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1 Hospital, Hôpital, Szpital services in languages other than English. Legal protections designed to ensure that non-English speakers receive care and mate- rials in their language are not being enforced. NYLPI’s goal is to ensure real, meaningful access to hospitals and other health care providers across New York City, particularly as Medicaid consumers are enrolled in managed care. NEW YORK LAWYERS FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST PRO BONO MATTERS Inside: Toxic Tour 3 Docs Without Docs 4 Debevoise Summer Event 4 Associate Matters 5 Best Practices 5 Clearinghouse Matters 6 ABA Online Programs 8 Demise of a Hospital 8 June Lunch 8 NYLPI Summer Associates 9 In-House Update 10 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2) Along with our partners Make the Road by Walking and the Fort Greene Strategic Neighborhood Action Partnership, NYLPI facilitated the signing this September of an agreement with Brooklyn Hospital to ensure language access for people who are Limited English Proficient, deaf, or hearing impaired. Senior Staff Attorney Michael Scherz said, “The hospital has recognized that quality patient care and quality commu- nication are inextricably linked. The com- munity came together and made certain that the hospital provided needed language assis- tance services.” Recent immigrants to the United States and other linguistic minorities face a profound shortage of doctors and facilities that provide CANOEING ON THE BRONX RIVER AS PART OF PROTECTION AND RESTORATION EFFORT NYLPI’S MICHAEL SCHERZ SPEAKS AT SIGNING AT BROOKLYN HOSPITAL Adopt A Nonprofit: Pro Bono General Counsel NYLPI’s Clearinghouse typically places pro bono matters on a case-by-case basis, match- ing nonprofits and community groups with attorneys at member firms for clearly- defined projects. Recently, however, attor- neys interested in developing long-term rela- tionships with pro bono clients have approached us looking for groups that need general counsel services. For pro bono attorneys, serving as general counsel offers a chance to get to know a group well and to support its mission by assisting with its everyday operations. It is also a great chance for firms to put together teams of lawyers who can work collabora- tively across departments. The benefits of these relationships are on both sides of the table. For nonprofits with- out the deep pockets or human resources of a large corporation, having a pro bono gener- al counsel provides a great deal of security. Having someone to call whenever legal issues arise can be a tremendous help, as groups frequently wait for a legal problem to become serious before seeking counsel. NYLPI has been very successful in helping to cre- ate these relationships. Here are two examples. The Bronx River Alliance and Winston & Strawn Riding Metro North through the Bronx and along the Bronx River, John Denne, a part- ner at member firm Winston & Strawn, noticed evidence of the cleanup process, but little could he have imagined that he would soon float down the river in a canoe, all thanks to some pro bono work. John volun- teered, along with his firm, to assist the Bronx River Alliance and has enjoyed the partnership. “If I could do anything in a small way to help, I was looking for the opportunity,” he comments. FALL 2004

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Hospital, Hôpital, Szpital services in languages other than English.Legal protections designed to ensure thatnon-English speakers receive care and mate-rials in their language are not beingenforced. NYLPI’s goal is to ensure real,meaningful access to hospitals and otherhealth care providers across New York City,particularly as Medicaid consumers areenrolled in managed care.

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ST PRO BONO MATTERS

Inside:Toxic Tour 3Docs Without Docs 4Debevoise Summer Event 4Associate Matters 5Best Practices 5Clearinghouse Matters 6ABA Online Programs 8Demise of a Hospital 8June Lunch 8NYLPI Summer Associates 9In-House Update 10

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)

Along with our partners Make the Road byWalking and the Fort Greene StrategicNeighborhood Action Partnership, NYLPIfacilitated the signing this September of anagreement with Brooklyn Hospital to ensurelanguage access for people who are LimitedEnglish Proficient, deaf, or hearingimpaired. Senior Staff Attorney MichaelScherz said, “The hospital has recognizedthat quality patient care and quality commu-nication are inextricably linked. The com-munity came together and made certain thatthe hospital provided needed language assis-tance services.”

Recent immigrants to the United States andother linguistic minorities face a profoundshortage of doctors and facilities that provide

CANOEING ON THE BRONX RIVER AS PART OF PROTECTION AND RESTORATION EFFORT

NYLPI’S MICHAEL SCHERZ SPEAKS AT SIGNING AT BROOKLYN HOSPITAL

Adopt A Nonprofit: Pro Bono General CounselNYLPI’s Clearinghouse typically places probono matters on a case-by-case basis, match-ing nonprofits and community groups withattorneys at member firms for clearly-defined projects. Recently, however, attor-neys interested in developing long-term rela-tionships with pro bono clients haveapproached us looking for groups that needgeneral counsel services.

For pro bono attorneys, serving as generalcounsel offers a chance to get to know agroup well and to support its mission byassisting with its everyday operations. It isalso a great chance for firms to put together

teams of lawyers who can work collabora-tively across departments.

The benefits of these relationships are onboth sides of the table. For nonprofits with-out the deep pockets or human resources ofa large corporation, having a pro bono gener-al counsel provides a great deal of security.Having someone to call whenever legalissues arise can be a tremendous help, asgroups frequently wait for a legal problem tobecome serious before seeking counsel.

NYLPI has been very successful in helping to cre-ate these relationships. Here are two examples.

The Bronx River Alliance and Winston & Strawn

Riding Metro North through the Bronx andalong the Bronx River, John Denne, a part-ner at member firm Winston & Strawn,noticed evidence of the cleanup process, butlittle could he have imagined that he wouldsoon float down the river in a canoe, allthanks to some pro bono work. John volun-teered, along with his firm, to assist theBronx River Alliance and has enjoyed thepartnership. “If I could do anything in asmall way to help, I was looking for theopportunity,” he comments.

FALL 2004

NYLPI STAFF

Michael A. Rothenberg, Executive DirectorMarianne L. Engelman Lado, General Counsel

David B. Abbott, Office AdministratorSarah Alvarez, Staff AttorneyRose Barral, ReceptionistEddie Bautista, Director of Community PlanningMarnie Berk, Director of Pro Bono ProgramsDennis R. Boyd, Senior Staff AttorneyGabriel Dusenbury, Program AssociateAnthony Feliciano, Community OrganizerJohn A. Gresham, Senior Litigation CounselRafael Gutierrez, IT AdministratorYesenia Gutierrez, Staff Attorney, Equal Justice

