CLE: The Basics of Child Support
Join us on Thursday, March 23, 2023, 3:00–4:30 PM for a virtual CLE presentation on The Basics of Child Support presented by Joanne Reece, Esq., Family Law Staff Attorney, Access Justice Brooklyn.
This CLE provides a basic overview of litigating child support in Family Court. Topics covered will include: obtaining an order, modification of orders, enforcement of orders.
Please register for this CLE by noon on Wednesday, March 22nd. An invitation to the virtual Zoom presentation will be emailed to you.
CLE Credit: 1.5 CLE credits available.
*This course is FREE to those who accept one family law matter from Access Justice Brooklyn before November 1, 2023. Experienced attorneys who take a pro bono case can receive additional CLE credit for every 2 hours of eligible pro bono service. The cost is $50 for registrants who do not wish to take a pro bono referral.
For more information regarding CLE credit and volunteering with Access Justice Brooklyn, please email Anne O’Grady, Pro Bono Director, at anne@accessjusticebk.org.
Presidents’ Day
Access Justice Brooklyn’s office will be closed on Monday, February 20, 2023, in observance of Presidents’ Day.
If you or someone you know needs legal help, please visit our website to begin an online intake here.
If you need to make an appointment, please contact your Access Justice Brooklyn attorney or call (718) 624-3894.
Volunteer Recognition Event
Our Volunteer Recognition Event, honoring our 2022 volunteers, will take place on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Access Justice Brooklyn Office at 6:00 PM. For more information and to RSVP, click here.
Foreclosure Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) Program
The Foreclosure Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) Program is a partnership between the BLS Public Service Law Center, Access Justice Brooklyn, and Kings County Supreme Court to assist homeowners in Kings County who are facing foreclosure. FLAG provides homeowners entangled in foreclosure litigation with essential information about New York’s unique foreclosure process and helps them understand their rights and options.
When: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 PM
Where: Kings County Supreme Court, 360 Adams St, Room 360
Bring: Summons of complaint, index number, and any related documents
Please email help@accessjusticebk.org or call 718-624-3894 if you would like more information about FLAG. For free Homeowner Assistance resources, click here.
If you are an attorney or law student who would like to volunteer for FLAG, please contact us at volunteer@accessjusticebk.org.
CLE: Experienced Attorney CLARO Training – Track II
Now is a critical moment to get involved in Pro Bono opportunities with CLARO (the Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office) to provide limited-scope legal assistance to unrepresented New Yorkers facing debt collection through the courts. Help address the dire need for legal information and services!
Receive robust training, work directly with clients, and get one-on-one support from expert attorneys. Described by volunteers as rewarding and uplifting, sign up to work hand-in-hand with New Yorkers needing legal help—whether you are a newly admitted attorney or an experienced litigator.
Sponsored by the Fordham Law School Feerick Center for Social Justice together with Access Justice Brooklyn, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, New York City Bar, New York County Lawyers Association, and Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project, Inc. (QVLP).
Click here to register for the Experienced Attorney CLARO Training (Track II)
Friday, March 3, 2023 | 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Track II Topics Include:
(1) Motions for Summary Judgment in the CLARO Context – Legal Standard, Procedural Requirements, Common Issues with Consumer Debt Collection Cases, Best Practices for Counseling CLARO Clients, and Debt Buyer and Original Creditor Cases;
(2) Motions to Dismiss;
(3) Motions to Renew and Reargue; and
(4) Motions to Compel.
*Track II is for experienced litigators and experienced CLARO volunteers who have completed Track I and are interested in working on more advanced and complex issues.
Your Commitment: To receive 3.5 CLE credits you must volunteer for six hours total with CLARO by August 31, 2023.
Participating Programs: Volunteers may serve with one of the following programs, all of which provide limited-scope legal assistance to unrepresented individuals on consumer debt matters:
- Bronx CLARO
- Brooklyn CLARO
- Manhattan CLARO
- Queens CLARO
- Remote CLARO
- Staten Island CLARO
- Westchester CLARO
For more information, contact feerickcenter@fordham.edu.
CLE: Introductory CLARO Training – Track I
Now is a critical moment to get involved in Pro Bono opportunities with CLARO (the Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office) to provide limited-scope legal assistance to unrepresented New Yorkers facing debt collection through the courts. Help address the dire need for legal information and services!
Receive robust training, work directly with clients, and get one-on-one support from expert attorneys. Described by volunteers as rewarding and uplifting, sign up to work hand-in-hand with New Yorkers needing legal help—whether you are a newly admitted attorney or an experienced litigator.
Sponsored by the Fordham Law School Feerick Center for Social Justice together with Access Justice Brooklyn, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, New York City Bar, New York County Lawyers Association, and Queens Volunteer Lawyers Project, Inc. (QVLP).
