Who We Are:

The Fifth Judicial District Pro Bono Action Now Program is the first pro bono program to be funded by the New York State Unified Court System. The Program is run by a Committee of judges and lawyers in the Fifth Judicial District whose goal is to try to meet some of the unmet civil legal needs of low-income persons that can not be met by other legal service providers by using Pro Bono lawyers. Pro Bono means work that is done without financial compensation for the public good. The Committee recruits lawyers who are willing to volunteer time to help those unable to afford a lawyer and who have important legal needs.

Who is eligible for what type of Pro Bono legal services?

The types of legal services to be provided are very broad, however the Program will not provide any assistance in criminal matters. Clients will be screened under our financial guidelines and must live in Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga, or Oswego county. If eligible, clients will receive legal assistance if their case requires the assistance of an attorney, if their case falls within the Program's priorities and if there is a Pro Bono lawyer willing to assist the client.

Legal Assistance Provided by the Pro Bono Program:

The legal assistance provided may range from information and referral, to counsel and advice, to full representation before administrative agencies, state courts, or federal courts. The types of cases that lawyers will handle are many. Just a few examples of the types of cases that may be evaluated for case acceptance include:

• Divorce
• Evictions
• Probate
• Defense of a lawsuit