Works FellowLiana Harper, Legal AssistantAnna Humphreys, Program AssociateChris Johnson, Campaign CoordinatorGavin Kearney, Staff AttorneyMichelle Kraus, Disability Rights AdvocateAmanda Masters, Staff AttorneyBenardette McEvoy, Disability Rights AdvocateSuhali Mendez, Legal AssistantRoberta Mueller, Senior Staff AttorneyRobin Naismith, Development AssociateIsabel Ochoa, Director of DevelopmentJaclyn Okin Barney, Staff Attorney, Skadden FellowRebecca Price, Staff Attorney, Skadden Fellow Lourdes Rivera-Putz, Advocacy SpecialistMichael Scherz, Senior Staff AttorneyMichael Silverman, Staff AttorneyKimberly B. Sweet, Associate General CounselLarry Tilley, Community OrganizerCharlene A. Toombs, Executive AssistantElexia P. Urrea, DLC and Health OrganizerDenise P. White, Executive AssistantJanette Wipper, Staff AttorneyPauline H. Yoo, Staff Attorney

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PRO BONO MATTERS

Editor: Anna Humphreys

NEW YORK LAWYERS FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST151 West 30 Street, 11th FloorNew York, NY 10001-4007Tel: (212) 244-4664Fax: (212) 244-4570TDD: (212) 244-3692Website: www.nylpi.org

NYLPI

(“PRO BONO GENERAL COUNSEL” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)

N Y L P I

The Bronx River Alliance (the Alliance) is agroup working to protect and restore theBronx River corridor and greenway so thatthey can be ecological, recreational and edu-cational resources for the Bronx communi-ties. The Alliance works with over 60 com-munity groups, government agencies, cultur-al institutions, businesses and schools and iscommitted to the values of inclusion, envi-ronmental justice, ecological restoration andpublic access. Among their many contribu-tions, they are working to implement a planfor a continuous bike/pedestrian path alongthe Bronx River, and they monitor and man-age river conditions and train volunteers tomonitor air quality.

The team of Winston & Strawn attorneys,which also includes Michael Sirgado andJohn Fehrenbach, was drawn from corporate,

employment, and environmental groups, inorder to best serve and anticipate the organi-zation’s needs. So far, the bulk of the workthe firm has done has related to personnelissues and to navigating the relationshipbetween City agencies and the nonprofit.

Linda Cox, Executive Director of the BronxRiver Alliance, laughed and said, “Whatnonprofit doesn’t need that kind of help?The best part is that we didn’t have to choosewhat we needed most.” She continued,describing the kinds of assistance the firm hasbeen able to give, “Winston & Strawn has beenvery generous with us, and has really expresseda wonderful openness to being consulted.”

John describes his role as being “generallyon-call,” and says that they have not yetencountered a matter the firm has had to turndown. “It’s a pleasure to work with Linda,

and the questions are different than whatcomes up in normal day-to-day representa-tion, which makes it more interesting,” heremarks. “I find the type of questions posedto be challenging and interesting. It has beenrewarding, and I’ve enjoyed it very much.”

The Fortune Society and Sonnenschein,Nath & Rosenthal

Staffed primarily by former prisoners, theFortune Society is a nonprofit community-based organization dedicated to educatingthe public about prisons, criminal justiceissues, and the root causes of crime. Theyalso help ex-prisoners and at-risk youthbreak the cycle of crime and incarcerationthrough a broad range of services.

Wendy Seligson, Deputy Executive Directorof the Fortune Society, says that they decid-ed to seek a pro bono general counsel whenthey realized that the organization wasexpanding so quickly that the legal issueswere more than they could manage alone.The Fortune Society currently has about 200employees.

NYLPI matched the Fortune Society with ateam at member firm Sonnenschein, Nath& Rosenthal, who have handled issuesranging from subpoenas related to health-care privacy matters to real estate questions.The firm treats the Fortune Society with thesame attentive respect it accords everyclient. Wendy says, “The firm has diverseresources and lots of expertise, and we don’tfeel like anything other than just anotherclient.”

Sonnenschein healthcare partner JordanaSchwartz says, “The Fortune Society is a verysignificant community service organizationthat serves a lot of people. To be able to helpin a variety of capacities is very rewarding.”

Wendy says that the relationship has devel-oped well, and that the firm has not yetturned any matters down, including litiga-tion-related questions. “The best part is real-ly building the relationship,” Jordana adds.

The rest of the team of attorneys includesFran Kleiner, Gina Cavalier, Cliona Levy,and Jackie Finnegan.

If you are interested in learning more

about how to become a pro bono

general counsel or in securing a gen-

eral counsel for your organization,

please call Marnie Berk or Anna

Humphreys at 212-244-4664.

3

NYLPI Staff Attorneys Gavin Kearney andJanette Wipper and Community OrganizerLarry Tilley, along with City CouncilmanLeroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) and represen-tatives of the Federation of CivicAssociations, led a “toxic tour” of SoutheastQueens for journalists. The goal was topoint out the inequitable distribution ofwaste transfer stations in the City and theimpact of these facilities on the neighbor-hoods in which they are clustered.

unsound and discriminatory, and to gener-ate support for significant reforms.”

Currently, 60% to 70% of the stations arelocated in three neighborhoods—SouthQueens, the South Bronx, andWilliamsburg-Greenpoint, Brooklyn.NYLPI is providing technical assistanceto a citywide coalition of communitygroups pursuing an equitably distributedmarine-based system for handling theCity’s garbage. According to Gavin,“The goal of this tour is to help peoplerealize that the City’s current system ofwaste management is environmentally

About NYLPI

OUR MISSION

New York Lawyers for the Public Interest is anonprofit, civil rights law firm that strives forsocial justice. In partnership with member lawfirms, corporate law departments and otherorganizations, NYLPI helps underrepresentedpeople develop legal strategies to serve theirvision for themselves and their communities.

OUR WORK

Created in 1976 to address unmet legalneeds, NYLPI combines a pro bono clearing-house with an in-house practice which blendsinnovative lawyering, community organizingand advocacy.

The Pro Bono Clearinghouse provides com-munity groups and nonprofit organizationswith free legal assistance by drawing on hun-dreds of volunteer lawyers from New York’smost prestigious law firms and corporate lawdepartments.

The Disability Law Center protects and pro-motes the civil rights of people with disabilities.

The Environmental Justice and CommunityDevelopment Project provides organizing andlegal assistance to low-income neighborhoodsand communities of color that bear an unfairburden of environmental threats.

The Access to Health Care Program works toensure access to quality health care for peoplein medically underserved communities or fac-ing barriers due to limited English proficiency,racial and ethnic discrimination, and disability.

