AABANY Members: 2024 Pro Bono Opportunity – Help Close Civil Justice Gap through New York State Attorney Emeritus Program (AEP)

AABANY encourages its members to get involved in the New York State Attorney Emeritus Program (AEP) this year. The AEP is an initiative by the New York State Unified Court System, enthusiastically supported by Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson, aimed at promoting pro bono civil legal service by senior attorneys.

AABANY recognizes the increasing need for civil legal services post-COVID-19, and the need for pro bono volunteers is more critical than ever. From housing to family law matters, immigration to consumer debt, AEP volunteers play a crucial role in providing access to justice for New Yorkers who are unable to afford counsel.

To volunteer, AEP seeks lawyers aged fifty-five or older, retired or still in practice, in good standing, and with ten years experience. Attorney Emeritus volunteers receive benefits, including up to 15 CLE credits and special recognition from Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson and Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Edwina G. Richardson.

For more information please click here.

The AEP team welcomes the opportunity to discuss the Program with individuals interested in learning more; please feel free to contact the AEP Coordinator by email at [email protected].

Volunteer to be a Judge with Empire Mock Trial on September 24-27 or October 29-November 1

Empire Mock Trial is a nonprofit that brings together extraordinary high school students. It started as a response to COVID-19 and has grown into a robust online mock trial competition program, accessible to any school with an internet connection. This fall, Empire Mock Trial is bringing together 750 high school students for both online and in-person programs. These remarkable young people need the support of the legal community. 

Volunteer to serve as judges or jurors on September 24-27 or October 29-November 1 in the cloud (attorneys can judge one trial or multiple). Over the past year, they’ve worked hard to develop programs for their students that are fun, safe, and educational. 

Attorneys can learn more about the competitions and sign-up to judge here

The format of each trial depends on which competition an attorney signs-up to judge. Here is a description of each:

  • Empire Orbit on September 24-27 – students compete from separate devices (i.e. you’ll see 12-14 students separately connect to your virtual courtroom); 
  • Empire Galaxy on October 29-November 1 – one mock trial team assembles in one room to compete against another team (i.e. you’ll see only 2 teams separately connect to your virtual courtroom);
  • Note: Empire Mock Trial has previously hosted in-person competitions in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Attorneys can earn up to 3 CLE credits for judging. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Empire Mock Trial’s Executive Director, Justin Matarrese via phone: 646.481.2332 or email: [email protected].

AABANY Members: CLE Opportunity – AAPF’s Critical Race Theory Summer School

AABANY Members:

In a few weeks the African American Policy Forum (led by Kimberlé Crenshaw and Luke Harris) presents the Critical Race Theory Summer School, which continues the tradition of everyday people coming together to envision and build a truly multiracial democracy. For example, the first CRT Summer School (pictured above) sowed seeds of scholarship and inclusion that many Americans have since found enlightening and transformative.

CLE credits are currently pending for this program, which features professors at Columbia Law School, UCLA law school, and other illustrious institutions. Summer School participants will gain knowledge, inspiration, and tools that can enhance their work advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession.

Who should apply: The 2021 CRT Summer School is designed for lawyers and DEI practitioners. After five days of enlightening lectures and engaging breakout sessions, participants will have a firm grasp of CRT’s foundational concepts as well as toolkits, messaging guides, and a network of allies to sustain one another as we progress toward racial equity.

This year’s dedicated faculty include:

Core faculty – Kimberlé Crenshaw, Luke Charles Harris, Devon Carbado, Sumi Cho, Daniel Martinez HoSang, and Gary Peller.

Associate faculty: Barbara Arnwine, David Blight, Bennett Capers, Jennifer Chacón, Anthony Cook, Jesse Hagopian, Justin Hansford, Cheryl Harris, Tanya Hernández, Emily Houh, CJ Hunt, Gloria Ladson-Billings, Chris Lehmann, Bradley Mason, Melissa Murray, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Priscilla Ocen, Russell Robinson, Jason Stanley, Alvin Starks, Courtney Symone Staton, David Stovall, Kirsten West Savali, Robert A. Williams, and Ezra Young

Apply to the 2021 CRT Summer School now to gain access to the “forbidden knowledge” of critical race theory and learn more about how you can be part of the solution in the legal profession. Since we expect seats to fill up quickly, we encourage you to apply now at https://www.aapf.org/crtsummerschool.

Volunteer to be a Judge with Empire Mock Trial

Empire Mock Trial is a nonprofit that brings together extraordinary high school students from across the U.S. plus 6 countries. Over the past 6 months, the nonprofit has worked hard to plan a mock trial program for them that is fun, safe, and educational during the age of COVID-19 — this fall, it is finally happening.

Volunteer to judge a mock trial on October 28-31 or November 14-16 (attorneys can judge one trial or multiple). All trials will be held online via Zoom. For most of the students, this is the first time they’ve been able to participate in mock trial in 2020, with COVID having canceled their last season. 

Attorneys can learn more about the competitions and sign-up to judge here

The format of each trial depends on which competition you sign-up to judge. Here is a description of each:

  • Empire @ Home on October (28-31) –  students compete from the comfort of their own homes (i.e. you’ll see 12-14 students separately connect to your virtual courtroom). It’s called ‘Empire Chicago’ because we are hosting Chicago themed events for the kids;
  • Empire One (November 14-16) – one mock trial team assembles in one room to compete against another team (i.e. you’ll see only 2 teams separately connect to your virtual courtroom). It’s called ‘Empire New York’ because we are hosting New York themed events for the kids.

Attorneys can earn up to 3 CLE credits for judging. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Empire Mock Trial via phone or email on their website.

