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, 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.

Advocates rally to defend Right to Shelter protections 

CBS6: Advocates rally to keep right to shelter laws in place
AMNY: Housing advocates rally in Lower Manhattan to defend city’s right-to-shelter law
El Diario: En medio del frío crece clamor para mantenga el derecho a refugio a recién llegados
City Limits: Rally to Defend NYC’s Right to Shelter
ABC7: Lawmakers, advocates for homeless rally to defend Right to Shelter law in NYC
Times Union: Housing advocates call on Hochul to protect right to shelter
Telemundo 47: Defensores de inmigrantes protestan del derecho a vivienda
Crain’s: City’s right to shelter faces uncertain future as winter nears, advocates say
City & State: Coalition fighting right to shelter changes to rally in Albany and NYC
NEW12: Homeless advocates to rally in Manhattan to defend ‘right to shelter’ law
NYT: As Winter Approaches, Fears Grow for Homeless Migrants
Gothamist: Federal officials expand efforts to expedite migrant work permits in NYC
The City: City Tweaks Rules at Shelter Re-Up Site to Curb Overnight Camping
NYDN: Despite city efforts, dozens of NYC migrants still sleeping on East Village street

More LAS in the news

Politics NY: Nonprofit Power Players
QNS: Attorneys launch Queens County Criminal Bar Association to strengthen justice system
The City: City Delays Christmas Week Family Shelter Evictions After Outcry
NYDN: Public defenders seek audit of Latent Print Section over misidentification of suspect
Hell Gate: Many People Are Saying: Take Rikers Out of City Control
NYDN: NY Attorney General backs federal court takeover of Rikers Island, other NYC jails
Gothamist: Rikers officer suspended after detainee death, as NY AG joins calls for takeover
NYDN: Who’s at the wheel?: Rikers needs real leadership, from outside
Gothamist: Sunset Park tenants return home to frigid, remodeled apartments
Jamaican Observer: J’can one of two men exonerated for NYC murders, still faces deportation
The Imprint: Bill Allowing Parents to Contact Kids Who’ve Been Adopted on the Governor’s Desk
WNYC: December 4, 2023. Midday News.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle: ‘Know Your Rights’ for NYC tenants, landlords, and homeowners
City & State: Which city leaders are calling for a federal takeover of Rikers Island?
NYT: If You’re Too Noisy in New York, New Cameras Might Catch You
PIX11: Teens learn about their constitutional rights, communicating with police
Queens Daily Eagle: Criminal bar association forms in Queens
Mother Jones: Few Interpreters, a Byzantine System, and a Child in Need of Learning
Queens Daily Eagle: Attorney general, NYCBDA and public defenders call for Rikers receiver