Chadbourne & ParkeDebevoise & PlimptonShearman & Sterling

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & FlomWeil, Gotshal & Manges

Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanyDavis Polk & Wardwell

Schulte Roth & ZabelSimpson Thacher & Bartlett

Avon Products, Inc.Carter, Ledyard & MilburnCleary, Gottlieb, Steen & HamiltonCravath, Swaine & MooreFried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & JacobsonHeller Ehrman White & McAuliffeKelley Drye & WarrenLatham & Watkins

Morgan, Lewis & BockiusMorrison & FoersterNews CorporationO’Melveny & MyersPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & GarrisonStroock & Stroock & LavanSullivan & CromwellWhite & Case

Bryan CaveColgate-Palmolive CompanyCovington & BurlingDewey Ballantine

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & LoewyGoodkind Labaton Rudoff & SucharowMorvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason & SilberbergPatterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler

Allen & OveryArnold & PorterBingham McCutchenCadwalader, Wickersham & TaftCahill Gordon & ReindelClifford Chance USCredit Suisse First BostonDeutsche BankFish & NeaveHughes, Hubbard & ReedKMZ RosenmanLankler Siffert & WohlLeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae

Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloyMorgan & FinneganMorgan StanleyPfizer Inc.Pillsbury WinthropPiper RudnickProskauer RoseSonnenschein Nath & RosenthalSwidler Berlin Shereff FriedmanTorysWinston & Strawn

Pro Bono Champions

Pro Bono Benefactors

Pro Bono Leaders

Pro Bono Donors

Pro Bono Friends

MembersNew York Lawyers for the Public Interest would like to thank the followingMember Firms and Corporate Legal Departments for their generous annual contribution.

NYLPI Leads Toxic Tour

TRUCKING OF WASTE SEEN ON TOXIC TOUR

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On August 12, NYLPI settled a lawsuitagainst a doctor for discriminating against anindividual based on national origin and dis-ability. The case was brought against a doc-tor in New York City on behalf of MurtazaYousaf, a 22-year old of Pakistani descentwho has mental retardation.

New York’s low-income residents have his-torically struggled to obtain quality healthcare services. For those who face additionalbarriers to service, such as language or dis-ability, ensuring access to preventative care,specialists and treatment has been particu-larly difficult. NYLPI’s Access to HealthCare Program strives to improve access forNew York’s most vulnerable populations.

Docs Without Docs

In March of 2002, the doctor refused to pro-vide medical services to Mr. Yousaf during ascheduled appointment because he could notpresent a passport, despite presenting hisMedicaid card. Civil rights laws prohibitdoctors from denying medical care to anindividual based on race, national origin,color, disability and other characteristics.“By conditioning the provision of health careservices on the production of a passport, thedoctor intentionally discriminated againstMr. Yousaf on the basis of national origin,”said Michael D. Silverman, Senior StaffAttorney at NYLPI.

The settlement provides that the medicalpractice will no longer insist upon presenta-tion of a passport and will accept any form ofgovernment-issued photo identification.Additionally, the doctor’s office will pay$10,000 to Mr. Yousaf as compensation forthe violation of his civil rights.

NYLPI and the National Campaign To Restore Civil Rightswould like to thank member firm Debevoise & Plimpton forhosting a cocktail party and a screening of the film Take Backthe Courts for summer associates. On July 28, summer associ-ates from a number of our member firms gathered to see the civilrights documentary. NYLPI General Counsel MarianneEngelman Lado also spoke about the Campaign’s ongoing work.

Take Back the Courts

This new 20-minute film describes the human consequences ofthe rollback of civil rights by the federal courts. It tells threestories: one about a group of children in need of health care;another about a woman discriminated against by her employer;and a third describing a community fighting to make the airclean for its children. Produced by Firelight Media, the film is

being distributed by the National Campaign to Restore CivilRights. If you would like copies to show at your organization orfirm, please contact Chris Johnson at [email protected] or212-244-4664.

The National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights is a nation-al collaboration of lawyers, academics, students, communityactivists, and concerned individuals who have joined together inresponse to recent federal court decisions that are eroding civilrights protections. The Campaign works to link individuals andgroups from the many communities affected by the rollback ofcivil rights in the courts, including people and groups interest-ed in workers’ rights, women’s rights, disability rights, racialjustice, environmental justice, age-discrimination, and lan-guage rights.

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO RESTORE CIVIL RIGHTS

NYLPI’s Second Annual Golf Outing washeld on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004 at theRed Course at Bethpage State Park inFarmingdale, NY. The day’s activitiesbegan for the 50 attendees with lunch,followed by an afternoon of golf andconcluded with a cocktail reception,awards ceremony, and a sports memora-bilia silent auction. NYLPI Board Memberand ace golfer Joe McDonald happilysupplied Executive Director MichaelRothenberg with pro bono golf tips. Allproceeds from the Golf Outing go to fundNYLPI’s efforts on behalf of underrepre-sented New Yorkers. To receive informa-tion on our 2005 Golf Outing, pleasecontact Robin Naismith at 212-244-4664or [email protected].

NYLPI recently formed a Pro BonoAdvisory Committee made up of associates from our member firms andcorporate counsel. Our kick-off meet-ing, held in October, was attended byover 20 associates who spoke of waysto fulfill their passion for public

service. The Committee will be planning several associate eventsthroughout the year. If you are inter-ested in joining or learning moreplease call Marnie Berk at 212-244-4664 or [email protected].

N Y L P I

Debevoise & Plimpton Hosts Summer Event

5

NYLPI

Elizabeth Seton Childbearing Center (theCenter) was the first free-standing birthcenter in the country, and the only free-standing birth center in Manhattan. It wasformed almost 30 years ago as an optionfor women who wanted an alternative tohospital birth.The birth center’sphilosophy wasbased on theprinciple thatwomen have theright to healthcare that is safe, fits their lifestyle, andrecognizes and respects their needs.

After the Center was forced to close due tothe termination of its malpractice insur-ance, two staff members organized a

group, now known as Friends of the BirthCenter. When it became clear that keep-ing the center open was not an option, thegroup’s goal became the future re-openingof a birth center in Manhattan. The groupreached out to NYLPI to incorporate andobtain tax-exempt status, and pro bonoattorney Rachel Harris, with the supervi-sion of Alan S. Halperin, at member firmPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &Garrison has been working with them foralmost a year.

What began as a simple project becamemore complex as the group, with Rachel’shelp, navigated the approvals they neededin order to establish a nonprofit. At thispoint, they are awaiting determinationfrom the IRS. The relationship has grown,and she has been able to advise them onvarious questions regarding fundraising.“I was interested because it’s an incredi-bly important community issue,” Rachel

says. “I was surprised that options fornon-hospital births wouldn’t be availableanywhere in Manhattan.”

Maria Freytsis, President of Friends of theBirth Center says, “We are very grateful toPaul Weiss for providing legal guidance andcounsel to us in our first year of operations.Rachel made herself incredibly available byphone and in person and always respondedimmediately to our inquiries despite herbusy schedule. Her support throughout thisprocess is greatly appreciated.”

distributing pro bono matters from legal ser-vice providers, providing training, and pro-cessing new matters, including conductingconflicts checks and staffing projects.Marketing the work internally to attorneysincludes removing any real or perceived bar-riers, such as how to open a matter or getsupervision. One coordinator described therole as “making the work as un-mysterious aspossible for people to do.” When the systemand procedures are set out clearly from thebeginning it’s easy to involve associates earlyin their careers.