Make an Impact – Mentor with Legal Outreach

About Legal Outreach:

Legal Outreach prepares youth from underserved communities in New York City to compete at high academic levels by using intensive legal and educational programs as tools for fostering vision, developing skills, enhancing confidence, and facilitating the pursuit of higher education. We use law to attract rising high school students to academic programs that inspire and motivate them to strive for academic success.

About the Mentoring Program:

Legal Outreach’s Mentoring Program allows attorneys and law school graduates to directly impact high school students from traditionally under-represented backgrounds by guiding them through high school and modeling what it means to be an attorney and to engage with the law – and allows attorneys to consider these questions, too!

Attorneys meet with their students once a month to hang out and talk about the issues and obstacles students are facing. Mentors, with materials provided by Legal Outreach, also help students through the Constitutional Law Debate Program. In Debate, students learn and apply Supreme Court precedent to issues directly affecting the country, such as qualified immunity, which weapons are protected under the Second Amendment, education rights for undocumented students, gerrymandering and voting rights, discrimination in housing developments, and more. 

Legal Outreach’s Mentoring Program is an integral tool for helping our students achieve academic success, and is a low cost, high reward volunteer activity. Mentoring a Legal Outreach student only takes around 4-6 hours per month and is a 3 year commitment (mentors work with students from their Sophomore year through Senior year). Mentors help students with their Constitutional Law Debates, guide them academically, and inspire them by providing one-on-one support throughout their high school careers and even after mentees matriculate to college. JD is required. Mentors can also receive 3 CLE Credits per reporting cycle.

“My mentor is very supportive of my accomplishments and hard work. He’s always willing to talk about any problems and to teach me anything new.” Legal Outreach Student

“I have recommended the program to numerous friends, I think Legal Outreach is a fantastic program and I am happy to be involved.” Legal Outreach Mentor

Apply Now at www.legaloutreach.org/mentor

Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, the Mentoring Program will be implemented virtually during the 2020-21 academic year.

Mentor/Mentee Events Hosted by Legal Outreach

Sept. 29, 2020 6pm-8pm New Mentor Orientation
Oct. 8, 2020 6pm-8pm Meet mentees at Octoberfeast!
Nov. 13, 2020 6pm-9pm Debate 1
March 12, 2021 6pm-9pm Debate 2
End of March/early April 2021 Debate 3 (qualifying students)

Questions? Contact Marla Trinidad, Law-Related Education Coordinator, at [email protected].

Empire Mock Trial Tournament – Judges Needed!

Earn 3 free CLE credits while educating top collegiate mock trial competitors!

The nonprofit Empire Mock Trial, in conjunction with NYU, is pleased to invite you to our tenth annual Downtown Invitational mock trial tournament on January 23-25 at the EDNY (225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn). The 2016 Downtown brings together eighteen of the top collegiate trial advocacy teams. This year’s field includes Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Duke, Princeton, and Yale.

You can help teach these exceptional college students about the law by volunteering just a few hours of your time. In exchange, we’ll provide you with 3 free non-transitional CLE credits in the category of skills. We particularly need volunteers for both rounds on Sunday, January 24 (Rounds 3 & 4).

Find out more on our website at The Downtown. Ready to register? Do so here.

General information:

  • Features four preliminary rounds of competition, and you can judge as many or as few as you like—no litigation experience is required
  • Please feel free to invite a friend or colleague to co-judge with you at the tournament.  We’ll pair you together!
  • 18 top trial advocacy teams will compete including Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Duke, Princeton, and Yale
  • We’ll serve complimentary food and beverages as a token of our appreciation
  • Registering takes less than a minute – do so here

We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Feel free to call (917-426-3682) or e-mail us ([email protected])

Volunteer Mock Trial Judges Needed! Earn CLE Credit!

Volunteer Mock Trial Judges Needed! Earn CLE Credit!

New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)/Total Life Choices (TLC) and Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) Pro Bono Listing for August 2014

PARENTS SEEKING ARTICLE 17A GUARDIANSHIP OVER THEIR 18-YEAR-OLD SON

(Mandarin and Cantonese Speaker)

Mr. and Mrs. Y are the parents of an autistic child, F.  F is an autistic 18 year-old.  Mr. and Mrs. Y seek assistance with an article 17a guardianship.  Physician affidavits have been completed.  Mr. and Mrs. Y’s primary language is Mandarin and Cantonese, but they are able to understand and communicate in English.  We are seeking a pro bono attorney, preferably an attorney who also speaks Mandarin or Cantonese, to assist Mr. and Mrs. Y on this guardianship matter.

If you are interested in assisting with this matter on a pro bono basis, please send an email to NYLAG Senior Staff attorney and TLC Program coordinator, Tina Janssen-Spinosa, at: [email protected] and to Samuel Lui at: [email protected]

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* NYLAG offers mentoring support on most cases we refer to pro bono attorneys, which includes provision of training materials and sample documents, as well as direct consultation  with a NYLAG attorney and review of document drafts.  If no mentoring is available, this will be stated clearly in a matter description.

* NYLAG is required to report the number of hours spent on client matters by our pro bono attorneys, so we ask attorneys who accept client referrals to keep track of their time on cases as well as the amount of any costs incurred on matters.  NYLAG requests reports on hours and costs from our pro bono attorneys on an annual basis, shortly after the end of each fiscal year (June 30th).

* NYLAG’s malpractice insurance policy only extends to volunteer attorneys who work directly under NYLAG’s supervision on matters in which NYLAG itself has been retained as counsel.  Therefore, pro bono attorneys who accept case referrals are responsible for their own malpractice insurance.

* NYLAG provides CLE credit for pro bono service (1 credit per 2 hours of service, up to 10 credits per biennial reporting cycle).  To obtain credit, please contact NYLAG to obtain the necessary forms.