MOBILIZATION FOR JUSTICE's (MFJ) mission is to achieve social justice, prioritizing the needs of people who are low-income, disenfranchised, or have disabilities. We do this by providing the highest quality direct civil legal assistance, conducting community education and building partnerships, engaging in policy advocacy, and bringing impact litigation, with a focus on four key areas: Housing, Economic Justice, Disability & Aging Rights, and Children's Rights.

MFJ's 120 member staff handles over 10,000 cases a year, benefiting more than 25,000 New Yorkers.

PRO BONO PROJECTS

MFJ offers myriad opportunities for members of the private bar and retired attorneys to make important contributions to our mission. We provide training and ongoing mentoring to all pro bono attorneys.

• Access-A-Ride: Represent low-income people with disabilities denied access to MTA's paratransit services. Attorneys representing clients at MTA administrative hearings can expect to spend 5 to 10 hours on the matter over two to three days. Co-counseling with MFJ on an Article 78 proceeding in state court involves a more substantial time commitment and enhanced opportunities for litigation skills building. Tasks: interview clients; prepare papers; staff clinics; conduct administrative hearings.
• Adoptions/Kinship Caregivers: Represent grandparents and other family or friends caring for non-biological children outside the foster care system, in adoption proceedings. These cases are most commonly filed in the Family Courts of Bronx and Brooklyn. The representation generally requires 7 to 10 hours of work per month; an adoption can be finalized within a year. Tasks: interview clients; prepare petitions; conduct family court hearings.
• Low-Income Bankruptcy Filings: Help low-income New Yorkers file Chapter 7 bankruptcy petitions to discharge debts and obtain a fresh start. Attorneys working on these cases do not need bankruptcy or litigation expertise. Volunteers should expect to commit at least 20 to 25 hours over a six-month period. Tasks include: staff hotline; interview clients; and prepare petitions.
• Low-Income Tax Clinic: Represent low-income taxpayers in controversies before the IRS and New York State Department of Finance to bring the client into tax compliance. These cases generally require approximately 15 to 25 hours to complete. Tasks: interview clients; negotiate collection alternatives; staff clinics.
• Driver Protection Project: Represent low-income immigrant drivers facing thousands of dollars in civil penalties and loss of their licenses threatening their livelihood. These cases require staffing MFJ's driver protection clinic, which occurs every Thursday from 9-5 at 31-00 47th Avenue, 3rd Floor, Long Island City, NY 11101. Tasks: interview clients; review and explain summonses; staff clinics; assist clients in rescheduling their hearings; negotiate settlements; represent clients at administrative hearings.
• Re-Entry to the Workforce: Represent people with past criminal records who are seeking occupational licenses or who are facing employment discrimination. Attorneys representing clients before administrative licensing agencies can expect to spend 10 to 15 hours per case. Tasks: interview clients; assist clients in documenting rehabilitation and other evidence of good conduct; oral and written advocacy; client hearing preparation and representation in administrative hearings.
• Social Security Disability Hearings: Represent clients with mental and physical impairments in Social Security disability appeal hearings. Pro bono attorneys can expect to spend 30-40 hours on each case. Tasks: interview clients; review medical records; draft pre-hearing memoranda; represent clients at administrative hearings; represent clients at the Appeals Council and Federal Court.

EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

Firms participating in MFJ's externship program send associates for 4-6 month rotations. Externs work alongside attorneys in MFJ's housing unit, carrying a full litigation docket and receiving extensive supervision and training from MFJ supervising attorneys on all aspects of litigation.

RETIRED ATTORNEYS.

Many retiring attorneys are interested in using their extensive skills and experience to benefit others during their retirement. MFJ welcomes retirees to volunteer in one of our legal projects or take on discrete assignments. We work with retirees to craft a rewarding experience that fits their interests and schedules.

CO-COUNSEL.

The Special Litigation Project (SLP) at Mobilization for Justice expands and strengthens the scope of MFJ's impact/class action litigation and law reform work. The SLP works closely with staff across MFJ's four overarching program areas (Housing, Economic Justice, Disability and Aging Rights, and Children's Rights) to identify systemic issues affecting MFJ's client base, especially issues with a racial justice focus, that would benefit from impact or class action litigation and law reform work. The SLP develops and litigates cases in federal and state court with pro bono firm or non-profit co-counsel partnerships and serves as a resource on litigation strategy for MFJ attorneys.

Firms may assist with legal research and analysis, work with pre-litigation expert consultant, as needed, and development and assessment of matters for class action or other impact litigation. Firms may also serve as co-counsel on litigation. These matters will be terrific opportunities for firm attorneys to gain substantive fact/expert discovery, deposition, briefing, and oral argument experience in complex federal litigation.

For more information, please contact Mobilization for Justice's Pro Bono Coordinator:

Jacqueline Adorno, Supervising Attorney
Mobilization for Justice
100 William Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038
212.417.3806 jadorno@mfjlegal.org