Cuomo calls for better access to legal services for elderly, disabled

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a partnership Sept. 12 between the state Office for the Aging, the state Office of Court Administration and the New York State Bar Association to better provide affordable legal services to seniors and those with disabilities.

The effort will identify legal needs and barriers to justice faced by the elderly and the disabled, with the partnership aiming to develop a strategic plan to more effectively use existing resources, including attorney pro bono programs, to address the areas of greatest need.

The partnership expects to develop a number of educational programs and tools, including an interactive website, a series of community forums aimed at boosting awareness of various legal issues, an elder preparedness self-assessment tool, an elder law treatise for legal professionals, and strategies for increasing the availability of free and low-cost services.

In May, Jonathan Lippman, the state”™s chief justice, announced a new policy that will require prospective lawyers to complete 50 hours of pro bono work before being able to practice law in New York state.