Volunteer to Provide Free Legal Assistance

The NYC Office of Administrative Trials & Hearings (OATH) is the city’s central, independent administrative tribunal and adjudicates a variety of civil enforcement matters in its three divisions: the Trials Division, Hearings Division, and Special Education Hearings Division.  The range and volume of matters that come before OATH make it one of the busiest tribunals in the country.  OATH’s Pro Bono Program connects volunteer attorneys and law school students with nonprofit legal assistance organizations to provide free legal representation to pro se respondents who appear before OATH’s Hearings and Trials Divisions to contest summonses issued by city agencies.

The Service

Under the guidance and supervision of legal assistance organizations, volunteer pro bono attorneys or law school students help pro se respondents who are disputing summonses issued by the City’s various enforcement agencies. Attorneys/law students appear remotely before OATH Hearing Officers and handle cases covering all five boroughs. OATH hearings are quick and efficient. Cases may settle prior to a hearing or may proceed to a hearing before an OATH Hearing Officer (typically one day) who will then issue a written legal decision within thirty (30) days per the procedural rules. Pro bono representatives have often achieved reductions or dismissals of significant penalties on behalf of respondents.

In addition to providing a valuable service to respondents, pro bono experience helps attorneys and law students develop written and oral advocacy skills, legal research skills, and client counseling skills. The legal assistance organization will train pro bono attorneys/law students and CLE credits may be available.

How To Volunteer

Attorneys, law schools, law firms, bar associations or non-profit organizations that wish to join OATH’s Pro Bono Program as a volunteer please submit the Volunteer to Provide Free Legal Assistance Form.