Elly Spiegel, Chadbourne & Parke’s ProBono Coordinator, spoke of her job as amatchmaker, “finding out what people areinterested in and finding a pro bono assign-ment that suits theirneeds.” The coor-dinator’s role asm a t c h m a k e rextends outside thefirm to the organi-zations that provide

Best Practices“Best Practices,” a regular column in ProBono Matters, highlights innovative systemsor methods that assist firms in expandingtheir pro bono programs, be more effective orimprove pro bono client relations.

Pro Bono Coordinators

In recent years, many law firms committed tobeing in the top tier have invested in probono by having fulltime pro bono coordina-tors. Coordinators, who can be designatedpartners or associates, or non-attorneys, typ-ically work in tandem with pro bono commit-tees who make policy decisions about theuse of the firm’s pro bono resources. Havinga full-time person dedicated to overseeingthe firm’s pro bono program allows firms toincrease the amount of pro bono work beingdone, track what they are doing, and providebetter support for the associates.

Much of the day-to-day work for coordinatorsinvolves the administration of the program:

opportunities for volunteer attorneys. Manycoordinators, such as Annie Mohan, ProBono Assistant at Cadwalader,Wickersham & Taft, feel that part of doingthe job well entails “building and maintain-ing strong relationships with legal serviceproviders.”

At several firms, coordinators also providesubstantive legal advice and supervision onpro bono matters by reviewing briefs, advis-ing on civil procedure, and serving as amock jury for lawyers headed to court. AmyRossabi, the Pro Bono Coordinator at DavisPolk & Wardwell, began as an associate inboth the firm’s corporate and litigationdepartments. Amy, who feels that havinghad diverse experience at her firm is helpfulin her position, says that working with asso-ciates on legal writing is one of the morerewarding aspects of her position.

Coordinators also increasingly work to mon-itor and keep statistics on their firm’s probono activities, both for internal purposes

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 9)

RACHEL HARRIS OF PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON

Associate MattersRachel HarrisPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton,& Garrison

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NYLPI

Recently Placed Clearinghouse Matters 5/11/04 to 9/10/04

The attorneys listed below took initial responsibili-ty for each matter. NYLPI would also like to thankother attorneys and support staff at our memberfirms who have worked on these matters.

AALDEF- Park Row Dewey BallantineAldo Badini, Maren WaxThe firm is helping The Asian American LegalDefense and Education Fund (AALDEF) to addressthe impacts of Park Row’s closure on Chinatown.

Awareness of Rape and Incest Through Art Fish & NeaveBenjamin Singer, Richard InzThe firm is helping Awareness of Rape and IncestThrough Art, which aims to empower and heal sur-vivors of sexual abuse through art, to help draft arelease for the survivors to sign.

Center for Constitutional Rights Debevoise & PlimptonHans Kriefall, Darlene RouthThe firm representedthe Center forConstitutional Rights,a legal and education-al nonprofit organiza-tion dedicated toadvancing and pro-tecting the rightsguaranteed by theUnited States Constitution and the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights, during the closingfor a line of credit for the organization.

Coastal Marine Resource Center Shearman & SterlingStephen Giove, José Martinez, Scott ReinhartThe firm is helping the Coastal Marine ResourceCenter, an organization dedicated to increasingthe awareness of social and ecological coastalconservation issues, to incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status.

Creative Little Garden Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & FlomAileen DowdThe firm is helping Creative Little Garden, a smallcommunity garden, to incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status.

Daniel Blank/Design Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & FlomPeter CohenThe firm is helping Daniel Blank/Design, a youth-run graphic design firm and winner of the FleetYouth Entrepreneur Day competition, with samplecontracts and letters of employment.

FutureYew Shearman & SterlingRoger Baneman, Gary Arvanitis, Tania MatteiThe firm is helping FutureYew, which produceseducational documentary films and events thatexplore the rich traditions of artistically and cultur-ally relevant expression in different communities, toincorporate and obtain tax-exempt status.

Generation SchoolsSonnenschein Nath & RosenthalFrances KleinerThe firm is helping Generation Schools, which isworking to create a network of schools based on asmall group model, to incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status.

Indian Knanaya Catholic Community of Greater New York Schulte Roth & ZabelJohn SkinnerThe firm is helping the Indian Knanaya CatholicCommunity of Greater New York, which was incor-porated to preserve and foster that community’s reli-gious, social, moral, and cultural heritage, to obtaintax-exempt status.

IntercertShearman & SterlingOren Azar, Roberta Cherman, Russell FranklinThe firm is helping Intercert, a for-profit entity, spe-cializing in hands-on computer job skills and net-

work training, to incorporate a nonprofit arm andapply for tax-exempt status.

International School of Brooklyn Morrison & FoersterChristine Sommella, Andrew WeinerThe firm is helping The International School ofBrooklyn (ISB), which aims to be an independent,not-for-profit, non-sectarian school where studentsare taught in a caring, loving and challenging envi-ronment in order to become bilingual at an earlyage, to negotiate a lease.

Jamaica Business Resource CenterEsanu Katsky Korins & SigerAdrienne KochThe firm is helping Jamaica Business ResourceCenter, a prestigious national small business pilotproject, which works to build the economic devel-opment capacity of small minority- and women-owned businesses, in a litigation and intellectualproperty matter.

Jamaica Business Resource Center GeneralCounselSchulte Roth & ZabelJonathan Schulman, Mark Wittenbach, Brooks BurdetteThe firm is serving as pro bono general counsel toJamaica Business Resource Center.

Jean Baptiste Firefighter FoundationDechertStephen SkoniecznyThe firm is helping the Jean Baptiste FirefighterFoundation, which was created by a father of a fire-fighter killed on 9/11, to incorporate and obtaintax-exempt status.

LOGOS International FoundationShearman & SterlingLisa Jacobs, Manual FreyThe firm is helping LOGOS InternationalFoundation, which publishes a quarterly journal,sponsors panels, conferences, film series, andother public events dealing with current issues inpolitics, the arts, society, and culture, to completethe application for tax-exempt status.

Advocacy Inc. Stroock & Stroock & LavanKevin Curnin, Debbie DroozThe firm is helping Advocacy Inc. to file a law-suit on behalf of six students with disabilitiesagainst the Texas Education Agency, allegingthat the agency has not met its legal responsi-bilities to students with disabilities who residedin residential care facilities in Texas.Procedural issues, sovereign immunity andstanding will most likely be the focus of the suit.

Equal Benefits Law CaseSullivan & CromwellDavid Braff, Steve Holley, Brad Smith, Julian SwearenginThe firm is helping the New York City Council,in a possible legal challenge by the Mayoragainst the City Council over the Equal BenefitsLaw. The law, which took effect in October of2004, requires that the City enter into contractsonly with companies that provide the sameemployments benefits to employees withdomestic partners as they provide to marriedemployees.

Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy ProjectFish & NeaveEdward Arons, Richard InzThe firm is helping the NeighborhoodEconomic Development Advocacy Project, anonprofit resource and advocacy center thatworks with community groups to promoteaccess to sound and affordable financial ser-vices, with a licensing agreement.

7

New York Coalition to Expand Voting RightsCleary, Gottlieb, Steen & HamiltonJessica Blumenfeld, Joung Hwang The firm is helping New Immigrant CommunityEmpowerment (NICE), a lead partner in the NewYork Coalition to Expand Voting Rights, a broad-based coalition working to restore voting rights forimmigrants in New York City municipal elections,with various questions regarding immigrant taxpay-ers.

New York Sustainable CommunitiesShearman & SterlingBernard WeintraubThe firm is helping New York SustainableCommunities, which will work to promote the prac-tice of sustainable methods of living, to incorporateand obtain tax-exempt status.

Npower NYSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & FlomJose EstevesThe firm is helping Npower NY, a nonprofit organi-zation that provides technology assistance to othernonprofit orgnaizations in New York City, to reviewbasic contracts and an Acceptable Usage Policy.

NYLPI-Environmental Justice ResearchDavis Polk & WardwellAmy Miller, Margaret ViningDewey BallantineLee VartanThe firms are helping New York Lawyers for thePublic Interest’s Environmental Justice andCommunity Development Project by researchingand developing innovative legal strategies foraddressing a long-term solid waste managementsystem for the city.

SPARKMorgan, Lewis & BockiusSang-Hoon SongThe firm is helping Spirited Action, Release, andKindness (SPARK), a grassroots volunteer groupfounded in 2002 to provide free energy based ther-apy to combat stress related to 9/11, to incorporateand obtain tax-exempt status.

TOUCH FoundationTorysAriana Jaffe, Lauren KrasnowThe firm is helping the TOUCH Foundation, afoundation focused on training medical profession-als in the developing world, to answer labor ques-tions related to international hiring.

Trendsetters NetworkSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & FlomChristine BrombergThe firm is helping the Trendsetters Network, whosemission is to create an alliance of women’s organi-zations to foster leadership in girls and increase

their representation in nontraditional career fields,to incorporate and obtain tax-exempt status.

United Sri Lanka Society of New YorkShearman & SterlingWilliam Justi, Christian MortingerThe firm is helping United Sri Lanka Society ofNew York, which seeks to foster friendship, good-will, peace, and unity among all Sri Lankans inNew York and to celebrate Sri Lankan culture andheritage, in reviewing its incorporation documentsand in obtaining tax-exempt status.

Disability Rights Task ForceMatters

Matter of K.O.Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffeLenor Marquis, Danielle Prill The firm is representing K.O., a 12-year-old girlwho was born with congenital deafness, at a hear-ing against a hospital that failed to provide a signlanguage interpreter during her stay.

Housing Access Matters

Matter of Rosemary M.Clifford Chance USJeffrey Drichta, Steven Schwartz, Matthew TastoThe firm is representing Rosemary M., a womanwith multiple physical disabilities, in a housingaccess matter.

Matter of J.O.Debevoise & PlimptonPablo ValverdeThe firm is co-counseling with NYLPI to representJ.O., who lived in a private building in New York

that was inaccessible to him because he uses awheelchair, in a housing access matter.

Special Education Matters

Matter of Dominique S. Sonnenschein Nath & RosenthalRachel Balaban, Richard SadowskyThe firm is representing Dominique S., a 10-year-old boy with ADHD, at an impartial hearing at theDepartment of Education to secure an appropriateplacement.

Matter of Jennifer U.Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffeGina Parlovecchio The firm is representing Jennifer U., a 14-year-oldgirl with a complex profile of disabilities, in a com-plaint against the Department of Education seekingan appropriate educational setting.

Matter of Shearon L.Dewey BallantineMonica Coakley The firm is representing Shearon L., a seven-year-old boy with autism and mental retardation, in animpartial hearing at the Department of Education toobtain the services that he needs.

Matter of Troy D.Weil, Gotshal & MangesJanet HornThe firm is representing Troy D., a seven-year-oldboy diagnosed with Pervasive DevelopmentalDisorder, at an administrative hearing to attempt tosecure placement in a private school and to requestpublic payment of tuition.

Matter of Yoelmi G.Stroock & Stroock & LavanRebecca Green, Liza Negron, Kevin Curnin The firm is representing Yoelmi G., a 14-year-oldboy with severe dyslexia, at an impartial hearing atthe Department of Education to obtain public fund-ing for a specialized private school that can meethis needs.

Voter Protection ProjectKirkpatrick & LockhartSommer Coutu, Shazneen Gandhi, MicheleHiggins, Eric Moser, Jerome WalkerWeil, Gotshal & MangesRenee Fishman, Todd Ommen, Harris Yale The firms helped America’s Families United,which initiated the Voter Protection Project, anon-partisan effort to support national voterregistration efforts in historically underrepre-sented and low-income communities, bydeveloping Voting Guides for one or morestates.

Matter of Yaniel E.Davis Polk & WardwellJane MacRaeThe firm is representing Yaniel E., a 14-year-old boy who has been having significant troublein school ever since being placed in specialeducation, to ensure that the Department ofEducation provides the services that he needs,as well as placement in a private school.

UNAIDSLeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRaeStacey SpainThe firm is helping UNAIDS, which is a jointUnited Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, toincorporate and obtain tax-exempt status in theUnited States.

Visit NYLPI’s Newly Designed and Enhanced Website

8

ABA Releases Online Pro Bono ProgramsThe ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Services(www.abaprobono.org), its project the Center for Pro Bono(www.abaprobono.org), and ABA CLE (www.abanet.org/cle/clenow/)recently released two online, complimentary audio-CLE programsdesigned for use by pro bono program staff and their volunteer attorneys. Use these free CLEs to hone your skills, meet CLErequirements in your state and as a recruitment tool for pro bonoattorneys. Now obtaining CLE credits is easy—no need to leave yourdesk. All you need is a computer, an Internet connection, and thefree RealPlayer program installed.

Ethical Aspects of Providing Legal Advice and Legal Information(www.abanet.org/cle/clenow/probonoethicsreg.html)

Expanding Your Horizons through Pro Bono Mediation(www.abanet.org/cle/clenow/probonomediationreg.html)

2004 Felix A. Fishman Awards

On June 23, 2004, NYLPI presented the Felix A.Fishman Award to Stanley Nelson, for using film tofurther the cause of social justice, and Eva Jefferson

Paterson, in recognition of her leadership in the struggle forcivil rights. Stanley Nelson, the Executive Director of FirelightMedia, is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and the recip-ient of a MacArthur Genius Award. He worked with the NationalCampaign to Restore Civil Rights to produce Take Back the Courts

in 2002, one of his many projects advancing social justice throughfilm. Eva Paterson is currently the Executive Director of theEqual Justice Society. Her deep commitment to social justice andcivil rights has been evident throughout her career, which hasincluded 26 years at the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights inSan Francisco, co-founding the California Coalition for CivilRights, and serving as Vice President of the ACLU National Board.

