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Do you have questions about any of our Community Events?

Please contact us by email or phone at
471-2667 or

471-3409.

 

The New York Unified Court System provides a statement of client's rights.

Link here to read the statement.

 

 

 

SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

One important aspect of the Onondaga County Bar Association's mission is to promote equal access to the justice system.  Providing services to our community is one way we support that part of our mission.  Listed here are many of the projects the Bar Association supports and promotes.

VOLUNTEER LAWYER PROJECT

The Volunteer Lawyer Project (VLP) provides opportunities for lawyers, paralegals, and law students in Onondaga County to participate in meeting the unmet civil legal services needs of low-income people in our community through pro bono service.   VLP’s projects include an Eviction Defense Program, Pro Se Divorce Clinic, Free Talk-to-a-Lawyer Legal Clinics, Refugee Clinic, Tel-Law, Veterans Project, Annual Elder Law Fair, and Not-For-Profit Advocacy Program.

VLP teams up with Say Yes to Education – Syracuse (SYTE) to further assist families with children in the Syracuse School District with legal issues that may interfere with their child's ability to succeed in school. VLP and SYTE are working together to provide legal clinics in the schools and education for parents through SYTE’s Parent University.

We are always looking for new volunteers for all of our projects!  If you are interested in volunteering contact the VLP 471-3409 or email scurran@onbar.org for more information.

In the 2011 calendar year, the OCBA VLP benefited 1,807 individuals from direct civil legal representation. A total of 5,322 individuals benefited from services other than direct representation.  This included callers to the helpline, pro se assistance and community legal assistance. 300 volunteer attorneys contributed 1,524 hours of time which has a dollar value of service of $228,600 based on a $150 per hour rate.

 

 

Weekly FREE Talk-to-a-Lawyer Legal Clinics

VLP and SYTE together provide 5 free weekly Talk-to-A-Lawyer walk-in Legal Clinics located at community centers, churches and schools.  These clinics provide an opportunity to speak to a lawyer in a non-threatening environment, often after regular business hours.  Lawyers provide advice, brief service and referrals.  The regular schedules are as follows:

Brown Memorial Church
228 Davis Street, Syracuse
Mondays: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

St. Matthews Church
229 W. Yates, East Syracuse
Tuesdays: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Westcott Community Center
826 Euclid Ave., Syracuse
Thursdays: 6 PM - 8 PM

 

McKinley-Brighton Elementary School

141 W. Newell Street, Syracuse

Tuesdays: 2 PM – 4PM

When school is in session


Dr. King Magnet School

416 E. Raynor Ave, Syracuse

Thursdays: 3 PM – 5PM

When school is in session

 

● Attorneys - If you are interested in volunteering your time at our neighborhood centers, link here to download the form. Fill out and email to scurran@onbar.org

Pro Bono Legal Clinic for Veterans & Active Military Service Members

Located at the Vet Center in Syracuse, attorneys meet with Vets monthly. The project is overseen by an attorney volunteer and staffed by other volunteer attorneys recruited from the OCBA's membership.

The Clinic takes place the first Wednesday of every month from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at The Vet Center, located at 109 Pine St., Suite 101 Syracuse, NY 13210.

Refugee “Talk to a Lawyer” Clinic

VLP has teamed up with Interfaith Works to provide a monthly “Talk to a Lawyer” clinic to help meet the legal needs of the refugee population in Syracuse.

Amaus Health Services Legal Clinic

Local attorneys meet with community members who are seeking health services to address their unmet legal needs.  Please call Volunteer Lawyer Project at 471-3409 or email vlp@onbar.org for more information

Eviction Defense Program

To meet the needs of unrepresented indigent tenants facing eviction in Syracuse City Court, VLP coordinates a “lawyer-of-the-day” program five days a week. The non-lawyer Program Coordinator attends court, screens clients for income eligibility, and conducts initial interviews and then the client is represented by that day’s volunteer attorney(s). The project is staffed by volunteer attorneys from four law firms and attorneys in private practice.

