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 secures settlement ensuring internet access for homeless students

NYDN: NYC must finish WiFi installation in family homeless shelters by August
Pix 11: NYC must install wi-fi for students in all family homeless shelters by August: Settlement
NYLJ: Legal Aid Settlement Binds New York City to Complete Wi-Fi Installation in Shelters
BK Reader: More than 200 Homeless Shelters to Be Equipped with WiFi for Students
Law Street Media: Settlement Reached in NYC Shelter Internet Access Lawsuit

LAS hails MRTA legislation on marijuana legalization

NYT: Can New York’s Marijuana Legalization Light Up a New Path?
Queens Chronicle: Cannabis becomes legal in New York
NY1 Noticias: El reto para NY tras legalizar venta y consumo de marihuana
Insider: New York’s new legal weed bill is a major victory against racist drug sentencing
Pix 11: What NY’s cannabis legalization means for New Yorkers with old marijuana arrests
Queens Chronicle: Cops, biz leaders react to pot laws

LAS decries irreparable damage caused by NYPD detective’s lies

NYT: A Detective Was Accused of Lying. Now 90 Convictions May Be Erased.
ABC7: Brooklyn DA to dismiss 90 convictions that relied on detective charged with perjury
ABC News: More than 50 drug convictions vacated over former NYPD cop accused of perjury
AP: NYC corruption case prompts dismissal of 90 drug convictions
Brooklyn Daily Eagle: DA Gonzalez moves to dismiss 90 convictions linked to former detective
Atlanta Black Star: Convictions Tossed After Detective Is Accused of Falsifying Information

LAS secures dismissal for client placed in illegal neck hold by NYPD

NYDN: Charges dropped against defendant NYPD cops put in a knee-on-neck hold
Patch: Charges Dropped Against Man In Queens Knee-On-Neck Arrest
Newsday: Reckless endangerment charge dropped by Queens prosecutors

More LAS in the news

NYDN: Investigators had access to mistakenly recorded calls between jail inmates and legal counsel
El Diario: Gobernador Cuomo promulga Ley del Confinamiento Solitario en Nueva York
Law360: Stress Mounts As NY Debates Federal Rent Relief Conditions
NY Focus: Will New York’s Rent Relief Program Address The Problems that Hobbled The Last One?
Vice: All your Law & Order marathons gave you terrible ideas about how cops really work.
The City: Mayor, City Council Dial Up Anger Over NYPD Phone Seizures
Gothamist: City Ignoring Mandate Informing A Detainee’s Right To Vote, Legal Advocates Say
Patch: Mayor, City Council Dial Up Anger Over NYPD Phone Seizures
City & State: This week’s biggest Winners & Losers
Chalkbeat: Mayor, City Council dial up anger over NYPD phone seizures
NYT: Meet the New Cuomo. Same as the Old Cuomo.
SI Advance: Will ending qualified immunity for cops make Staten Island streets less safe?
Patch: Mayor, City Council Dial Up Anger Over NYPD Phone Seizures
Queens Daily Eagle: One year after first Rikers COVID death, advocates push parole reform law
Capitol Pressroom: Cómo solicitar el Estatus Migratorio Juvenil Especial (SIJ)
NY1 Noticias: Cómo solicitar el Estatus Migratorio Juvenil Especial (SIJ)
Politico: FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Legal Aid Society
City Limits: Advocates Push to Bring Poll Sites to NYC Jails
Law360: NY Releases Bill To Administer Billions In Federal Rent Relief
Buzzfeed: The NYPD Has Misled The Public About Its Use Of Facial Recognition Tool Clearview AI
NBC4: NY Budget Deal: Sports Betting, Schools, Child Care and Rent Relief Highlight Agreement
The Intercept: NYPD “Goon Squad” Manual Teaches Officer to Violate Protesters’ Rights
Patch: Here’s What The State’s $212B Budget Means For NYC
BK News 12: Legal Aid Society calls NYPD use of facial recognition technology ‘unreliable’
El Diario: Terminan huelga de hambre tras aprobación de fondos en presupuesto
BK Reader: After Hunger-Strike, Lawmakers Make $2.1B Aid Deal for Undocumented Workers
BK Reader: Community Raises More than $10K for Bushwick Tamale Vendor Facing Eviction
MIT Technology Review: The NYPD used a controversial facial recognition tool.