Professor Bernadette Gargano (far right) with law students Zarianna Peterson, Aaron Lin, and Maria Valeri, Pro Bono Recruitment Coordinator at Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project.
Access to Justice Hybrid Clinic
More than twenty-five million Americans are denied legal assistance each year due to lack of resources. This crisis impacts individuals and families that are part of our most vulnerable populations.
Five years into its highly successful run, the School of Law’s Access to Justice Hybrid Clinic has made real strides in ensuring equal access to the justice system with the Federal Court Pro Se Assistance Program.
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Professor Bernadette Gargano
Note:
This course satisfies four hours of the experiential learning requirement and provides the 50-hours of pro bono service required for admission to the NYS Bar.
In collaboration with our community partners, ECBA Volunteer Lawyer’s Project (VLP) or the Volunteer Legal Services of Monroe County (VLSP), the U.S. District Court, and the volunteer lawyers who donate their time and expertise in providing pro bono legal services, this service-learning clinic allows students to interview clients at the courthouse and assist practicing attorneys in advising clients through the Access to Justice Hybrid Clinic. Working with Professor Bernadette Gargano, Bridget O’Connell, Esq., and VLP or VLSP, students will also perform legal research, develop legal resources for unrepresented litigants, and provide litigants with assistance in navigating legal documents and the court system.
Students will staff either the Help Desk in Erie County Family Court or the Pro Se Assistance Program in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York (Buffalo and Rochester placements are available). As part of their fieldwork, students will participate in skills training and write a white paper (5-6 pages) on a social justice/access to justice topic of the student’s choosing.