East Syracuse Justice Court Eviction Defense Project

VLP volunteer attorneys appear in East Syracuse Justice Court twice a month to assist tenants facing evictions are not able to afford to hire representation.

Uncontested Divorce Clinic

The VLP Uncontested Divorce Clinic provides free assistance to low-income people in Onondaga County seeking to obtain an uncontested divorce pro se. Intake and orientation for the Clinic is provided by Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York. Divorce paperwork preparation and follow-up meetings with clients are conducted by VLP. The project is staffed by volunteer lawyers, paralegals and law students with support from the VLP staff. Please call the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York for an intake to determine eligibility; at 877-777-6152.

 

Tel-Law

On the second Wednesday of each month, two attorneys from a local law firm volunteer from 1pm to 4 pm to answer calls to the VLP call-in line. They are able to assess an issue and then immediately refer a caller to the appropriate help. For a schedule of times attorneys are available call our Lawyer Referral line at 471-2690.

 

Not-For-Profit Advocacy Program

The VLP found that throughout the 5th Judicial District the basic elements of not for profit incorporating are not readily available or affordable. The officers and directors of a new not-for-profit usually need guidance with respect to their duties and responsibilities. VLP recognized that when a troubled n-f-p collapses it may create shock waves throughout the community. The assistance of volunteer counsel at any stage might prevent this from occurring.

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SERVICES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

Annual Elder Law Fair

Senior citizens on fixed and limited incomes need education about such matters as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxies, and living wills, with place and opportunity to execute such documents. For the last ten years the Elder Law Fair has been a collaborative effort between VLP, AARP, the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Legal Services of Central New York, and the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth and the NYS Attorney General’s office. The Fair provides community education on topics of particular interest to seniors including: catastrophic care, grandparents rights, estate planning for special needs, consumer protection, identity theft, avoiding exploitation, estate planning for unmarried couples, basic estate planning, payment options for long term care, health care proxies and living wills, Medicare and supplemental insurance, Medicaid in plain English, Social Security and from independent living to nursing home care. The Fair also include a free Talk-to-A-Lawyer Legal clinic sponsored by the OCBA Senior Lawyer Section. The Elder Law Fair is held each May. Last year fifteen volunteer attorneys were available for twenty-minute free consultations

 

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SERVICES FOR
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

 

Law Week

For information on the 2011 Law Week Activities, click here.

Law Day was instituted by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1961 to celebrate the profession of law.  It is celebrated nationwide on May 1st of every year.  In Onondaga County, we have expanded this day to include the entire first week of May.  Law Day itself includes a Law Day Ceremony & Luncheon, poster, photography, and essay contests, as well as courthouse tours. The remainder of the week consists of attorneys visiting area classrooms and hosting students in their law offices.  The week is a wonderful opportunity for students and the legal profession.

If you are a student in grades 7 through 12, and are interested in participating in one of these contests or shadow opportunities, please contact the Law Week Coordinator at 471-2667 or info1@onbar.org.

 

 

Teens & The Law Booklet

As part of a Law Week project, attorneys, judges, and leaders of the Syracuse community, worked together to form a “Teens & The Law” Booklet.  The booklet was created to prevent teens, through education, from committing crimes.  The booklet highlights areas such as Assault, Drug Possession, Emancipation, DWI, Date Rape, Employment of Minors, Searches & Seizures, Hate Crimes, Sexual Harassment, and Weapons in Our Schools. Each category has an example scenario, definition, consequence section, and a list of resources of where to go for help. 

If you would like a copy of this booklet, simply forward a request to vlp@onbar.org or call 471-2667.

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Mock Trial Competitions

 

Every year, the Onondaga County Bar Association hosts a mock trial competition for local high school students.  The New York State Bar Association creates a mock case and distributes it to Bar Associations throughout the state.  School teams then compete at the county, regional and state levels where one school team emerges as the champion.

 

For more information regarding meets or how to get involved, please contact us at 
471-2667 or info1@onbar.org

 

 

 

   

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