Twyla Carter, Attorney-In-Chief and Chief Executive Officer at The Legal Aid Society, and Lisa Ohta, President of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys – UAW Local 2325, have penned a joint op-ed for City Limits in support of legislation that would bolster the District Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness (DALF) program.

“The first six weeks of the new federal administration have sparked widespread uncertainty, to say the least. The communities served by The Legal Aid Society and similar organizations fear what lies ahead and rely on us for support,” they write. “These legal services, which keep people housed, reunite families, and help protect the rights of New Yorkers, are now more critical than ever.”

“In addition to being woefully underpaid and under-resourced, the attorneys who provide these vital services are facing another debilitating crisis: crippling student loan debt and a stagnated loan assistance program that has failed to keep up with inflation and New York City’s skyrocketing cost of living,” they continue. “This environment is not conducive to the kind of dedicated, zealous representation New Yorkers need and deserve.”

Carter and Ohta are calling on Governor Hochul to fully fund the DALF program this session.

Read the full piece here.