Poverty Justice Solutions Host Organization Application

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Each year, thousands of New Yorkers find themselves in Housing Court facing eviction without the benefit ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSof legal representation. 2 Poverty Justice Solutions, an initiative of New York State Chief Judge Jonathan TABLELippman, OF CONTENTSis working to 3 close the gap. 4 EXECUTIVEThe product SUMMARY of a unique public-private partnership involving the Robin Hood Foundation, New York State INTRODUCTIONUnified Court System, 5 Center for Court Innovation, and the New York City Human Resources Administra- tion, Poverty Justice Solutions will place 20 new attorneys in two-year fellowships at civil legal services FINDINGS 8 organizations in New York City. RECOMMENDATIONS 13 Fellows will be treated as full-time employees of their host organizations and will receive the compensa- A. IDENTIFYING AND DEFINING THE ISSUE 14 tion, benefits, training, supervision, and mentoring support provided to all entry-level attorneys. They will B.also CONNECTING participate in ATTENDANCE special training TO eventsFUTURE offered OUTCOMES by Poverty Justice Solutions. 17

C. ADDRESSING STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE 21 Poverty Justice Solutions will provide participating service providers with $31,000 a year per Fellow; ser- D.vice PROVIDING providers INTERVENTIONSwill underwrite the FOR rest YOUTHS of Fellows’ AFFECTED salaries. BY, They OR AT-RISKare free FOR,to identify CHRONIC this matchingABSENTEEISM money 26 as they see fit, but one available source is the Human Resources Administration, which now oversees the CONCLUSION 33 expansion and consolidation of the city’s funding of civil legal assistance programs. WORKS CITED 34 Poverty Justice Solutions builds on the foundation of the Pro Bono Scholars Program, created by Chief YOUTH JUSTICE BOARD MEMBER AND STAFF BIOGRAPHIES 36 Judge Lippman last year. The program allows students at New York’s law schools to take the bar exam in APPENDIXFebruary of 1: theirRESEARCH third year DESIGN in exchange for performing pro bono work full time during the remainder of 40 APPENDIXtheir school 2: term.THE YOUTH Participants JUSTICE in the BOARD Pro Bono PROGRAM Scholars program will receive first priority for Fellows slots.42

Poverty Justice Fellows will work exclusively on Housing Court cases representing clients facing potential eviction or seeking repairs. Poverty Justice Solutions will be overseen by an advisory board chaired by Chief Judge Lippman and will be administered as a project of the Center for Court Innovation.

Any organization that wishes to host a Fellow must fill out the Host Organization Application. Applications must be submitted to [email protected] by April 28, 2015. Awards will be made in mid-May. HOST ORGANIZATION COVER SHEET

DATE OF APPLICATION:

LEGAL NAME OF ORGANIZATION:

ADDRESS(ES) WHERE FELLOW(S) WILL BE HOSTED:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

CONTACT PERSON AND TITLE (IF NOT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR):

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSTELEPHONE NUMBER: 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 E-MAIL: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 PLEASE INDICATE HOW MANY FELLOWS YOU ARE SEEKING TO HOST: INTRODUCTION 5

FINDINGSHOW MANY 8 POTENTIAL FELLOWS (IF ANY) HAVE YOU ALREADY IDENTIFIED? HOW MANY (IF ANY) ARE PRO BONO SCHOLARS? RECOMMENDATIONS 13

A. IDENTIFYING AND DEFINING THE ISSUE 14

B. CONNECTING ATTENDANCE TO FUTURE OUTCOMES 17

C. ADDRESSING STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE 21

D. PROVIDING INTERVENTIONS FOR YOUTHS AFFECTED BY, OR AT-RISK FOR, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM 26

CONCLUSION 33

WORKS CITED 34

YOUTH JUSTICE BOARD MEMBER AND STAFF BIOGRAPHIES 36

APPENDIX 1: RESEARCH DESIGN 40

APPENDIX 2: THE YOUTH JUSTICE BOARD PROGRAM 42

2 Poverty Justice Solutions Application

INSTRUCTIONS

Please submit this application only if your organization consents to the terms set forth below:

