Access Justice Brooklyn, Inc.

Access Justice Brooklyn recognizes that the balance of inequity shifts when low-income people have legal support, which both increases their likelihood of achieving positive outcomes and reduces the stress involved in navigating the complex legal system without an attorney. We therefore work to mitigate systemic barriers to the legal process by providing access to free, high quality legal help, with the goal of closing the access to justice gap and creating a more equitable Brooklyn.

We serve individuals experiencing legal issues related to family stability, including custody, visitation, child and spousal support, and uncontested divorce; foreclosure intervention and prevention; Chapter 7 bankruptcy and consumer debt litigation and advocacy; Article 17A Guardianship; and elder law, including advance directives and wills. To address these needs, we provide advice and counsel, brief services, and full legal representation, as applicable, as well as referrals for legal needs outside our scope of services. We also engage in community legal education in these areas, which aims at early intervention so Brooklynites can identify and seek help for legal problems as soon as they arise.

Access Justice Brooklyn's extensive civil legal services to Brooklyn residents include: (1) direct representation (full and limited scope) by staff and pro bono attorneys; (2) court-based and community clinics for brief legal services, advice, and pro se assistance; (3) in-house uncontested divorce clinics; (4) daily advice and counsel by Access Justice Brooklyn staff and volunteers in office both by telephone, Zoom video conferencing, and in-person; and (5) neighborhood community education presentations for seniors and for homeowners in danger of foreclosure, and “know your rights” programs on critical issues of concern.

Central to achieving our mission, Access Justice Brooklyn partners with compassionate pro bono attorneys to provide high-quality civil legal services that help ensure equal access to the legal system. This proven model channels the pro bono power of the private bar to expand access to justice by engaging private practice attorneys
in community legal work; forming bridges between the private bar, educational institutions, social service agencies, and legal services offices; producing free training programs and manuals; and building a support system for volunteers. We recruit, train, and mentor volunteers from any legal background, connecting them with programs designed to meet critical legal needs in the Brooklyn community and supporting them as they hone their expertise and talents in our areas of practice. Critically, this model enables us to expand our reach and serve a far greater number of people than we could alone.

Access Justice Brooklyn is an accredited Continuing Legal Education (CLE) provider and regularly trains pro bono volunteers in our areas of practice. We design and present CLE training programs that prepare both new and repeat volunteers to provide critical community legal support, offer written materials with relevant case law, statutes, and forms, and also match volunteers with experienced practitioners and mentors to facilitate learning and ensure effective assistance to our clients. These presentations are offered in person as well as virtually, allowing volunteers to revisit recorded trainings as needed. Our approach has allowed us to recruit and retain a significant number of volunteers: in the last year, 205 pro bono attorneys, law students, interns, and other volunteers provided more than 6,285 hours of compassionate, free legal services to the Brooklyn community.

Access Justice Brooklyn is a pioneer of contemporary pro bono models and a progressive force in the community. Our small staff and dedicated volunteers have been helping people for over 30 years—saving homes, securing families, and ultimately building the support and foundation for healthier lives.

In the last year, Access Justice Brooklyn's services benefitted 8,409 individuals and families throughout Brooklyn, made possible with the support of 205 pro bono attorneys and other volunteers. We handled 2,293 civil legal matters which benefited 5,531 individuals and families; provided pro se assistance to 670 Brooklyn residents, helping them better represent themselves in their legal matters; disseminated critical legal information and resources to an 1,009 people, covering topics such as deed theft, advance directives, consumer debt, and pandemic-related policy changes; and provided referrals to 1,199 people seeking help with issues outside of our scope of services.

In addition, we helped clients obtain critical financial support and avoid fees and other debts, increasing their overall financial stability. As a result of our advocacy, our clients obtained $237,326 in child support arrears and $15,206 in monthly child and spousal support benefits. We helped clients save or recover $410,275 through settlements in foreclosure actions; $746,269 through bankruptcy; $424,345 by avoiding or reducing consumer debt; and $116,750 in fines and penalties imposed by the New York City Department of Buildings through representation before the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. We were also able to save clients $14,740 in court filing fees by obtaining fee waivers.