Demise of a HospitalThe Community Alliance for Retaining Equitable Services(C.A.R.E.S.), a new coalition of community residents, medical andhealth professionals, health activists and civil rights groups fromacross the NYC metropolitan area, coordinated by NYLPI, united thissummer behind a campaign to stop St. Vincent’s Catholic MedicalCenter Corporation from closing St Joseph’s Hospital in Queens andBayley Seton Hospital in Staten Island. Although St. Joseph’s didclose, on August 27, the coalition was able to make sure that therewere public hearings, that community input was taken into account,and that a plan for transferring services to other locations would beundertaken. C.A.R.E.S. advocates will be monitoring the transitioncarefully. Bayley Seton is slated to close in June 2005.

EVA JEFFERSON PATERSON

STANLEY NELSON

Please SaveWednesday, March 2, 2005

For the 12th Annual

LAW&SOCIETYAWARD LUNCHEON

HonoringKenneth Feinberg, Special Master

Of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

www.nylpi.org

Pro BonoEnvironmental Justice

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NYLPI

Weil, Gotshal & Manges Hosts Visiting Summer Associates

NYLPI would like to thank member firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges for generously host-ing the first annual Welcome Reception for NYLPI’s Visiting Summer Associates Program,on June 10, 2004.

NYLPI’s Visting Summer Associates Program

Each summer, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) places summer associ-ates from our member firms at public interest law offices in New York City for two-weekexternships.

A number of years ago, some of our member firms asked us to help enhance their summerassociates’ experience by arranging externships with public interest law offices. Theseshort visits proved to be quite useful and public interest offices, chronically short-staffed,benefited from additional legal resources, even on a short term basis.

Summer 2004 marked NYLPI’s 16th year of running this program. In the summer of 2004,13 law firms participated, sending 84 summer associates to 30 public interest law offices.

The externships provide summer associates an opportunity to experience public interestlaw first hand. We hope that the experience will serve as a foundation for a lifetime com-mitment to pro bono work. The work done by summer associates involved in the programvaries from legal research to accompanying attorneys to court appearances, handlingintake and, in some instances, hearings. NYLPI coordinates the two week placements.

Participating Law Firms

Allen & OveryBingham McCutchenBryan CaveCahill Gordon & ReindelCarter Ledyard & MilburnDavis Polk & WardwellDebevoise & PlimptonDechertDewey BallantineFried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & JacobsonHeller Ehrman White & McAuliffePillsbury WinthropWeil, Gotshal & Manges

Participating Legal Services and Public Interest Organizations

ACORNBLS Legal Services Corp. EldercareBronx DefendersBrooklyn Legal Services, Corp A.Cab WatchCASESCenter for Employment Opportunities (CEO)Center for Reproductive Rights

Citywide Task Force on Housing CourtHarlem Legal ServicesHebrew Immigrant Aid SocietyHousing Conservation CoordinatorsJASA/Legal Services for the Elderly in QueensLegal Action CenterLegal Aid Office for the Aging, Brooklyn OfficeLegal Aid Society, Brooklyn Neighborhood OfficeLegal Information for Families TodayLegal Services for New York City (LSNY)Legal Services for New York City (LSNY), ManhattanLegal Services for New York City (LSNY), Legal

Support UnitMake the Road by WalkingMental Hygiene Legal ServicesMFY Legal ServicesNeighborhood Economic Development

Advocacy Project (NEDAP)New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI)Office of the General Counsel of the

New York City CouncilPuerto Rican Legal Defense and Education

Fund (PRLDEF)Vera Institute for JusticeWelfare Law CenterWNYC Radio

and to fulfill external commitments, such aspro bono challenges. Another part of the jobis participation in firm initiatives to improvethe pro bono culture of their firms and raisethe profile of the work. Many firms now havepro bono awards ceremonies to acknowledgethe outstanding work of associates.

On a conceptual level, Kevin Curnin,Special Counsel in charge of Stroock &Stroock & Lavan’s Public Service Project,works to shape the firm’s pro bono program.“One of our goals is to think about develop-ing our pro bono work the way that we devel-op our commercial business,” Kevin says.“We revisit our goals as circumstanceschange and as areas of the law develop.”Kevin also insists that the standard of excel-lence for pro bono work at his firm be on apar with that for commercial work.

More and more firms realize that being a goodcorporate citizen is essential to being a firstclass law firm. A strong pro bono infrastruc-ture, including a full time coordinator, is thekey to that equation. Despite the challengesof the position, including competition withpaid work for attorney time and the battleagainst apathy, coordinators remain focusedon the goal and the importance of their role inproviding legal services to needy communi-ties. “I believe that you can change someone’slife through a pro bono matter,” says Amy. Ifyou are interested in exploring the creation orexpansion of this position at your firm, pleasecall Marnie Berk at 212-244-4664.

(“BEST PRACTICES” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5)

Coordinators at seven of ourmember firms have formed a peergroup called the New York LawFirm Pro Bono Coordinators.The group is working to createways to share resources and information about managing probono programs within firms andhas developed a website and a listserv through www.probono.net.The group will also be hosting anall day conference for coordina-tors in February. If you are interested in finding out moreabout the group, e-mail AnthonyCassino at [email protected].

10

In-HouseUpdate

NYLPI

The Disability Law Center

Posner: NYLPI and co-counsel White & Casebrought suit in federal court in the EasternDistrict of New York against Parkway Hospitalfor failing to provide effective communication toNorman Posner, who is deaf, during the time thathis wife was in the hospital. The Department ofJustice filed a related case, and the two lawsuitsproceeded in tandem.The case was settled inlate April, and the hos-pital now providesinterpretation servicesfor people who aredeaf. A fee applicationis currently pendingbefore the Court.

Brad H.: NYLPI, Debevoise & Plimpton andthe Urban Justice Center are now engaged invarious monitoring and enforcement activitiesrelated to the settlement of Brad H. v. City ofNew York, the state court class action to compelthe City to provide adequate discharge planningso inmates with mental illness can continue theirtreatment on release to the community. Classcounsel have been involved in developingnumerical indicators against which the court-appointed monitors will measure the city’s per-formance, motion practice and appeals on dis-puted aspects of the settlement, and other activ-ities to push the defendants toward compliance.

