At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of the courtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected —regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Our experienced teams provide comprehensive services, support, and advocacy that protect rights, keep families and communities together, and in many cases, saves lives. We have an intrinsic connection to the daily lives of New Yorkers. Here are a few of the places we made a difference, provided context or added valuable perspective this week:

LAS applauds new restriction of police officer “qualified immunity”

NYT: It May Soon Be Easier to Sue the N.Y.P.D. for Misconduct
Pix 11: City Council votes to end qualified immunity for NYPD officers
AMNY: Four police reform bills get NYC Council approval, with de Blasio’s NYPD overhaul debated

NYC Defenders: All calls from incarcerated New Yorkers must be private

NYDN: NYC defenders say city must halt recording of all jailhouse calls 
NYDN: DA offices wound up with recordings of confidential calls between inmates and lawyers

LAS warns against aggressive policing after violence in Georgia

TNR: Saying Never Again to the Violence in Atlanta Means Saying No to More Policing
Vice: Why Cop Raids Won’t Protect Massage Workers After the Atlanta Shooting

More LAS in the news

WNYPapers: Legal Aid files lawsuit to secure New Yorkers in prison access to COVID-19 vaccine
Capitol Pressroom: Cuomo continues to overlook prisons in COVID-19 vaccine rollout
Law360: Takeaways From A Pandemic Year In NYC Housing Courts
Truthout: Prison Laborers Are Paid Pennies to Maintain the Prisons They’re Incarcerated In
Columbia Spectator: How Marie Runyon became a tenant crusader and fierce progressive advocate
Gothamist: NY’s Second Round Of Rent Relief Only Distributes $7 Million Of $60 Million Available
Gotham Gazette: Support Grows for Bill to Convert Commercial Properties into Affordable Housing
Brooklyn Paper: Brooklyn Judge Vacates More Than 850 Old Prostitution-Related Warrants
El Diario: Piden al Concejo Municipal rechazar plan de reforma policial del Alcalde
DocumentedNY: Delivery Workers Organize To Fight Rampant E-Bike Theft
NORML: Analyses Find That People of Color Far More Likely to Be Arrested for Marijuana Violations
The Appeal: Children Can Be On Their Owen When Grilled by Police
Filter Mag: New York Poised to Significantly Restrict Use of Solitary Confinement
Gothamist: Landlord Accused Of Trashing Tenant’s Apt While He Was Hospitalized With COVID
National Herald: Gianaris, Housing Advocates Press for Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act
The City: Will the State Marijuana Bill Pay Off for Black and Brown New Yorkers?