The City Bar Justice Center (Justice Center) provides pro bono legal services to low-income clients throughout New York City . It is part of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York Fund, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
31-578: The City Bar Justice Center grew out of ad hoc efforts at the New York City Bar Association during the 1970s and 1980s to provide pro bono legal services to the poor. These efforts in 1978, included a committee of senior volunteer lawyers that was formed to assist senior citizens and prisoners. In the early 1980s, the Committee on Immigration and Nationality Law trained volunteer lawyers to help Haitians with asylum claims, and following passage of
62-418: A historicist “composite” of classical architecture . The new House was considerably larger and grander than its precursors: it stood six stories tall; included a meeting hall with a seating capacity of 1,500; a reception hall with a standing capacity of 1,500; a library of over 50,000 volumes, and three additional floors of offices. The entrance hall and first floor stairways were constructed of marble , and
93-525: A Small Law Firm Center; the Lawyer Assistance Program, which provides free counseling for members and their families struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues; a law library ; discounts on Continuing Legal Education courses; insurance and other benefits; and contact info for the City Bar's 25,000 members. The City Bar Center for Continuing Legal Education is an accredited provider in
124-677: A clearinghouse for pro bono opportunities throughout New York City and develops innovative legal and non-legal volunteer placements for attorneys. The Legal Hotline assists over 1,000 telephone callers a month on a range of civil issues. The Justice Center is part of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York Fund, a 501(c)3 corporation. Kurt M. Denk is the Justice Center's executive director. New York City Bar Association The Association of
155-596: A finding of "Well Qualified, "Not Well Qualified" or "Exceptionally Well Qualified." The Executive Committee, working with the Judiciary Committee, also considers the qualifications of the President's nominees to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court , issuing a finding of "Qualified," "Unqualified," or "Highly Qualified." The City Bar has sponsored the National Moot Court Competition in conjunction with
186-470: A free presentation on a legal topic. The City Bar's Judiciary Committee evaluates candidates for judgeships on New York City's courts , and announces its finding of either "Approved" or "Not Approved." The City Bar's Executive Committee, working with the Judiciary Committee and the Committee on State Courts of Superior Jurisdiction, evaluates candidates for New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals , issuing
217-467: A lawyer or refer clients to other helpful resources that might be better or more cost-effective. There is no charge to speak with an attorney referral counselor. LRS also serves the public by sponsoring the association's Monday Night Law Program providing free client consultations in various areas of the law, and by sponsoring a Request a Speaker program that can provide an office, community group, school, or organization with an experienced lawyer who will give
248-703: A term of two years, and the Executive Committee is divided equally into four classes of staggered four-year terms. City Bar Presidents House of the New York City Bar Association The House of the New York City Bar Association , located at 42 West 44th Street in Manhattan , New York , is a New York City Landmark building that has housed the New York City Bar Association since its construction in 1896. After
279-793: Is the oldest lawyer referral service in New York State, and the first one in New York City approved by the American Bar Association. The LRS is a not-for-profit organization, founded by the New York City Bar Association (est. 1870) and the New York County Lawyers' Association (est. 1908). The LRS is one of the few in the United States to have attorneys answering calls and online requests. The attorney referral counselors help clients determine if they will benefit from working with
310-566: The Bronx , and Bell Laboratories Building in Manhattan. Construction was begun in early 1895 and completed 18 months later at a total cost of $ 584,700. The House was built in the neoclassical style, from Indiana limestone . The façade included elements of the Doric order on the bottom three floors, Ionic columns framing the fourth floor windows, and Corinthian pilasters on the fifth floor, creating
341-694: The Equal Rights Amendment . It also played an important role in two controversial confirmation battles in the United States Supreme Court , over nominees G. Harrold Carswell in 1970 and Robert Bork in 1987. Since the 1980s, it has continued to diversify its membership with active recruitment efforts among women and minorities and to expand its involvement in access to justice initiatives, international human rights, and pro bono representation in many areas, including immigration , AIDS , homelessness , and criminal justice . Since 1896,
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#1733084575149372-677: The Harvard Club of New York City and the Century Association , was considered by the members “specially adapted to our purposes” because of the other prominent clubs and societies in its vicinity. The architect Cyrus L.W. Eidlitz , son New York City architect Leopold Eidlitz , was commissioned to design the building. Eidlitz had designed a number of landmark buildings throughout the country, including Dearborn Station in Chicago, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library , St. Peter's Church in
403-501: The New York State Legislature and New York City Council . Examples of committee activity and issue areas include: Business/corporate Civil liberties/security Consumer affairs Government reform International The City Bar produces hundreds of events per year, most of them through its committees. These have included: The City Bar's member services include career development workshops; networking events;
434-565: The 1986 Immigration Law that provided a one-year amnesty for illegal immigrants, the Committee organized legal clinics at churches and neighborhood associations as well. Around the same time, the City Bar's Committee on Legal Assistance sponsored a pro bono project in Housing Court. In 1987, the City Bar created the Community Outreach Law Program (COLP) to provide legal information, referral services, and direct representation to
465-587: The American College of Trial Lawyers since 1950. Over 150 law schools compete each year in the regional rounds throughout the United States. The winners advance to the final rounds, which are held at the House of the association. The City Bar is governed by the Office of the President and an Executive Committee, consisting of the president, three vice presidents, a treasurer, a secretary and 16 members. The president serves
496-541: The Bar of the City of New York (now known as the New York City Bar Association) was founded in 1870 in response to growing public concern over corruption among judges and lawyers in New York City . Several of its early officers, including William M. Evarts and Samuel Tilden , were active in seeking the removal of corrupt judges and in leading prosecutions of the notorious Tweed Ring . It counted many of
