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More than 250 attorneys from New York State are participating in the Veteran Referral Panel Program.  This program provides discounted legal help to military veterans in several areas: Obtaining federal benefits Military discharge upgrades Adoptions, and Bankruptcy.Veterans participating in the program can have a free initial phone consultation and enjoy a 25% discount on regular attorney fees. State Bar President, David M.

[caption id="attachment_4576" align="alignleft" width="300"] Floods in Queens, New York in the aftermath of SuperStorm Sandy[/caption]Over the past year and a half, Staten Island Legal Services, has been in the frontlines of helping homeowners cope with the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.  They have released the following guide to help homeowners decide how much flood insurance they should purchase.  Thank you to Elan Ronen, Paralegal and Margaret Becker, Director of the Disaster Recovery Unit at Staten Island Legal Services for the information below

Dealing with consumer debt can be scary. It is natural to be unsure of what to do, but it is crucial that you understand the process, gather the right resources, and most important – TAKE ACTION! The video explains the consumer debt legal process in New York, step-by-step. If you prefer to see only the sections that might be most relevant to your situation, visit clarovideo.org.

As findings from the recent 2010 Census start to come out, one thing is clear; America is becoming increasingly diverse.  Leading this new change in demographics in America are Hispanics and Asians and Pacific Islanders populations, which are the fastest growing.The federal legislation, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, require that any agencies receiving federal monies must comply with national origin discrimination stipulations indicated.  As a result, many local, state, and federal agencies have responded by offering free

NICE is proud to release  ¡No me han pagado!, an illustrated, Spanish-language know your rights booklet to help jornaleros, or day laborers, protect themselves from wage theft. The booklet was created by the Center of Urban Pedagogy and designer Caroline Oh, with input from NICE members.

This video explains the basics of getting a simple divorce in New York.A free video created by Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.

According to statistics from New York's legal aid information website, LawHelpNY.org, low-income New Yorkers downloaded legal resources related to family-related and housing issues in 2013.  During this year, LawHelpNY received over 350,000 visits and over 1 million page views. After reviewing the information that users were searching for, it became clear that many people were searching for assistance on how to deal with the aftermath of a divorce or separation, along with resources on how to navigate housing court.

LawHelpNY, the free, statewide resource for people facing civil legal issues, launched a new text messaging campaign, aimed at informing immigrant victims of domestic violence about their rights to shelter, healthcare and free legal services.This new SMS campaign, through the use of text messages provided in English and Spanish, will guide immigrant victims of domestic violence to emergency hotlines, shelters, local free legal assistance, and emergency health and medical care.

[caption id="attachment_6576" align="alignleft" width="300"] Evan Denerstein, Staff Attorney at MFY Legal Services, Inc[/caption]Each year, thousands of New Yorkers find themselves unable to keep up with financial obligations.  If you find yourself unable to pay down your debt and having to deal with debt collection, the repercussions can make the situation overwhelming and paralyzing.

The legal contracts you sign when buying or renting a home are among the most important you will sign in your life! These contracts are governed by complex laws.  As a result, it’s hard to know what your rights are.  If you find yourself not able to pay your rent or mortgage, you can quickly find yourself overwhelmed and susceptible to scammers promising to help you.  For tenants and homeowners in Long Island in this situation, a local Fair Housing advocacy community organization, Long Island Housing Services, Inc.