Covid-19 Tenant Legal Assistance Project Seeks Volunteers

At the end of March, over 30% of New York renters with children reported being behind on their rent. Despite the CDC Moratorium and the NY COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act, eviction proceedings are taking place now. Our Covid-19 Tenant Legal Assistance Project allows volunteer attorneys to help Suffolk County tenants without the ongoing obligations of full representation.

Volunteer attorneys will provide advice and counsel over the phone or through virtual counseling sessions. Those interested may also represent tenants in court on a limited scope representation basis with no commitment to ongoing representation. Michele Fischetti, an NSLS staff attorney with years of experience representing tenants, will coordinate the program and provide training and support to volunteers.

Nassau Suffolk Law Services’ Civil Units in both counties and the Volunteer Attorney of the Day program in Nassau County also continue to serve low-income clients, with the goal of being available at all Landlord-Tenant court days island-wide.

Attorneys interested in volunteering in Suffolk County to help people struggling to recover from the pandemic’s economic consequences may contact Michele Fischetti, Esq. at mfischetti@nsls.legal. Attorneys interested in the Volunteer Attorney of the Day program in Nassau County may contact Roberta Scoll, Esq. at rscoll@nsls.legal.