Access Justice Brooklyn

Consumer debt program: in the past year, ajb handled 4,548 consumer debt cases, benefiting approximately 10,491 individuals and families. Access Justice Brooklyn operates two programs in kings county civil court to assist unrepresented consumer credit litigants. The civil legal advice and resource office (claro) program is a free weekly clinic where Access Justice Brooklyn staff and volunteers provide litigants with important information about debt collection and their options for defense, representing a critical resource for individuals without counsel. Through the volunteer lawyer for a day (vlfd) Access to Justice program, an Access Justice Brooklyn attorney is present four days per week in kings county civil court and works with pro bono volunteer attorneys, law graduates, and law students to provide limited scope representation to unrepresented litigants on the date of their court appearance, including clients referred by our claro program, to help reduce or dismiss their debt or obtain an adjournment. For individuals seeking to discharge debt and reorder their finances, we also prepare bankruptcy petitions and offer representation in chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

Family stabilization program: in the past year, the organization handled 424 family law cases, benefiting approximately 888 individuals and families. Access Justice Brooklyn works to stabilize Brooklyn families by helping to resolve disputes in family court related to custody, visitation, and child and spousal support for both custodial and non-custodial parents to ensure fairness and equity in support orders issued by the kings county family court. We also have a robust pro se uncontested divorce program through which we draft divorce pleadings for clients seeking legal separation from a partner. In addition, we provide advice and representation in article 17a guardianship matters to designate trusted friends or family members to act on behalf of individuals who are over age 18 and living with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Throughout the year, we hold clinics where clients can make appointments for pro se assistance related to uncontested divorce as well as article 17a guardianship matters.

Homeowner assistance program: in the past year, the organization handled 442 foreclosure matters, department of buildings violations, and other issues impacting Brooklyn homeowners, benefiting approximately 1,271 individuals and families. Access Justice Brooklyn's services to homeowners encompass a range of services that include foreclosure intervention and prevention, assistance with deed theft and other scams, and representation in administrative hearings that concern department of buildings (dob) violations. For homeowners at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosure, we provide advice, brief services, and full legal representation - including foreclosure motion practice, bad faith hearings, foreclosure defense litigation, preparing and negotiating loan modifications, and attending settlement conferences. We also participate in court-based workshops and legal clinics, such as the biweekly foreclosure legal assistance group clinic, where we provide information, advice, and brief legal services to homeowners who have attended pre-settlement conferences; the friend of the court program for emergency, limited scope representation in foreclosure cases; and a weekly clinic held every friday to assist homeowners appearing in kings county supreme court. In addition, we help homeowners with dob violations by providing limited scope, day-of representation before the office of administrative trials and hearings (oath), helping reduce or dismiss fines and preventing liens that can increase the likelihood of foreclosure.

Senior assistance and miscellaneous matters: in the past year the organization handled 34 elder law-related matters such as wills and probate assistance as well as other miscellaneous matters, affecting approximately 60 individuals and family members.access Justice Brooklyn addresses end of life concerns by helping Brooklyn residents prepare and execute wills, health care proxies, and other life planning documents, as well as by handling small estate matters for estates of $50,000 or less. As part of our targeted outreach program for older adults - the national grid foundation senior legal education and assistance program - we have relationships with senior centers, elected officials, and other partners throughout Brooklyn. Through this program, we provide prevention-oriented legal education to address seniors' unique legal concerns - such as living wills and health care proxies, reverse mortgages, and property scams and predatory lending practices. Legal education and outreachaccess Justice Brooklyn offers individual legal assistance and community legal education in all of our areas of practice - addressing current legal concerns that our clients face while offering prevention-oriented education that helps them Access legal help before problems can escalate. These services are not only essential to improving Access to the legal system for individuals, but also crucial to dismantling systemic barriers to Justice that affect the larger Brooklyn community. Over the last year we provided legal education and resources to 786 individuals through 24 legal education sessions, tabling events, and other outreach events, giving Brooklyn residents essential, practical information about their legal rights and options.continuing legal education (cle)central to Access Justice Brooklyn's service model, we also design and present expert continuing legal education (cle) training programs in substantive areas of law to prepare both new and existing volunteers to provide critical legal assistance to low-income Brooklyn residents. We engage private law firms, in-house counsel, and solo practitioners and provide them with targeted cle programs, free cle training credits, and pro bono cle credits. Once these pro bono attorneys take matters for representation, Access Justice Brooklyn staff provide intensive mentoring, supervision, and support throughout the duration of the cases until the matters are closed. To complement cle training, we also offer written materials with relevant case law, statutes, and forms, and match volunteers with experienced practitioners and mentors to facilitate learning. In the last year we held or participated in 16 cles and other trainings for a total of 646 attendees, which included legal areas such as the uncontested divorce process, representation in consumer credit matters, understanding child support orders, and preparation of wills and life planning documents.