community-based organizations.

The Cancer Advocacy Project, established in 1994, provides cancer patients, cancer survivors and their families with legal information and pro bono legal assistance on issues relating to discrimination in the workplace, health law, insurance issues, access to public benefits and wills.

The Uncontested Divorce Project assists self-represented divorce seekers with completing the necessary court paperwork to obtain an uncontested divorce in New York City.

The Contested Divorce Clinic provides free consultations with experienced volunteer matrimonial practitioners for self-represented litigants embroiled in contested divorce cases.

The Legal Hotline, created in 1997, offers legal information, advice and referrals to low-income New Yorkers who could not afford a private attorney or have access to legal representation. The Hotline assists nearly 1,000 callers a month on a range of civil legal issues, including matrimonial and family law, housing law, domestic violence, bankruptcy and debt collection and benefits. The Hotline is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at (212)626-7383.

Hotline staff rely on LawHelp.org/NY, a website designed to improve access to legal resources for low-income New Yorkers, for up-to-date referral information and educational materials for callers. The site combines a comprehensive database of legal services providers with customized search engines for quick, accurate referrals and easy-to-understand legal information. The Project is a collaborative effort of the City Bar Justice Center, Legal Services for New York City, The Legal Aid Society of New York City, the Empire Justice Center, The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Probono.Net, the New York State Bar Association, Volunteers of Legal Service, and Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.