Click here to register for the Introductory CLARO Training (Track I)
Friday, February 10, 2023 | 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Track I Topics Include:
Introduction to CLARO; Ethical Considerations; Client Interaction; Pre-Litigation & The Life of a Debt; The Court Process & Key Motions; Substantive Defenses; Negotiating Settlements.
*Track I is required for all attorneys new to volunteering for CLARO, regardless of litigation experience. It is also recommended for former CLARO volunteer attorneys as a refresher.
Your Commitment: To receive 3.5 CLE credits you must volunteer for six hours total with CLARO by August 31, 2023.
Participating Programs: Volunteers may serve with one of the following programs, all of which provide limited-scope legal assistance to unrepresented individuals on consumer debt matters:
- Bronx CLARO
- Brooklyn CLARO
- Manhattan CLARO
- Queens CLARO
- Remote CLARO
- Staten Island CLARO
- Westchester CLARO
For more information, contact feerickcenter@fordham.edu.
Foreclosure Answer-a-thon
Have you received a summons or complaint for foreclosure?
Access Justice Brooklyn is hosting a Foreclosure Answer-a-thon on Friday, January 20, 2023, from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM at Brooklyn Borough Hall to help homeowners facing foreclosure draft an answer to their summons and/or complaint.
What is an answer? An answer is a legal response to a foreclosure summons or complaint filed in the court system. If you do NOT file an answer, the plaintiff (usually a bank) could get a default judgment against you, making it easier to lose your home.
Please bring all foreclosure paperwork:
- Summons and/or Complaint for Foreclosure
- Case Index Number
- Any foreclosure documents received from the court or the plaintiff
- If you are not the sole homeowner, please bring any additional homeowners with you.
Additional homeowner assistance providers will be available to answer questions about loan modifications, repairs, deed scams, and other legal issues regarding your home. For more information contact us at (718) 624–3894 or help@accessjusticebk.org.
Date: Friday, January 20, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
Location: Brooklyn Borough Hall, Courtroom, 209 Joralemon St.
In partnership with Brooklyn Borough Hall President Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn Legal Services, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A (Brooklyn A), Center for NYC Neighborhoods (CNYCN), NHS Brooklyn, and New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG). Click here to view the event flyer.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Access Justice Brooklyn’s office will be closed on Monday, January 16, 2023, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
If you or someone you know needs legal help, please visit our website to begin an online intake here.
If you need to make an appointment, please contact your Access Justice Brooklyn attorney or call (718) 624-3894.
Giving Tuesday
It’s time to deepen your support for the Brooklyn community and fight for justice!
Access Justice Brooklyn is partnering with Brooklyn Community Foundation’s #BrooklynGives campaign to tap into the power of our community and encourage you to Give Where You Live!
The lingering effects of the pandemic continue to impact Brooklyn residents – particularly seniors, communities of color, and individuals with low incomes. Rapid gentrification and the skyrocketing cost of living in the borough threaten to displace Brooklyn homeowners and increase the burden of debt for individuals and families.
Free, accessible legal services are essential to supporting our neighbors and ensuring the stability of Brooklyn’s diverse communities.
Providing civil legal services to Brooklynites in need is critical, but Access Justice Brooklyn cannot do it alone. Join us in becoming legal advocates for our community!
Show your support, make a gift today, and consider becoming a fundraiser.
Visit our #BrooklynGives page to create a personal fundraising campaign, and share our mission and impact with your family and friends.
CLE: Representing Homeowners in Administrative Hearings
Join us on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, 3:00–5:00PM for a CLE on Representing Homeowners in Administrative Hearings.
Each week in Brooklyn, the Department of Buildings (DOB) brings hundreds of cases against small homeowners before the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), the City’s administrative law court which provides a neutral forum for these hearings. For the most part, these homeowners are self-represented, face steep fines, and find themselves at a disadvantage because they are not aware of the defenses available to them.
This training will enable attorneys, law graduates and law students to assist and represent homeowners at these hearings. The training will cover some of the most common violations and their defenses.
PRESENTED BY:
Peter S. White III, Esq., Supervising Attorney, Access Justice Brooklyn
Edward Mostoller, Esq., Staff Attorney, Access Justice Brooklyn
Aaron Scheinwald, Esq., Staff Attorney, Access Justice Brooklyn
Jesus M. Zeno, Esq., The Law Office of Jesus M. Zeno, P.C.
Please register for this CLE by noon on Tuesday, December 6th. An invitation to the virtual Zoom presentation will be emailed to you.
CLE Credit: 2 CLE credits available. *Experienced attorneys who take a pro bono case can receive additional CLE credit for every 2 hours of eligible pro bono service.
For more information regarding CLE credit and volunteering with Access Justice Brooklyn, please email Anne O’Grady, Pro Bono Director.
Free CLE presentations are made possible through the generous support of our donors. Please consider making a donation in support of our essential programs and help to close the justice gap!
Access Justice Brooklyn
44 Court Street, Suite 1206
Brooklyn, NY 11201