D.A.I. v. Pataki: NYLPI and co-counsel,which include a number of partnering organiza-tions, are working on behalf of adult home resi-dents to compel the state to provide more inte-grated living arrangements for the thousands ofresidents with mental illness who are willing andable to move to more integrated settings. Adulthomes are for-profit institutional settings thatdeprive people of the opportunity to becomeintegrated into the larger community, and insome cases have provided shockingly neglectfulor abusive care. To date there has been one dis-covery motion before a Magistrate in the EasternDistrict of New York, argued by NYLPI, onwhich we received a favorable ruling.

Polan: NYLPI drafted an amicus brief onbehalf of the Association of the Bar of the City ofNew York in the Matter of Charlene Polan v.State Dept. of Insurance, which is before the New

York State Court of Appeals. At issue in thecase is the proper interpretation of stateInsurance Law and whether the law requires theDepartment of Insurance to require actuarialevidence from insurance companies that want toprovide lesser benefits to people with mentaldisabilities, as opposed to people with physicaldisabilities. The Court of Appeals held oralargument on June 1, and a decision is expectedin early July.

J.O.: NYLPI recently filed an action in stateSupreme Court challenging a determination bythe New York City Commission on HumanRights, which failed to enunciate a clear stan-dard of proof for landlords to demonstrate that itwould be an “undue burden” to provide tenantswith disabilities with reasonable accommoda-tions so that they can use and enjoy their apart-ments. NYLPI also raised objections to theCommission’s finding that, because our clientwas temporarily in a nursing home, the need tomandate retrofits to his housing had becomemoot. To the contrary, he is ready to return homeas soon as the apartment building is made acces-sible.

Advocacy Services – the Case of R.L.:NYLPI provided advocacy services to R.L., whohad filed an application with the New York CityHousing Authority requesting an accessibleapartment for her and her son, J.L., a 12-year-old with multiple disabilities. R.L., who is notfluent in English, had been waiting for years fora response to her request for an intra-projecttransfer to accommodate J.L.’s wheelchair andequipment. Working closely with legal staff,NYLPI’s Intake Coordinator was ultimately suc-cessful in securing an accessible apartment forthe family, and they moved into their new spacein May.

Voting Rights: NYLPI has been working onvoting access for people with disabilities formany years, including conducting consumertraining about voting rights and working toensure physical accessibility to polling sites inNew York City and a number of areas upstate.Recently, we have focused on the implementa-tion of a federal law passed in the wake of the2000 presidential elections, known as the “HelpAmerica Vote Act” (HAVA). HAVA mandatesthe elimination of the old lever machines usedacross New York State, requiring that they bereplaced with machines that would allow peoplewith disabilities, including people who areblind, to vote independently and confidentially.HAVA also requires a statewide voter registra-tion database, new identification procedures forfirst time voters, and poll worker and votertraining.

Foster Care Reform on Behalf of Childrenwith Disabilities: NYLPI has been workingclosely with children’s rights lawyers in theFamily Court system to ensure that foster chil-dren with developmental disabilities receiveneeded services and appropriate placements.While systemic issues have been difficult toaddress, we have had successes finding servicesand placements for a number of individual chil-dren. In addition, NYLPI has providedContinuing Legal Education classes in conjunc-tion with Legal Services for New York City, theCenter for Family Representation, and Lawyersfor Children regarding the rights of people withdisabilities. In these classes, we have sought toeducate advocates for parents and childrenabout the rights of people with disabilities andthe need for appropriate services. At LegalServices for New York City, we presented aprimer on the Americans with Disabilities Act,and strategy on the best way to raise ADA claimsin Family Court proceedings. With the Centerfor Family Representation, we are working on aproject to provide additional support for court-appointed 18-B lawyers in the Family Court rep-resenting parents with disabilities.

Coler Memorial Hospital: NYLPI has beeninvestigating the placement and living condi-tions of more than 40 individuals with cerebralpalsy and mental retardation living in two unitsat Coler-Goldwater Special Hospital andNursing Facility, a long-term care facility onRoosevelt Island. NYLPI is examining issues ofplacement, the adequacy of care and services,and whether individuals have adequate accessto community activities. As an outgrowth of thisinvestigation, NYLPI has been working with thefamily of one of the residents, a 14-year-old boywho has been living in Coler for four years, pro-viding assistance with an effort to transition to aless restrictive residential setting.

Transition: NYLPI and United We Stand ofNY, a community-based organization inBrooklyn, convened the Williamsburg TransitionTask Force, an effort bringing together students,community members, and school personnel tofocus on improving transition services for highschool students with disabilities. The TaskForce is working closely with officials at the NewYork City Department of Education as well aselected representatives to reach out to theWilliamsburg business community, with thehopes of increasing internship opportunities forstudents with disabilities.

Systemic Reform in School Policies:NYLPI’s Disability Law Center has been han-dling an increasing number of education casesinvolving children with ADHD, a number ofwhom have been sent by their schools to hospi-

11

tal emergency rooms for psychiatric evaluationwithout parental consent. In most of these cases,the hospital staff have found that there is no psy-chiatric emergency and sent the child home.NYLPI recently persuaded the New York Times toreport on this problem, which also received cov-erage on Channel 7 and The Daily News. Theover-use of emergency room referrals highlightsthe serious deficiencies in the way the schoolsystem copes with children who act out. NYLPIis currently working with other organizations todevelop advocacy strategies to promote systemicreforms.

Policing Roundtable: As an element ofNYLPI’s effort to address systemic problemsfaced by people with disabilities when interact-ing with the police, NYLPI has helped to facili-tate the New York City Policing Roundtable(NYCPR), a coalition of civil rights and publicinterest litigators, community organizers, advo-cates, policy analysts, academics, and peopleaffected by police misconduct. This spring,NYCPR launched its Community Oversight ofPolicing Project, which provides free counselingand limited representation to victims of policemisconduct before New York City’s CivilianComplaint Review Board. More informationabout NYCPR can be found at www.nycpr.org.

Children’s Access to Mental Health Care:NYLPI’s current Skadden Fellow has been con-tinuing to reach out to community groups andadvocates and to provide training on dischargeplanning rights. Her docket now includes workon behalf of individual children trying to obtainappropriate mental health care, the developmentof impact litigation to increase the availability ofoutpatient mental health treatment, and collabo-rative efforts with the City Department of Healthand Mental Hygiene and the Mental HealthAssociation’s Coordinated Children's ServicesInitiative to provide legal advocacy to childreninvolved in multiple systems. She is developingtwo new initiatives to increase services for chil-dren with mental health needs, one to provideinformation and training on the development ofSection 504 plans for children in school, and theother to provide training and representation ofchildren who are entitled to mental health ser-vices under the EPSDT section of the MedicaidAct.

