Civil Rights Areas of Practice
LGBTQ Rights
Empire Justice’s LGBTQ Rights Project provides free legal services to low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex New Yorkers, with a focus on representation in name changes and anti-discrimination in employment, education, housing, credit, and public accommodations.
Police Reform Project
Empire Justice Center’s Police Reform Project promotes equity, antiracism, and social justice within established criminal justice systems such as law enforcement departments and institutions of pre-trial incarceration.
School Discrimination
Empire Justice Center’s school discrimination helpline provides low-income New Yorkers access to advice and counsel for those who have experienced school-based discrimination at (800)724-0490 ext. 5827.
Disability Discrimination
Empire Justice Center provides advice and counsel and limited representation in cases involving discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
Content coming soon.
Civil Rights Team
Heidi Griffith
Jill Paperno
Katie Blum
Maggie Robb
Melinda Fithen
Mia Forney
Resources
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Training Videos
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DAP Basics training series is designed for new DAP attorneys, paralegals and advocates or more experienced advocates who need a refresher the basic concepts of disability law practice, covering the...
This session explains what Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is, rebutting SGA, earnings for part-time work, sheltered work, and other earnings considerations.
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DAP Basics training series is designed for new DAP attorneys, paralegals and advocates or more experienced advocates who need a refresher the basic concepts of disability law practice, covering the...
This session on residual functional capacity (RFC) comes up particularly at Steps Four and Five of the Sequential Evaluation , is the most a claimant can still do on a sustained daily bases despite their impairment related limitations. Here we’ll go through what RFC is and what RFC is not. exertional and non-exertional limitations, mental limitations and assessments.
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DAP Basics training series is designed for new DAP attorneys, paralegals and advocates or more experienced advocates who need a refresher the basic concepts of disability law practice, covering the...
In this session, we focus on the Medical-Vocational Guidelines – or the GRIDS that is Step Five of the Sequential Evaluation.
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DAP Basics training series is designed for new DAP attorneys, paralegals and advocates or more experienced advocates who need a refresher the basic concepts of disability law practice, covering the...
This session outlines the Appeals Process; application, reconsideration, ALJ Hearings, Appeals Council, Federal District Court, Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) and the importance of the 60 day deadline at each level of the review.
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DAP Basics training series is designed for new DAP attorneys, paralegals and advocates or more experienced advocates who need a refresher the basic concepts of disability law practice, covering the...
This session takes a more in-depth look at Step Four, Past Relevant Work of the Sequential Evaluation. What is past relevant work and what does SSA rely upon to determine the physical and mental demands of past relevant work.
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DAP Basics training series is designed for new DAP attorneys, paralegals and advocates or more experienced advocates who need a refresher the basic concepts of disability law practice, covering the...
This session will explain the standard of disability set by Congress in the Federal statute and go through Social Securities sequential evaluation steps as set forth in the regulations, which governs the way decisions are decided.
Recent News
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Litigation
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Myers v. Batavia City Board of Education, 13-CV-342S On April 5, 2013 Empire Justice Center filed a class action suit against Batavia City School District on behalf of three female softball players and their families, alleging wide disparities in treatment between girls’ softball and boys’ baseball. We are proud of the girls and their families […]
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HOSPITAL CARE IN NEW YORK Enforceability of the Right to Meaningful Language Access November 10, 2011 Author: Linda Hassberg By Bradley J. Schloss 1 and Linda Hassberg I. Introduction Hospitals in New York State are required to provide language assistance to consumers with limited English proficiency (LEP). LEP individuals are unable to communicate effectively in English because their primary language
