The Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Project run by the City Bar Justice Center provides free, limited-scope legal services to self-represented litigants (plaintiffs and defendants) with civil cases in the U.S. District Court for the Southern and the Eastern Districts of New York who cannot afford to hire an attorney. The City Bar Justice Center, which not part of or run by the Court, assists litigants with federal civil cases including cases involving civil rights, employment discrimination, and disability discrimination.
While there is no automatic right to counsel in civil cases, the CBJC can provide limited-scope services such as:
- Brief legal counseling
- Advising litigants about whether they should file a federal lawsuit
- Interpreting and explaining federal law and procedure
- Reviewing draft pleadings and correspondence with the Court
Litigants in need of legal assistance should complete the City Bar Justice Center’s intake form to make an appointment. If a litigant has questions about the intake form or needs to highlight an urgent deadline already disclosed in the form, the clinic can be contacted by phone (212-382-4794) or email (fedprosdny@nycbar.org). In-person appointments in the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse in Manhattan and the Charles L. Brieant Jr. Federal Building and Courthouse in White Plains are available Monday through Thursday, 10am to 4pm. Appointments are also available remotely Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm.