Fifth Annual Citation for Special Achievement in Public Service
Complimentary Cocktail Reception and Program
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 | 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
New York State Bar Association
One Elk Street
Albany, NY 12207
RSVP no later than Monday, October 14, 2013 to: caps@nysba.orgor 518.487.5571
Come celebrate the achievements of our 2013 Citation recipients: Tina Janssen-Spinosa, Esq., Jessica Lazarin, Esq., and Tasha Moore, Esq. Meet members of NYSBA's Committee on Attorneys in Public Service and colleagues. NYSBA members and non-members are welcome to attend.
2013 Citation Winners
Tina Janssen-Spinosa, Esq.
Program Coordinator of Total Life Choices
New York City
Jessica Lazarin, Esq.
Immigration Staff Attorney, ECBA Volunteer Lawyers Project, Inc.
Buffalo
and
Tasha Moore, Esq.
Regional Director, NYS Division of Human Rights
Buffalo
The Justice Gap: How Do We Make a Dent?
Presented by Anne Erickson, President and CEO, Empire Justice Center
According to the Office of Court Administration more than 2.3 million litigants appear in civil court each year in New York State without an attorney. Faced with losing their homes, dealing with foreclosures and evictions, coping with divorce or intense family law issues, challenging the denial of critical benefits, confronting small claims issues or engulfed in personal financial bankruptcy, these litigants face daunting legal challenges without the benefit of counsel. Discussions are occurring around the county about how to address these challenges – from creating a civil right to counsel to expanding the role of non-lawyers to increasing the level of pro bono legal assistance. Our speaker will address some of these issues and their status in New York.
The Empire Justice Center is, a statewide legal services organization which provides training, support and technical assistance to legal services programs outside New York City, provides legal assistance to key areas of poverty law, undertakes impact litigation, and engages in legislative and administration advocacy over a broad range of substantive law areas that impact the rights of those who are poor, low income or otherwise disenfranchised in New York State.
About Anne Erickson
Ms. Erickson has been with Empire Justice (formerly known as the Greater Upstate Law Project) since 1989. She began as a policy analyst and legislative coordinator and became President when the organization's director of more than 30 years retired in 2000. Ms. Erickson has overseen the transformation of the organization, merging its Rochester operations post-LSC restrictions, expanding its White Plains office, opening an office on Long Island and strategically growing the organization.
Prior to taking on her current leadership role, Ms. Erickson directed the legislative and policy advocacy work of the Greater Upstate Law Project. Working closely with the organization's staff attorneys, she helped develop and pursue an annual legislative agenda, focused primarily on health and welfare issues and on securing funding for Civil Legal Services.
Ms. Erickson is the former chair of the New York State Equal Justice Commission and helped lead the state legal services planning efforts in New York that resulted in historic mergers, consolidations and re-alignment of the state's federally-funded legal services organizations. She continues to play a leading role in the statewide delivery of legal assistance. Ms. Erickson is a member of Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman's Task Force to Expand Access to Legal Services in New York and was recently named to the Committee on Non-Lawyers and the Justice Gap.
Before entering the world of advocacy, Ms. Erickson was a journalist, working as the first legislative correspondent for WAMC-Northeast Public Radio, providing daily coverage of state government and politics and developing and hosting a weekly half-hour news show, The Legislative Gazette. She is now Chair of the WAMC Board of Trustees.
NYSBA Committee on Attorneys in Public Service
Catherine Christian, Chair
Terri Egan and Donna Giliberto, Award Co-Chairs