Annual Report
2020
The Legal Aid Society is built on one simple but powerful belief:
that no New Yorker should be denied the right to equal justice. We
seek to be a beacon of hope for New Yorkers who feel neglected—
regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they
identify. From our start over 140 years ago, our growth has
mirrored that of the city we serve. Today, we are proud to be the
largest, most influential social justice law firm in New York City.
Our staff and attorneys deliver justice in every borough, working
tirelessly to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic
barriers that can prevent them from thriving. As passionate
advocates for individuals and families, The Legal Aid Society is an
indispensable component of the legal, social, and economic
fabric of our City.
We Are: Always Defenders, Always Advocates, Always Allies
The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on New York City and the everyday lives of millions of New Yorkers. Our work has always taken an explicit racial and social equity lens, and the current crisis has further focused our efforts to advocate for the needs of New York’s marginalized communities. In this most challenging year, the staff of The Legal Aid Society have been game-changers, innovating and creating new ways to defend, advocate on behalf of, and act as an ally to our clients.
See What We Did This Year-
300+
vulnerable New Yorkers freed from incarceration during COVID-19 via 11 mass writs and individual case advocacy, contributing to a 28% drop in the population of Rikers Island over the course of 10 weeks.
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81%
of evictions prevented in full representation matters, allowing a total of 3,274 New Yorkers and their families to stay in their homes. We delayed evictions in an additional 16% of cases.
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438
COVID-19 education-related consultations focusing on remote learning access, special education services, and free school meals.
Our Leadership
Guided by Passionate
Leadership
Leaders of The Legal Aid Society are some of the most respected in their fields, offering decades of experience and perspective gained from dedicating their careers to ensuring equal justice.
Meet Our LeadershipNow more than ever we must remember that our prisons and jails are part of our community. Removing people from prisons and jails is a moral imperative to protect people’s lives and prevent community spread. This extraordinary global pandemic also magnifies the urgency of a public health approach to social problems. It has never been clearer that we must shift societal resources away from institutions of state violence and towards public health and other services that build safe and strong communities."
Stefen R. Short
Supervising Attorney,
Prisoners' Rights Project
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The Legal Aid Society is built on one simple but powerful belief: that no New Yorker should be denied the right to equal justice.
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