The legal community has mobilized to respond to Hurricane Sandy, and Pro Bono Net is heavily involved in these efforts. Below we reprint a letter sent to New York-based members of probono.net outlining some upcoming trainings related to the relief efforts. To learn more, visit our Hurricane Sandy Legal Relief page.
November 8, 2012
Dear probono.net/ny members,
It has been a little over one week since Hurricane Sandy landed on our shores, and devastated the lives of so many New Yorkers and residents of neighboring states. The New York legal aid and pro bono community has already begun to provide direct services to those most affected, including filing for FEMA and Disaster Unemployment Insurance benefits, answering immigration status questions, documenting and filing insurance claims, and many other immediate legal needs of individuals and small businesses.
We also know from experience with past disasters that these legal needs are just starting; they will evolve and become more complex in the months ahead. As the community creates and coordinates longer-term plans to ensure that people who need legal services can access them in their communities, here are some ways you can stay involved and prepare yourselves to help out.
There are three trainings for pro bono attorneys and law students scheduled over the next few days. Two of these are live trainings at the New York City Bar; the other is an online webinar:
Disaster Assistance Training for Pro Bono Lawyers Assisting Individuals and Families
By: City Bar Justice Center, The Legal Aid Society, Legal Services NYC, and the City Bar Committee on Pro Bono and Legal Services
When: Friday, November 9, 10:00 AM -12:00 pm EST (Tomorrow)
Where: New York City Bar, 42 West 44th Street
Storm-Related Legal Services Relief
By: New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)
When: Friday, November 9, 11:00 AM -12:30 pm EST (Tomorrow)
Where: Online Webinar
NELP Disaster Assistance Training For Small Businesses
By: City Bar Justice Center NELP Program
When: Tuesday, November 13, 2:00 PM – 4:00 pm EST
Where: New York City Bar, 42 West 44th Street
All of these trainings will be recorded and made available for viewing at a later date, along with training materials, in the NYC Pro Bono Center library, and will be prominently featured on our Hurricane Sandy Legal Relief page at: www.probono.net/ny/hurricane_sandy.
Going forward, we will send out regular updates to members of the NYC Pro Bono Center. If you are not already a member of that site, and would like to receive future hurricane relief updates, please use this link to join: www.probono.net/ny/nyc/jointhisarea.
If you have questions or information you would like to share about activities that your firm is undertaking, please contact our Pro Bono Coordinator Adam Friedl at afriedl@probono.net. If you encounter any problems joining or logging in to the site, please email support@probono.net.
Thanks,
Mark O’Brien, Executive Director
Adam Friedl, Pro Bono Coordinator