Peggy Foy, Esq.: As a board member of the NYS CCLP, Ms. Foy is a long-time resident of Suffolk County and a graduate of Touro Law School. She has been a lawyer for over 25 years and focuses on family law and criminal defense. She currently volunteers at THE CCLP, provides pro bono legal advice, and speaks at “Know Your Law” sessions. CCLP is committed to fighting miscarriages of justice and lifting constitutional protections that affect the growing portion of our population that does not have access to meaningful remedies. Through one-on-one interviews and “Know Your Law” sessions, coalition volunteers have helped those in need with a variety of successes – from recovering wages to rescuing homes from foreclosure to insurance issues caused by Hurricane Sandy. After the meeting, Neubarth admitted that excluding the journalist from a public event on public property was illegal and contrary to the First Amendment. But he claimed that he was only a volunteer and had no control over the two women who were trying to chase our reporter. While our reporter was taking his camera, witnesses said they saw Neubarth go with the landlord and the real estate agent. Kahn, who now works on “Know Your Law” sessions, participates in legal counselling sessions, outdoor community information tables and fundraisers for organizations. Through these sessions, Marianne Kahn, a part-time volunteer and board member of the New York Chapter, discovered the coalition for the first time and recognized the magnitude of the problems in the justice system. To contact the coalition of lawyers involved – either voluntarily or to obtain legal aid – call (212) 791-1364 or email nyscclp@verizon.net. At any time, anyone can get into legal trouble.
But not everyone can afford the legal help they need. Despite these small victories, the coalition knows that much remains to be done. After taking over temporary housing in Brooklyn and Manhattan over the years, the chapter moved permanently to 2675 Heath Avenue in 2016. And aside from those who immediately needed the legal counsel found within the coalition, the fact that such a group had such narrow roots went unnoticed by many in the community. Daniel Fiske, a full-time volunteer and acting director of operations for the Coalition`s New York chapter, noted that even though they are surrounded by almost constant renovations, team members are still working hard. However, Kahn says this is just one example of how the coalition has connected with the community and developed from those connections. The Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals – which has been providing legal assistance to those who cannot afford it since 1998 – has found a home in Kingsbridge Heights for its New York chapter. Mission: THE COALITION OF CONCERNED LEGAL PROFESSIONALS (CCLP) is a purely voluntary, non-government-funded association of lawyers who work with organizations whose members are finding it increasingly difficult to access legal remedies.
Volunteer lawyers, supported by volunteer lay lawyers, provide free legal advice to members of service workers` organizations, temporary workers, independent contractors, workers and other low-income workers without job protection who are struggling to survive in today`s “gig” economy. Volunteer lawyers also organize free “Know Your Law” information sessions for member organizations on areas of law such as labour law, wage theft, immigration, debt and credit issues, and landlord-tenant law. The CCLP is supported by the community and does not accept any government or other funding that would compromise the association`s ability to provide a means of fighting for remedies, including challenging government policies targeting parts of our population because of their economic and/or minority status, or suing the government itself. Considering that America accounts for 5 percent of the world`s population but is home to 25 percent of the world`s imprisoned population, as reported by the American Civil Liberties Union, Fiske finds that the work he is doing with the coalition allows him to be part of the solution. In the short time that the coalition was hosted in Kingsbridge, the organization forged close ties with the community. These include local businesses such as the Garden Gourmet Market, where volunteers serve a table outside the store that advertises its services while attracting more potential volunteers. Through these sessions, CCLP has helped thousands of people: we have saved homes from foreclosure; prevented evictions; recovered wages due but not paid; assistance with immigration problems; to protect people from consumer debt they didn`t owe and more. While pro bono counsel guide those seeking help through the legal problem-solving process, participants are united to develop organizational solutions in their communities using a range of activities to publicize their efforts and reach out to everyone affected by the issue – including court hearings; production of posters, pamphlets and other publications; Writing letters, phone calls and presentations at public hearings, in the classrooms of universities, unions, churches and other organizations. CCLP continues to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic in accordance with current public health policies and guidelines, as our program is needed more than ever.
We answer our phones seven days a week and hold legal advice sessions with our volunteer lawyers. We are reaching out to our riding and other organizations in our communities in the San Francisco Bay Area to ensure our recipients receive the support they need. Susan Prensky, a graduate of Cornell University, is a full-time volunteer organizer with the Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals. She is a professional organizer and has been fighting for the legal recourse of workers for more than 35 years… According to the CCLP`s Verdict magazine, the CCLP is an organization dedicated to issues of freedom of expression and prison reform. Providing information about the eviction of social tenants and how to lose strong protection against rent increases seems to run counter to the group`s goals, as stated in its magazine: “Verdict is a forum that encourages the participation of lawyers and others engaged in legal and organizational solutions to the problems of our low-income communities or in the search for legal and organizational solutions.” The Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals combines organization with access to remedies. Volunteer lawyers provide education and advice. Together with volunteer lay representatives, they fight for the solution of individual situations and teach people to organize themselves to tackle common problems. All volunteers and without government funding, they have accumulated a growing number of lawyers, students, clergy, businessmen and others. Members act with and on behalf of low-income workers` organizations that fight to address the systemic issues that lead to poverty. Students inspired by these conversations volunteer with the coalition and are often pre-law students, Arenson added.
Topic: What is the difference that meaningful access to legal remedies makes in the lives of low-income people? The coalition is made up entirely of volunteers, from lawyers to students, who provide free legal assistance to people who cannot afford it. And that`s a large pool of potential clients at their disposal, as 80 percent of low-income people struggle to access the help needed in the courtroom, according to Washington-based Legal Services Corp. For more information or to learn more about volunteering, please contact CCLP today at (212) 791-1364.