Law school partners with state for pro bono appeals program

The School of Law’s Clinical Legal Education Program has partnered with the New York Bar Foundation and the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction to host the Pro Bono Appeals Program for the Fourth Judicial Department.

The Pro Bono Appeals Program was created to help meet the needs of litigants who require legal representation in state appellate courts but cannot afford to hire an appellate attorney, and are not eligible for assigned counsel.

Litigants with income less than 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible for free legal assistance with various civil issues, including shelter and housing, subsistence income and benefits, health and education, personal safety and family stability.

UB’s Clinical Legal Education Program provides pro bono expertise, outreach to the community, extensive administrative support and Continuing Legal Education training for attorney volunteers.

“The New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction and the New York Bar Foundation are thrilled to have this partnership with UB Law and its excellent staff,” says Timothy P. Murphy, chief attorney in the appeals and post-conviction unit at The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo Inc. and co-chair of the New York Pro Bono Appeals Program. “This program will enable the indigent appellant to have another place to reach out to in the Fourth Judicial Department.”

The NYSBA Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction provides dedicated, experienced appellate attorneys from throughout the state. These volunteers select cases, handle appeals and oversee appellate attorneys from outside the committee who donate their services. Attorneys can volunteers by emailing law-pbap@buffalo.edu.

Previously, the program for the Third and Fourth Judicial departments was hosted by the Rural Law Center of New York. The Rural Law Center will continue to manage the program for cases that originate in the Third Judicial Department.

“The University at Buffalo School of Law has a long history of providing access to justice with the help of our law students,” says Kim Diana Connolly, vice dean for advocacy and experiential education, and director of the law school’s Clinical Legal Education Program. “It is an honor to add this pro bono service opportunity to our multi-faceted clinical programmatic offerings, and our other experiential learning options, such as the Pro Bono Scholars Program. We look forward to working with the NYSBA and the excellent volunteer lawyers to provide service-learning for our students while simultaneously offering legal assistance to those who need access to justice.”

For more information, visit the program’s website or email law-pbap@buffalo.edu.

Download the program brochure here.