Formerly incarcerated individuals face many challenges reintegrating into society. To help people overcome those barriers, LawNY has partnered with community agencies in our more urban centers, such as Rochester and Ithaca. LawNY's Regional Pro Bono Team expanded in March 2021 to build a rural focused project to provide these services to counties that lacked any similar resources. This project focuses on recruiting volunteers to assist these rural clients in areas outside of Monroe County, the only urban county within our service area.
in 2024, LawNY was awarded a Pro Bono Innovation Fund Grant from the Legal Services Corporation to expand their reentry services and reduce barriers to housing, employment and education. This grant will continue our work to support the expansion of our reentry program into rural counties in upstate New York.
The program assists individuals with criminal records in obtaining record sealing, certificates of rehabilitation and other legal services to improve their employment prospects. The project includes collaborations with community organizations to recruit and train volunteers and provide holistic legal assistance to clients. We look forward to adapting and expanding our existing reentry pro bono project, including adding two paralegals to increase outreach, community collaborations and casework capacity.
Volunteers will provide legal assistance with barriers to employment related to Reentry Employment Issues in rural Upstate New York counties. Volunteers, Private Attorneys/ Law Graduates, may assist clients with applying with Certificates of Relief from Disabilities, NYS Sealing, and Occupational Licenses. Additional services available now include reviewing RAP sheets for marijuana expungement eligibility and correcting any possible errors.
Contact Kelly today to find out more about this great opportunity and GET TO WORK helping individuals overcome obstacles to obtaining employment. LawNY provides training, support, materials and step-by-step guidance on the process for those venturing into a new area.
Kelly Chu kchu@lawny.org