527-513: The Bar of the City of New York , commonly referred to as the New York City Bar Association (City Bar), founded in 1870, is a voluntary association of lawyers and law students. Since 1896, the organization has been headquartered in a landmark building on 44th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Manhattan. Today the City Bar has more than 23,000 members. Its current president, Muhammad U. Faridi, began his two-year term in May 2024. The Association of
558-685: The City Bar Fund changed its name to the City Bar Justice Center. According to its 2008-2009 Annual Report, “The City Bar Justice Center’s mission is to increase access to justice by leveraging the resources of the New York City legal community. Drawing upon our relationship with the New York City Bar, the Justice Center provides legal assistance to those in need; mobilizes lawyers, law firms, corporate legal departments, and other legal institutions to provide pro bono legal services; educates
589-474: The Homeless provides advice, advocacy and representation to families who are residents of homeless shelters on a variety of matters related to public benefits. The Project sponsors legal clinics at homeless shelters, with services provided by a partnering law firm or corporate legal department. The Consumer Bankruptcy Project provides legal assistance to low-income consumers with outstanding debts, assisting with
620-502: The New York City Bar Association was founded in 1870, it housed itself in a series of buildings in Lower Manhattan . By the 1890s, membership of the Association had grown to the point where its leadership began looking for a new House farther uptown. On December 11, 1894 the membership approved the acquisition of a large site between West 43rd and West 44th Streets for the construction of a new, larger building. The street, already home to
651-668: The New York State Banking Department and New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation. The Veterans Assistance Project recruits, trains and mentors volunteer attorneys to provide pro bono assistance to veterans in connections with the filing of disability benefits claims before the New York City Regional Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs . The Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project provides legal assistance to low-income micro-entrepreneurs in
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#1733084575149682-669: The States of New York , New Jersey , California and Illinois , offering over 150 live programs a year, as well as audio and video tapes, for members and non-members. Through its nonprofit affiliates, the City Bar Justice Center and the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, the City Bar provides pro bono legal services in New York City and supports the creation and expansion of pro bono and access to justice in other countries. The New York City Bar Legal Referral Service (LRS)
713-411: The association has been housed in its six-story landmark building at 42 West 44th Street. The City Bar has over 160 committees that focus on legal practice areas and issues. Through reports, amicus briefs , testimony, statements and letters drafted by committee members, the City Bar comments on public policy and legislation. The City Bar's Policy department acts as a liaison between the committees and
744-520: The city's homeless. Through the early 1990s, COLP expanded to include Monday Night Law, a free weekly clinic at the City Bar; AIDS Counseling; Hostos Center for Women's and Immigrants’ Rights; as well as bankruptcy, homeless, cancer and elder law projects. By 1993, more than 100 summer associates volunteered in COLP programs. In 1997, the Self-Help Information, Education and Legal Defense (SHIELD) Hotline
775-566: The country's most prominent lawyers among its officers, including Elihu Root , Charles Evans Hughes , and Samuel Seabury . By the 1960s, under the leadership of presidents Bernard Botein and Francis T. P. Plimpton , the association became an increasingly democratic organization, easing restrictions on membership and actively engaging in social issues. The association hosted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Chief Justice Earl Warren , among others, and actively campaigned for initiatives such as
806-587: The filing of pro se bankruptcy petitions, and providing pro bono representation to debtors in contested matters. The Foreclosure Project recruits, trains and mentors pro bono attorneys to assist distressed homeowners in an effort to preserve homes and minimize damage to creditworthiness. It includes the Lawyers Foreclosure Intervention Network, co-sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and additional efforts supported by
837-527: The initial stages of structuring a company or strengthening an existing business. The Elderlaw Project trains pro bono attorneys to counsel and represent seniors in a variety of legal areas. The Cancer Advocacy Project provides cancer patients, 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, advance directives and wills. The City Bar Public Service Network serves as
868-425: The legal remedies available to these crime victims. The Refugee Assistance Project represents individuals who have suffered torture and other forms of persecution in their home countries and who are seeking asylum in the U.S. The Project also assists with filing relative petitions and obtaining asylum-related benefits such as employment authorization, refugee travel documents and green cards. The Legal Clinic for
899-882: The public on legal issues; fosters strategic relationships; and impacts public policy.” The NYC Know Your Rights Project is a collaboration with The Legal Aid Society and the New York Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association . The Project recruits and trains pro bono attorneys to interview and advise detained immigrants at a weekly legal clinic held at the Varick Federal Detention Facility in downtown Manhattan. The Immigrant Women and Children Project assists survivors of violence, abuse and human trafficking in legalizing their immigration status. Project staff train law enforcement, community-based organizations and NGOs on
930-428: The second floor hallway, reception hall, and meeting hall of granite , marble, and mahogany . The Association opened the doors of its new House on October 8, 1896, with a gala of several thousand guests. The New York Times described it as “one of the most interesting and successful works of recent architecture…a work having the classical qualities of simplicity, purity, and serenity in a high degree.” The House
961-783: Was launched as a low-income parallel to the City Bar's Legal Referral Service. In 1989, the Hostos Center for Women's and Immigrants’ Rights received the State Bar Association's Award of Merit. In 1983, the Immigrants Legal Rights Project received the American Bar Association ’s Public Service Award. In response to the events of 9/11, the City Bar, through its COLP and SHIELD projects, trained approximately 3,000 attorneys and served over 4,000 New Yorkers affected by 9/11 with pro bono representation. In 2005,