Disaster Legal Services

As per Nassau County Bar Association President:

“WE CARE”, the charitable arm of the Nassau County Bar Association, has made a generous donation to provide assistance to members of the legal community of Nassau County suffering from Super Storm Sandy.

Administrative Judge Marano has formed a committee comprised of representatives of various segments of the Nassau County legal community who have donated funds, including the Association, COBANC, FOCO and the CSEA. The committee, chaired by former NCBA President Christopher McGrath, is working to gather information regarding the immediate needs of the legal community.

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Author: US Attorney Alena Shautsova

While many are enjoying this Holliday Season with their Family and Friends, we should also remember about all those who sustained unbelievable losses during and after hurricane Sandy. Alena Shautsova, an ABA YLD district representative is helping New York residents to recover after devastation by coordinating the Disaster Legal Services in New York provided in coordination with FEMA.  If you or anybody you know are in need of FREE LEGAL HELP, please call our hotline at 1-800-699-5636. Attorneys and law students who wish to volunteer may call as well to register as a volunteer, or may visit our website: www.sandylegalrelief.wordpress.com  and click on “for volunteers.” You may also contact attorney Alena Shautsova at 917-885-2261.

Attorneys who would like to volunteer at our Superstorm Sandy Recovery Legal Consultation Clinics (see below), and attorneys who have already generously volunteered to provide legal assistance at the clinics, are invited to come to Domus on Thursday, November 15, 4-7 p.m. to watch a free CLE training webcast that will be streamed live from the New York State Bar Association in Albany.

This special program will provide an overview of state and federal relief programs, including FEMA, American Red Cross, US Coast Guard, IRS, US SBA, NYS departments of labor and financial services, and disaster legal services. In addition, the program will cover legal considerations for insurance, housing and landlord/tenant issues, and advising clients in disaster relief situations. Participants may earn 2.0 MCLE credits in professional practice and skills. (This program is also available online, and an archived version of the program will be available online after the program.)

Volunteer Attorneys Needed for Superstorm Sandy Clinics November 19 and 26
NCBA is hosting a series of free Superstorm Sandy Recovery Legal Consultation Clinics to help Nassau residents. The first two are scheduled for Mondays, November 19 and November 26, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. at Domus. More than 40 attorneys have volunteered to date, and more are needed in many areas, including insurance claims, FEMA assistance, debt, bankruptcy, consumer protection, landlord/tenant, mortgage foreclosure, health/disability/stress and ADR.

To volunteer, please email sandyrecovery@nassaubar.org with your contact information, area you would like to help in, and your time availability. Free training (see above) is provided.

NYSBA Hotline Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are also needed to staff the New York State Bar Association Superstorm Sandy legal hotline. Attorneys wishing to volunteer can visit www.nysba.org/DisasterVolunteerSandy or call 518-463-3200.

ATTORNEYS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES ON PRO BONO BASIS FOR THE SURVIVORS OF SANDY MAY REGISTER WITH THE FEMA AND ABA YLD HOTLINE.

To register as a volunteer for SANDY  hotline  800-699-5636 please submit your information to Eva Valentin-Espinal at evalentin@nysba.org .

Make sure to fill out the form.

IMPORTANT: to volunteer under the FEMA / ABA YLD umbrella, an attorney is not required to have a malpractice insurance, however, it is desirable to have one as FEMA will not cover malpractice resulted from the pro-bono/volunteer legal services.

Author: ABA YLD District Representative for New York, Alena Shautsova

Nassau Caounty Bar Association asnnounces its efforts to assist Sandy’s victims:

“Superstorm Sandy has brought unparalleled destruction to Nassau County, and the Nassau County Bar Association is quickly mobilizing to take action and make a difference in the lives of the affected residents in our community.

To help our members better serving victims of Superstorm Sandy, the Nassau County Bar Association has compiled an online list of emergency information and important resources with links to web sites for the latest information. To include additional resources in this list, please email the webpage URL to sandyrecovery@nassaubar.org.

NCBA is hosting a series of free Superstorm Sandy Recovery Legal Consultation Clinics to help Nassau residents. The first two are scheduled for November 19 and November 26, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. at Domus. Volunteers are needed in many areas, including insurance claims, FEMA assistance, debt, bankruptcy, consumer protection, landlord/tenant, mortgage foreclosure, health/disability/stress and ADR. The New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar Association, and the New York Legal Assistance Group have scheduled training sessions – available both online and to be viewed at Domus – for attorneys wishing to volunteer. To volunteer please email sandyrecovery@nassaubar.org

Volunteers are also needed to staff the New York State Bar Association Superstorm Sandy legal hotline. Attorneys wishing to volunteer can visit www.nysba.org/DisasterVolunteerSandy or call 518-463-3200.

We appreciate the tremendous efforts our members make to help those in this unprecedented time of need. We will keep you updated on the latest news, or check our website, www.nassaubar.org.”

After hurricane Sandy, the Disaster Legal Services might be available for New York residents. Last year, after the hurricane Irene such services were provided. Under the contract with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) such services will be coordinated by the ABA YLD representative in the district and local bar associations.

More information on Sandy is avaible at http://www.fema.gov/news-release/president-obama-signs-new-york-emergency-declaration .

Further announcements will follow.

If you have any questions, contact ABA YLD Representative for the District of New York, ALENA SHAUTSOVA at 917-885-2261.