NEW: The Pro Bono Legal Referral Clinic wins the New York State Bar Leaders Legal Innovation Award
AABANY’s Monthly Pro Bono Legal Referral Clinic
ATTENTION: During the New York State PAUSE for the COVID-19 emergency, all in-person clinics are suspended and will not be held. Please see the AABANY list of COVID-19 resources for the Asian Pacific American community. We will be establishing alternative means for obtaining legal assistance.
Through the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, AABANY conducts a free legal advice and referral clinic at
Chinese Chamber of Commerce of New York
Confucius Plaza Community Room
3 Bowery
New York, NY 10002
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Every Second Wednesday of Each Month
and at
A+ Academy
6802 8th Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11220
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Fourth Thursday of Alternating Months
(next clinic January 2020)
Those needing legal assistance should bring all documents pertaining to their legal issues to the clinic location, no earlier than 6:00 PM on the day of the Clinic. There is no fee. A person’s immigration status is never asked.
BACKGROUND: Since the inauguration of this monthly pro bono clinic in 2015, thousands of low-income community members have received thoughtful advice and appropriate legal referral from AABANY members.
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS: Attorney volunteers do not need to be specialists or have expertise in a specific area of law. Attorney volunteers will only be rendering legal advice and will not take on any legal representation. All volunteers must be AABANY members for professional liability coverage purposes. A volunteer may become an AABANY member here or can do so at the Pro Bono Clinic.
All volunteers should arrive no later than 6:15 PM. Volunteers – attorneys and interpreters – should bring open ears, patience, and compassion.
New attorney volunteers must get an orientation at 6:00 PM before volunteering and should arrive by that time.
All volunteers, including attorneys, are also provided a basic training from 6:15 PM to 6:30 PM on some best practices in working with interpreters and vice versa.
Attorneys and interpreters interested in volunteering for the Pro Bono Clinic should contact Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-chair Asako Alba at Asako.Aiba@aabany.org.
Each and every volunteer attorney and interpreter who participate in these clinics receive a by-name shout-out in AABANY’s Weekly Announcements.
RESOURCES FOR THE CLINIC: The Clinic can only operate with the generosity of donors and volunteers. Please support this important AABANY project and expand the APA community’s access to justice by making a donation to the Clinic. The Asian American Law Fund of New York is serving as its fiscal sponsor. Indicate in the notes or memo line that this donation is made specifically to benefit the Clinic. Please contact karen.yau@aabany.org with any questions or leads about supporting the Clinic financially.
If you have any questions or suggestions about the Monthly Pro Bono Advice and Referral Clinic or any other pro bono activities and services, please contact Pro Bono and Community Service Committee Co-chairs Karen Kithan Yau at karen.yau@aabany.org or Pauline Yeung-Ha at pauline.yeung@aabany.org.