Welcome to the November-December 2011 edition of the NYC Pro Bono Center newsletter! Read on to learn about the latest pro bono news, volunteer opportunities, upcoming trainings and new helpful resources.
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Outstanding Volunteers
City Bar Justice Center Announces Winners of Third Annual Jeremy G. Epstein Awards for Pro Bono Service
The City Bar Justice Center, the pro bono affiliate of the New York City Bar, announced the winners of the third annual Jeremy G. Epstein Awards for Pro Bono Service. Honoring volunteer lawyers for outstanding work on Justice Center projects, the awards were presented at a Celebration of Service reception on Monday, October 24th, as part of National Pro Bono Week. Learn more
Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman Presides Over The Legal Aid Societys 2011 Pro Bono Awards
On November 9th the Societys 2011 Pro Bono Awards Ceremony, held at Espace, honored 328 leading pro bono lawyers along with 43 law firms, and one corporation for their outstanding pro bono services with The Legal Aid Society. This select group of professionals was nominated from the record-setting participation of more than 3,400 attorneys and other legal staff primarily from New Yorks leading law firms and corporate departments - who handled more than 6,500 matters on behalf of The Legal Aid Society's clients. Learn more
Lawyers Alliance for New York Presents 2011 Cornerstone Awards for Pro Bono Excellence
Two law firms - Holland & Knight LLP and Jackson Lewis LLP - are recipients of the 2011 Cornerstone Awards, which recognize outstanding pro bono legal services to nonprofit groups that are improving quality of life for low-income New Yorkers. Lawyers Alliance for New York presents these awards annually to recognize top pro bono work by business and transactional lawyers. In addition, Lawyers Alliance bestowed 2011 Cornerstone Awards to nine individual attorneys, selected from almost 1,500 attorneys in Lawyers Alliance's volunteer network. Learn more
We welcome your contributions! To nominate an outstanding volunteer, send an email describing the pro bono case or project to info@probono.net
Pro Bono News
James Stillwaggon of White & Case LLP Receives The Legal Aid Society's 2011 Public Interest Leadership Award
James Stillwaggon, Of Counsel at White & Case LLP, received The Legal Aid Society's 2011 Public Interest Leadership Award for his extraordinary contribution as a pro bono attorney, a leader of White & Cases outstanding pro bono programs, and a constant source of support to the Society and its clients. Learn more
City Bar Justice Center Hosts Legal Clinic for Eligible Claimants under the Reopened 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
On January 2, 2011, President Obama signed into law the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, which reactivates the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. On November 7, 2011 the City Bar Justice Center hosted the first legal clinic for potential eligible claimants under the reopened 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. Learn more
Click here to read more pro bono news.
Upcoming Trainings and Events
Wednesday, December 21, 2011: A Practical Guide to Immigration Legal Research [webinar]
This free webinar will focus on how to do immigration law research, including how and where to get started, finding legal resources, and how to look at the law. Panelists will describe primary sources for law (such as the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Code of Federal Regulations, and Board of Immigration Appeals and federal court decisions) and identify secondary sources that help practitioners to understand immigration law and practice. Learn more or click here to register.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012: The Legal Aid Society's 2011-2012 Pro Bono Training Program: Housing Preservation Actions
Learn to initiate and litigate proceedings on behalf of tenants whose landlords willfully refuse to provide the most basic of services, including heat and hot water during the winter. The session will address the drafting of pleadings, pre-litigation research, how to obtain evidence, and strategies for effectively litigating the action to a successful conclusion. Cases provide an excellent opportunity to engage in settlement conferences and hearings. Learn more
Thursday, January 12, 2012: The Legal Aid Society's 2011-2012 CLE Pro Bono Training Program: Intellectual Property for the Micro-Entrepreneur
Learn basic principles of copyright, trademark, trade secret, and patent law, with emphasis on how micro-entrepreneurs should be advised as they develop their business ideas and confront the need to protect their own intellectual property assets and avoid infringing the intellectual property rights of others. The session will include discussion of the advantages of timely Nixon registration, practicalities of various search options, strategies for obtaining federal registration, and issues raised when the micro-entrepreneur's business includes an online presence. Learn more
Click here to view the full calendar of pro bono events
and training opportunities.
Library Resources
Updated: Immigration Relief for Crime Victims: The U Visa
The Immigrant Women and Children Project of the City Bar Justice Center has updated this excellent training manual for attorneys representing immigrant victims of crime in the process of applying for a U Visa. A video recording of a U Visa training conducted by the Immigrant Women and Children Project is also available. Learn more
Click here to browse through the entire NYC Pro Bono Center Library.
Did you know?
In addition to the excellent pro bono resources available in the NYC Pro Bono Center, resources for pro bono attorneys are also available online in subject areas such as Community Development/Nonprofits, Asylum, Family Law/Domestic Violence, Immigration, Housing, and more. Check the sidebar on the left-hand side of the NYC Pro Bono Center for a complete listing!
Click here to view our archive of NYC Pro Bono Center Newsletter.
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