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 communitiess together, and in many cases, changes 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.

150 Years of Legal Aid

Hyperallergic: A Visual Journey Through 150 Years of the Legal Aid Society
NYLJ: Legal Aid Panel Reflects on 150 Years of Service at the New York Historical
amNY: LAS executives reflect on its 150 years of history, ‘careful’ future embrace of AI

LAS: Office of Community Safety a critical step toward reform

NYT: Mamdani Creates Community Safety Office, Taking Cautious Step on Key Vow
News12: NYC creates Office of Community Safety to expand crisis response
amNY: Mayor Mamdani to sign order creating Office of Community Safety
NYDN: Mamdani announcing Office of Community Safety
Pix11: Mayor Mamdani announces Office of Community Safety
BK Reader: NYC Creates Office to Tackle Mental Health Emergencies
amNY: Mayor starts new community safety office, with mental health crises an early focus
Mirage News: Mamdani Taps Francois as NYC Deputy Mayor for Safety

More LAS in the news

NYLJ: Public Interest Lawyers Renew Plea to Enhance State Loan Forgiveness Program
Queens Daily Eagle: DA improperly indicted Jabez Chakraborty, attys allege
The Imprint: NYS Outlawed Arrests of Children Under 12. So Police are Arresting Their Moms.
NYLJ: NY Top Court Mulls Whether Domestic Violence Survivors Can Voluntarily Waive Hearings
The Ticker: Mamdani to close the Bellevue men’s shelter in Manhattan, citing disrepair
amNY: Legal Aid appoints Lynn K. Neuner to chair of the Board of Directors
NYT: Home Health Care Aides Say It’s Time to End ‘Inhumane’ 24-Hour Shifts
The Guardian: How a Viral Snow Fight Provoked Mamdani’s Schism With NYPD
Law360: Split 2nd Circ.: NY Officials Belong in Inmate Mental Health Suit
Documented NY: Will Mamdani Support Fight to Ban 24-Hour Shifts for Home Care Workers?
NYLJ: Recovery of Attorney Fees Is Key to Reforming NY’s ‘Broken’ Open-Records System
NYLJ: Responding to Cyrus Vance’s Op-Ed on Pedro Hernandez and the ‘Erosion of Trial Verdicts’
Hoodline: AG James Torches Solar Outfit Attyx Over ‘Free’ Panel Debt Trap
NYS Focus: New York Sues Solar Company, Says It Cheated Thousands