On Wednesday, April 10th, AABANY Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee hosted their Queens Pro Bono Clinic at the Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) Community Center in Flushing. With the help of AABANY, PBCS, and AAFE staff and volunteers, 22 clients were assisted with housing, immigration, and employment issues.
One of the clients paid $300 to an attorney to help her write a letter to management regarding a bed bug infestation matter. For someone with young children and a large family, the legal expense of $300 is financially burdensome. A housing attorney volunteer referred her to free legal services and advised her to document the situation and mobilize neighboring tenants to seek relief from the landlord. She was extremely grateful that the PBCS Committee, through the Pro Bono Clinic, offers free legal consultation and referral services.
In another case, a client came to discuss student loans and consumer debt and thought that her only option was bankruptcy. After discussing the NYS Exempt Income Protection Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and specific student loan forgiveness options, she felt relieved that she had more choices and greatly appreciated the information she received.
Here are some clients’ responses:
“Perfect management. Impressive lawyers.”
“Excellent! Thumbs up for Ms. May Wong.”
Please join us at the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on May 15, 2024, at AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk St, New York, NY 10002. Sign up here by May 10 to volunteer: https://forms.gle/SD2VMY8X6yE4vsxW9.
If you are interested in speaking at an upcoming Bring-Your-Own-Lunch (BYOL) Sidebar Meeting to discuss updates on the law, common issues asked at the Pro Bono Clinics, and other miscellaneous topics, please contact [email protected].
Thank you to the volunteers and community partners for supporting the Queens Pro Bono Clinics!
| Volunteer Attorneys | Interpreters & Shadowers |
| Beatrice Leong | Jennifer Shi |
| Eugene Kim | Jing Liang |
| Gary Yeung | Juliet Romero |
| Kevin Hsi | Shi Tang |
| Lina Lee | Yuhan Chen |
| May Wong | Nuala Naranjo (AAFE) |
| Richard In | Inaki Herrera (AAFE) |
| Shirley Luong | Gabriel Hisugan (AAFE) |
| Willow Liu |