Here's a copy of a joint letter from Mayor Bloomberg and Chief Judge Lippman that's gone out to a number of local bar associations:
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Dear Bar Association Leader:
We write to ask your help and support. As you may know, the City has recently launched an initiative called NYC Service in response to President Obama's support of a nationwide effort to foster community service. One component of this effort is NYC Legal Outreach, our effort to tap into the considerable pool of legal talent available in this city to increase the numbers of attorneys who contribute their volunteer pro bono time and energies to needy New Yorkers who have been particularly hard-hit by this recession.
Set forth below is a letter we are sending to as many attorneys as possible, and we are requesting that you distribute it to the members of your bar association, hopefully with your personal support. You'll see that our plan is to invite representatives of the courts, various bar associations, pro bono organizations and legal services providers to each of the five boroughs at evening meetings during the next two months, where they will discuss opportunities for pro bono service in the areas of foreclosure, eviction, immigration and consumer credit.
Thank you for your support and help in getting the word out!
Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman
