PRO BONO INITIATIVE
Anderson & Associates
Pro Bono Program
OUR MISSION
Pro bono, derived from Latin meaning "for the public good," entails legal work undertaken without charge. Our small yet dedicated team strives to involve the entire firm in the A&A Pro Bono Program, aiming for broad participation and meaningful impact. We firmly believe that legal professionals, including lawyers, law clerks, and support staff, have a solemn obligation to leverage their expertise and skills for the betterment of society.
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In response to the pressing need for accessible legal assistance for immigrants in New York City, we have chosen immigration as our focus area. Currently, immigrants constitute 40% of the city's population and are a vital one-third of its workforce. However, many lack the means to secure legal representation. With immigrants facing challenges from proposed and enacted legislation nationwide, it's imperative for NYC nonprofits and law firms to unite forces. As a smaller law firm, A&A can make the most significant impact by collaborating with established organizations rather than reinventing the wheel. We are committed to forging partnerships with a diverse array of nonprofits to address the multifaceted challenges faced by immigrant communities.
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While the Anderson & Associates pro bono team will primarily concentrate on immigration matters, our scope includes various subtopics such as housing, tenant cases, domestic violence, removal proceedings, employment and labor, business, bankruptcy, education, and criminal justice. By treating immigration as a broad focus area, we can accommodate diverse expertise and interests within the firm while directing our resources effectively. Individual lawyers and pro bono team members will have the flexibility to choose cases aligned with their specialties or personal passions.
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FORM TO DEMONSTRATE NEED FOR PRO BONO SERVICES:
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Please complete each section of this form to help us assess whether we can take on your case. We evaluate cases for pro bono representation based on demonstrated financial need, urgency, and our team's available resources and expertise. Please note that we do not exceed 10 pro bono cases concurrently. We will respond to your inquiry at our earliest convenience. For any further inquiries, please contact us via email at probono@aalawpc.com.
MEET OUR PRO BONO INITIATIVE TEAM
NONPROFIT PARTNERS​
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Anderson & Associates has partnered with a number of nonprofits that will facilitate intake for pro bono clients.
LAWYERS ALLIANCE
Lawyers Alliance connects pro bono attorneys with community organization and offers corporate, tax, real estate, employment, and intellectual property legal services, among other things, to clients based on merit and financial need. Lawyers Alliance is dedicated to helping programs that provide aid, relief, and opportunity to poor and underserved communities, while improving urban health and promoting the arts. Through extensive outreach (panels, emails to community groups, advertising) and a screening process to assess specific needs, Lawyers Alliance matches attorneys with attorneys who have the necessary experience and ability.
THE CITY BAR JUSTICE CENTER
The City Bar Justice Center is dedicated to providing free and low cost legal service to those in need on wide array of matters, including immigration, bankruptcy, elderlaw, housing, real estate, and provides special services to cancer patients, LGBTQ+ people, the homeless, and veterans. They mobilize law firms and attorneys to provide pro bono services, impact policy, and educate the public on pertinent legal issues.
HER JUSTICE
Her Justice was created to protect and support women. They are a group of fourteen female attorneys who reach hundreds of people by training other attorneys to take cases in a less popular areas of law with high demands for affordable representation. They handle mostly battered spouse and children under VAWA, Battered Spouse Waivers, U Visas, and T Visas.
OPEN HANDS
Their two pro bono programs are Legal Aid Help Desks and Know Your Right Seminars.
Legal Aid Help Desks are at soup kitchens and homeless shelters across the city to provide on site legal help on issues like family, employment, and housing law.
The seminars are given to low income and homeless New Yorkers to inform them of their rights and responsibilities e.g. rights of homeless people in public places.
NEW YORK LEGAL ASSISTANCE GROUP
NYLAG's services include comprehensive , free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. Their focus is on combating racial, economic, and social inequality. Some of their legal programs include pro se clinics, employment law, immigration law, legal health, LGBTQ+ law, DV law, tenants rights, family law, and more. Their pro bono program includes individual case referrals, community-based one day clinics, hosting trainings, and the attorney emeritus program.
THE QUEER DETAINEE EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
The Queer Detainee Empowerment Project, or QDEP, provides structural, emotional, educational, health and wellness, and legal services to LGBTQ+ people who are detained or in danger of being detained. They offer both referrals and direct services. They are a smaller organization. Their goals are to abolish ice, prevent prison expansion in NYC, and give more leadership positions in organizing to minority groups.
THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY
The Legal Aid Society is a massive network of pro bono attorneys (1,400- 1,500 attorneys just in NY) and 2,000-3,000 volunteers. They do advocacy work and provide legal representation on everything from finance, to divorce, to juvenile rights, equal rights, and immigration.
ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND
Through a combination of litigation, advocacy, organizing, and educating, AALDEF works with Asian American communities nationwide to secure human rights for Asian Americans. They have a number of educational and political projects, along with a pro bono program with wage dispute, employment, housing, immigration cases and more.
IMMIGRANT DEFENSE PROJECT
IDP was founded to combat the targeting of immigrants for mass imprisonment and deportations. They offer legal advice and training, strategize for impact litigation, advocate for human rights' policies, and refer detained immigrants to pro bono counsel. They handle mostly criminal immigration work, but often need other services for once a client wins their removal case.
ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK
PRO BONO & COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEE
The Pro Bono and Community Service Committee (PBCS) of the Asian American Bar Association of New York is committed to providing the community with culturally and linguistically competent legal assistance through community and education and individualized assistance as its pro bono clinics.
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