TERMS OF PLACEMENT

• Justice Fellows will be employees of their host organizations. Host organizations will be responsible for selecting Fellows. • Host organizations will provide all direct supervision of the Fellows. • The individuals that the Fellows serve will be clients of the host organization, not the Center for Court Innovation or any other partners. • Host organizations must provide Fellows with health insurance and the full bundle of benefits provided to all their entry-level attorneys. Host organizations must also ensure that all Fellows are covered by the organization’s malpractice insurance. • Fellows will be placed at host organizations for two years, with a projected start date of the week of July 27 or August 3. • At least 90 percent of Fellows’ time must be used to deliver direct legal services to low-income clients on housing-related matters. • Fellows will be required to participate in ongoing CLE and other professional development opportunities. • Host organizations will be responsible for providing Fellows with a dedicated workspace, computer, phone, IT support, and all relevant office supplies. • Host organizations will be responsible for robust reporting requirements on the Fellows’ and organization’s work.

HOST ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible to host a Justice Fellow, an organization will be required to:

• Have an existing legal service program that serves low-income New Yorkers. • Have sufficient supervision capacity to support the Fellow(s). • Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. • For each Fellow, report the number of clients screened. • Provide estimate of average staff hours spent on all cases (pending or closed) by case type. • Report on the number of cases closed during the first year of Poverty Justice Solutions. Provide breakout of cases closed by each Fellow. • Report on the number of cases opened during the first year of Poverty Justice Solutions. Provide breakout of cases still open by each Fellow. • Report on the percentage of closed cases that have a successful outcome (i.e., the client received the legal benefit sought).

3 Poverty Justice Solutions Application Poverty Justice Solutions Application

• Provide breakout of types of cases (full representation, advice and counsel) handled during the first year of Poverty Justice Solutions. • Report on referrals made to other non-profit organizations for other services. Provide overall number of referrals made. Provide breakout of types of referrals.

Part One: Organization Background

Please provide answers in a separate document:

1. Provide a brief description of your organization, including its mission and history. Briefly describe the nature of the legal work in which your organization engages, particularly housing cases.

2. Who will supervise Fellows? How many people do they each currently supervise? Please attach a copy of the resume of each legal staff member you anticipate will provide supervision.

3. Staffing: a. How many employees does your organization have? b. What is the number of housing legal staff you employ?

Part Two: Plan for 2015-2016 Fellows

1. Please use the table below to explain what types of cases you anticipate each Poverty Justice Fellow will handle in year one, the approximate percentage of time they will spend on each type of matter, and the approximate number of each type of case they will handle.

Case Type Percent of Cases Number of cases Eviction HP Other Total 100%

2. Do you anticipate that Fellows will do other kinds of legal work? Examples could include community intake, staffing legal clinics, running court dockets, mentoring pro bono attorneys, etc. Please describe.

3. Explain what impact the Fellows will have on your organization’s capacity to deliver legal services.

4 Application to Host Justice Fellows Poverty Justice Solutions Application

4. Describe any restrictions imposed by your organization’s funding and/or mission: a. Do you have geographic restrictions? b. Are you required to take certain types of cases or cases for particular populations? c. Are there any cases you are prohibited from taking/populations you are barred from serving? d. Are there types of cases/populations/geographies for which you receive funding from other sources that would impact what Fellows could work on?

Part Three: Fellows Information

If you have already identified prospective Fellows, provide the following information for each: a. How was the prospective Fellow(s) selected? Did they serve as a Pro Bono Scholar? b. Please attach resume, cover letter, and law school transcript for each prospective Fellow. Each cover letter should include a statement of why the applicant is interested in providing housing- related legal services and what qualifies him/her for the position. c. Please indicate whether the prospective Fellow(s) have language skills that may enhance their ability to assist clients with limited English proficiency.

If you are applying without having identified any prospective fellows, please include a statement concern- ing your plans to select Fellow(s). Part Four: Additional Information

Describe your organization’s plan to provide matching funds.

If there is any further information you would like to share in support of your application, please do so here.

Part Five: Supporting Documents

Please include the following items as part of your application:

• Proof of 501(c)(3) status. • Most recent audited financial statements and budgets for current fiscal year. • List of titles and names of management and board of directors. • Summary of benefits that will be provided to Fellows, including health insurance, retirement benefits, transportation, and mobile phone subsidies. • Proof of malpractice insurance. • Optional: References from funders who can attest to the quality of the legal services you provide and/or from individuals who completed fellowship programs at your organization within last five years.