Why You Should Attend

This program is designed to equip attorneys with a sharper understanding of the substantive law, strategies, latest developments, and best practices relevant to their representation of low-income clients who seek government benefits such as cash assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Attend this program to focus on new developments concerning a range of government benefits issues, including the return of sanctions and work requirements, cash assistance budgeting, best practices for Article 78 proceedings, and an overview of what advocates are doing in New York State and nationally to address SNAP application and recertification delays.

This is a companion program to New York Public Assistance and Food Stamp Eligibility for Advocates and Pro Bono Counsel 2023, available on-demand.

What You Will Learn

After completing this program, participants will be better able to:

• Understand new developments and rules concerning cash assistance sanctions, penalties imposed for allegedly failing to comply with work requirements

• Focus on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application and recertification delays and what is being done to address them

• Prepare and review budgeting for clients who seek or receive cash assistance and SNAP benefits

• Learn about how to use Article 78 appeals in the government benefits context

Who Should Attend

This program is designed to equip government benefits lawyers and paralegals with a sharper understanding of the substantive law, strategies, new developments, and best practices relevant to their representation of low-income clients who seek government benefits such as cash assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program is appropriate for legal services lawyers and advocates as well as lawyers who are interested in working with low-income clients on a pro bono basis.

Program Level: Overview

Prerequisites: Interest in substantive law, strategies, and best practices relevant to the representation of low-income clients who seek government benefits such as cash assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

PLI offers full scholarships, registration fee waivers, and discounts to attend PLI programs for attorneys, paralegals, law librarians, and staff working for nonprofit/legal services organizations; pro bono attorneys/volunteers (providing no-fee legal assistance to clients individually or through a nonprofit organization); government attorneys; judges and judicial law clerks; law professors and law students; retired attorneys; independent/freelance paralegals; unemployed attorneys; and others with financial hardships