November 6, 2009
STATE BAR ASSOCIATION CALLS ON CONGRESS TO LIFT
FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FUNDING
President Getnick’s Letter Urges Senators
Schumer and Gillibrand to Ensure that Service Providers Obtain the
Necessary Resources to Assist Those in Need
In a letter sent today, New York State Bar Association President
Michael E. Getnick (Getnick Livingston Atkinson & Priore, LLP of
Utica and of counsel to Getnick & Getnick of New York City) urged
United States Senators Charles Schumer and Kirstin Gillibrand to work
with members of Congress to remove federal restrictions on civil legal
services funding and to support critically-needed funding for the Legal
Services Corporation (LSC).
“One of the very highest priorities of the New York State Bar
Association is increasing the availability of counsel in civil cases for
those of limited means,” wrote Getnick. “While the
Association supports maximizing the funds made available to the Legal
Services Corporation, we are particularly concerned about the
unreasonable restrictions that have been imposed on the use of those
funds.”
The House of Representatives and the Senate have each passed its own
version of the FY 2010 Commerce, Justice & Science (CJS)
appropriations bill. A conference committee will soon be established to
resolve the differences in the legislation between the two houses.
President Getnick’s letter calls on Senators Schumer and
Gillibrand to ensure that Senate language removing most restrictions on
non-federal funds is included in the final, agreed-upon legislation.
“The position of the New York State Bar Association is that
Congress should eliminate all restrictions on legal services
funds,” Getnick continued. “The Senate’s
language would significantly increase the ability of legal services
organizations to make use of their resources in a far more efficient and
effective manner. In short, the organizations will be able to do far
more with the resources they have.
“I am asking you to urge Senator Mikulski and other members of
the conference committee to do everything they can to keep the Senate
language in the bill and, thereby, enhance the availability of legal
services to those in need,” concluded Getnick.
To view a full copy of President Getnick’s letter to Senators
Schumer and Gillibrand, please visit http://www.nysba.org/SenateLtr11-6-09.
Founded in 1876, the 76,000-member New York State Bar Association is
the official statewide organization of lawyers in New York and the
largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. The State
Bar’s programs and activities have continuously served the public
and improved the justice system for more than 130 years.
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