Individual Representation in SpecialEducation Cases: Danny is a 12-year-old whohas significant learning disabilities as well asobsessive compulsive disorder. He has receivedspecial education services since early interven-tion, and at age five entered the New York Citypublic schools in a Collaborative Team TeachingClass. Upon entering the fifth grade, his parentsmoved from one district to another in Queens,

and when the new school district went to placehim they decided that his compulsive disorderrequired that he be placed in a small self-con-tained class. Danny began to fall apart in thisplacement. His compulsive behaviors that hadbeen under control rapidly worsened. His par-ents are Spanish-speaking only, and before theyrealized it, they had signed documentation thatauthorized Danny to attend a private school forchildren with severe emotional disorders.Danny now had become severely depressed andhas lost all desire to go to school. NYLPI gath-ered documentation from Danny’s past schoolhistory and referred him for an independentevaluation. After multiple meetings with theregion, Danny is once again going to attend aCollaborative Team Teaching Class in his neigh-borhood middle school. All he could say to theteam was, “You mean I’m going back to regularschool? Thank you, thank you.”

Access to Health Care

Bronx Health REACH:NYLPI has been work-ing extensively withBronx Health REACH,a consortium of com-munity and churchgroups seeking healthequality. This spring,Bronx Health REACHorganized its first lobbying day in Albany, withparticipation by approximately 400 people fromthe Bronx. NYLPI provided technical support tohelp Bronx Health REACH prepare a seven-point legislative agenda, logistical support toensure a smooth day-long event, and mini-semi-nars to community members on the bus rides toAlbany.

Brooklyn Hospital: See Page 1.

Yousaf v. Chowlera: See Page 4.

C.A.R.E.S.: See Page 8.

Pressing for Reform at the City Council:On September 22, NYLPI testified at a CityCouncil hearing in support of Intro 22, a bill tostrengthen the City’s human rights law. NYLPIwas again invited to testify at a joint hearing onSeptember 29 of the City Council Committees onImmigration and Health concerning immigrants'access to health care in New York City.

Environmental Justice (EJ)

OWN v. Department of Sanitation: Onbehalf of the Organization of WaterfrontNeighborhoods, NYLPI’s Environmental Justiceand Community Development Project has taken

an active role to ensure that plans for the equi-table distribution of waste facilities in New YorkCity are implemented by the City. NYLPI isworking on a number of fronts—providing tech-nical assistance to community-based groupswith a stake in the placement of facilities intheir neighborhoods, examining policy options,and evaluating litigation strategies.

“Toxic High” in Soundview: NYLPI recent-ly began working with the Concerned ResidentsCommittee (CRC) in the Bronx on environmen-tal justice issuesraised by the siting ofthe new BronxAcademy High Schoolin the Soundviewneighborhood. Thenew school was builtat a location previous-ly used as an electron-ics plant for a defense contractor, and was theheadquarters for the trucks that sprayed for WestNile virus. The neighborhood is 90% AfricanAmerican, and 20% of community residentshave incomes below the poverty level. Despitethe site’s history, it has never been subject to anenvironmental clean-up action. NYLPI is work-ing with the CRC to ensure that a proper reviewand clean-up of the site is conducted at a levelsufficiently safe for a school. An independentenvironmental assessment of the site isunderway.

The Southeast Queens Toxic Tour: SeePage 3.

Staffing

After an extensive search, NYLPI is pleased towelcome Janette Wipper and Gavin Kearney tothe Environmental Justice and CommunityDevelopment Project. NYLPI also welcomesSarah Alvarez, a recent graduate of bothColumbia University’s law school and school ofpublic health, who joins NYLPI’s Access toHealth Care Program.

Michelle Kraus joined NYLPI this fall aftereight years at the Family Center, where sheworked with families of people with terminal ill-ness. Michelle is now working as our DisabilityRights Advocate and is supervising NaishiaJackson, another recent arrival at NYLPI.Naishia is working toward a Masters in SocialWork at Fordham and is interning in NYLPI’sDisability Law Center as her field placement.

NYLPI

NEW YORK LAWYERS FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST

151 West 30 Street, 11th FloorNew York, NY 10001-4007

N Y L P I

Board of DirectorsSharon Y. Bowen, Esq.Latham & WatkinsChair

Elizabeth W. Millard, Esq.Credit Suisse First BostonTreasurer

John S. Siffert, Esq.Lankler Siffert & WohlSecretary

Robert I. Kleinberg, Esq.Robeco USAVice Chair for Development

Jamie A. Levitt, Esq.Morrison & FoersterVice Chair for Membership

Patricia A. Martone, Esq.Fish & NeaveVice Chair for Development

Kent T. Stauffer, Esq.AIGVice Chair for Board Development

Christopher K. Tahbaz, Esq.Debevoise & PlimptonVice Chair for Litigation & Program

Thomas E. Bezanson, Esq.Chadbourne & Parke

David H. Braff, Esq.Sullivan & Cromwell

David M. Brodsky, Esq.Latham & Watkins

Rachel B. Coan, Esq.LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae

Cynthia G. Cobden, Esq.Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

Jan F. Constantine, Esq.The News Corporation, Ltd.

Karen B. Dine, Esq.Pillsbury Winthrop

Marc E. Elovitz, Esq.Schulte Roth & Zabel

Martin Flumenbaum, Esq.Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

William V. Fogg, Esq.Cravath, Swaine & Moore

Cliff H. Fonstein, Esq.O’Melveny & Myers

Joseph S. Genova, Esq.Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy

Hector Gonzalez, Esq.Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw

Christopher K. Hu, Esq.Morgan & Finnegan

Gilbert L. Klemann, Esq.Avon Products, Inc.

Kenneth M. Kramer, Esq.Shearman & Sterling

Douglas M. Kraus, Esq.Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

Jennifer L. Kroman, Esq.Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton

Holly K. Kulka, Esq.Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe

William F. Kuntz, II, Esq.Constantine & Partners

Jane Lee, Esq.Pfizer Inc.

Robert Lewin, Esq.Stroock & Stroock & Lavan

Ogden N. Lewis, Esq.Davis Polk & Wardwell

Loretta E. Lynch, Esq.Hogan & Hartson

Robert C. Mason, Esq.Arnold & Porter

Joseph F. McDonald, Esq.Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

David M. Murphy, Esq.Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

Huntley Palmer, Jr., Esq.J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

James W. Rayhill, Esq.Carter, Ledyard & Milburn

Sarah L. Reid, Esq.Kelley Drye & Warren

Kathy H. Rocklen, Esq.Proskauer Rose

Michael E. Salzman, Esq.Hughes Hubbard & Reed

Amy W. Schulman, Esq.Piper Rudnick

Mindy J. Spector, Esq.Weil, Gotshal & Manges

Alexander R. Sussman, Esq.Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson

Linda A. Willet, Esq.Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

Directors Ex-Officio

Barbara Berger Opotowsky, Esq.Association of the Bar of the

City of New York

Bettina Plevan, Esq.Association of the Bar of the

City of New York

Directors Emeritus

Adrian W. DeWind, Esq.Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Robert M. Kaufman, Esq.Proskauer Rose