Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York

The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York is a non-profit law firm, which provides free legal services to low-income people in Northeastern New York. The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York provides effective, free civil legal services, education to, and advocacy for people with low incomes or other barriers to accessing the legal system. We secure basic needs, protect and preserve legal rights, provide equal access to justice and seek fairness and dignity for our clients. The Legal Aid Society has offices in Albany, Amsterdam, Canton, Plattsburgh, and Saratoga Springs.

LASNNY offers varied volunteer options, from limited one-time advice meetings to extended representation of a client. This flexibility allows volunteers to work with LASNNY in a manner that compliments their schedule.

Additionally, LASNNY offers a wide variety of practice areas to appeal to any volunteer’s interests.   Examples of current volunteer opportunities are:

• Uncontested, Pro Se Divorce – Assist clients in a clinic setting with preparing uncontested divorce paperwork for self-representation.
• Consumer Debt – Meet with clients using our guided Closing the Gap platform to prepare responsive pleadings in consumer debt matters.
• Name and Gender Marker Changes – Assist clients with preparing petitions for legal name changes and gender marker changes or corrections.
• Advance Directives – Prepare simple estate planning documents, including wills, health care proxies, and powers of attorney.
• Unemployment Insurance Benefits – Represent clients at unemployment insurance hearings involving benefit denials or overpayment determinations.
• Social Security Matters – Represent clients in Social Security disability (SSDI) overpayment and benefit denial hearings.
• Chapter 7 Bankruptcy – Represent clients through the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process from petition preparation through discharge.
• Attorney for the Day (Housing Court) – Represent tenants at their initial housing court appearance to negotiate resolutions and help prevent eviction.
• Tenant Rights – Advise tenants on a variety of non-emergency landlord-tenant issues and housing rights.