Albany

Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY

The Legal Aid Society’s Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) program refers to private, volunteer attorneys a wide variety of health care matters for the elderly, disabled, people living with HIV/AIDS, and low-income residents of many counties in northeastern New York. The topics addressed include health care proxies, health insurance problems, living wills, Social Security/SSI, Medicare, and wills. Through the HIV/AIDS Law Consortium, Legal Aid can link a volunteer’s clients with social services agencies serving clients living with HIV/AIDS. Legal Aid provides training and mentoring to PAI volunteers, as well as professional liability insurance, office space, CLE, and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.

Contact:

Elena Rich
Pro Bono Coordinator
Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY
55 Colvin Ave.
Albany, NY 12206
(518) 689-6322
erich@lasnny.org

Buffalo

Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project

The Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (www.eriebar.org/vlp.asp)coordinates more than 800 local attorneys who provide free civil legal services in a wide variety of subject areas. Health law pro bono opportunities include preparation of legal documents for elderly and terminally ill persons.

Contact:

Robert Elardo, Esq.
Executive Director
ECBA VLP
700 Statler Towers
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 847-0662
relardo@wnylc.com
www.eriebar.org/vlp.asp

New York City and Long Island

City Bar Justice Center

The City Bar Justice Center (www.nycbar.org) has two health law programs. The Cancer Advocacy Project provides cancer patients and survivors with advice on issues relating to discrimination in the workplace due to the diagnosis of cancer; advocacy in health insurance disputes involving treatment or other benefits; advice on Medicaid and Medicare; and assistance with wills and advance health directives. The Elder Law Project provides seniors with free legal services in such areas as health care; wills, powers of attorney and advance health directives; elder abuse; and public benefits.

Contact:

Carol Bockner
Director, Pro Bono Initiatives
City Bar Justice Center
42 W. 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
(212) 382-4714
cbockner@abcny.org
www.nycbar.org

Legal Action Center

The Legal Action Center (www.lac.org) is a public interest law firm that performs legal and policy work related to fighting discrimination against and promoting the privacy rights of people with alcohol or drug histories, criminal records, and/or HIV/AIDS. Volunteer opportunities for health law attorneys include researching and writing papers on topics involving confidentiality of alcohol/drug treatment information or HIV information, or Medicaid issues involving alcohol/drug treatment; and litigation challenging the breach of HIV confidentiality, or HIV testing without consent.

Contact:

Sally Friedman, Esq.
Deputy Legal Director
Legal Action Center
153 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10014
(212) 243-1313
sfriedman@lac.org
www.lac.org

Legal Services for New York City

The LSNY Legal Support Unit (www.lsny.org) and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest have developed a special project to have private law firm associates defend clients charged with being overpaid Social Security and/or SSI benefits. The LSNY Social Security/SSI Law Coordinator will train associates, and each associate will take at least one case. Following assignment of cases, the LSNY Coordinator will provide support services to the associates as needed.

Contact:

Barbara Samuels
SSI/Social Security Law Coordinator
The LSNY Legal Support Unit
(212) 442-3604
bsamuels@legalsupport.org 

The HIV/AIDS Project provides legal services to persons living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. This project encompasses all substantive legal areas practiced by South Brooklyn Legal Services, because this special population has a multitude of needs. The project includes outreach and training of clients as well as case managers at community service providers.

Contact:

Cathy Bowman
Director, HIV Unit
South Brooklyn Legal Services
(718) 237-5500
cbowman@sbls.org

Lesbian and Gay Law Assoc. Foundation of Greater NY

At walk-in legal clinics held evenings and Saturdays in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Long Island, volunteer attorneys provide consultations, advice, and referrals on a wide variety of issues, including issues involving health law and HIV/AIDS.

Contact:

Lesbian and Gay Law Association Foundation
799 Broadway, Room 340
New York, NY 10003
(212) 353-9118
info@le-gal.org
www.le-gal.org

Nassau/Suffolk Volunteer Lawyers Project

Low-income residents of Long Island receive free legal services from this program in many areas involving health law and HIV/AIDS.

Contact:

Miriam Pismeny, Esq.
Managing Attorney
(516) 292-8299 or (631) 232-2400
mpismeny@wnylc.com
www.nslawservices.org

New York Legal Assistance Group

NYLAG’s (www.nylag.org) LegalHealth project provides direct legal services to people with cancer and other chronic illnesses and educates health care professionals serving this population. NYLAG provides free legal services on-site to patients/clients at several hospitals, ensuring an availability and integration of services where patients most frequently seek help. LegalHealth handles most of the complex legal issues confronting clients with cancer. Issues addressed include assistance with advance directives; debtor/creditor matters; employment-related matters; entitlements (Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid and home care); estate planning; housing conditions; immigration; permanency planning; and private insurance disputes.

Contact:

Rich Gruenberger, Esq.
Pro Bono Coordinator
NYLAG
450 W, 33rd St., 11th Fl.
New York, NY 10001
(212) 750-0800
rgruenberger@nylag.org
www.nylag.org

Rochester

Empire Justice Center

The Empire Justice (www.empirejustice.org) has the following health law opportunities in Rochester:
(1) Assist clients who have significant medical debt with charity care policies; assist with applications and negotiations regarding prices charged for services. Some court processes may be involved.
(2) Assist with litigation challenging the breach of HIV confidentiality or HIV-testing without consent.
(3) Advocate with administrative agencies to secure reimbursement for HIV/AIDS clients' cost of prescription drugs.

Contact:

Trilby deJung, Esq.
Health Law Attorney
80 St. Paul Street, Suite 660
Rochester, NY 14604
(585) 295-5722
tdejung@empirejustice.org
www.empirejustice.org

Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County

VLSP (www.vlsprochester.org/index.php) has opportunities for pro bono attorneys to assist low-income clients who are facing life-threatening illnesses, such as AIDS or cancer. Clients need assistance with the preparation of health care proxies, living wills, powers of attorney, and wills. Attorneys may choose to meet with clients at the attorney’s office, at VLSP’s offices in downtown Rochester or at legal clinics held in community locations.

Contact:

Ann M. Williams, Esq.
Staff Attorney
VLSP of Monroe County
80 St. Paul St., Suite 640
Rochester, NY 14604
(585) 232-3051
awilliams@wnylc.com
www.vlsprochester.org/index.php

Syracuse

Legal Aid Society of Mid-NY (Syracuse office)

The Legal Aid Society in Syracuse offers many pro bono opportunities, including in the areas of health law and HIV/AIDS.

Contact:

Esther Weingarten
Pro Bono Coordinator
Legal Aid Society of Mid-NY
472 S. Salina St., Suite 300
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 475-3127
weingarten@wnylc.com