Today Assemblymember Bronson announced an $80,000 investment from New York State for the expansion of the Telesca Center for Justice, a nonprofit civil defense collaborative committed to stabilizing lives through the power of law.

Founded in 2005, the Telesca Center for Justice leverages the resources and expertise of four nonprofit law firms – Empire Justice, JustCause, The Legal Aid Society of Rochester (LASROC), and Legal Assistance Western New York (LawNY) – to provide civil legal services to low-income residents in Rochester and Monroe County.

The $80,000 secured by Assemblymember Bronson in the FY 24-25 budget enables the Telesca Center to support a joint staff person to serve all agencies, continuing to leverage the collaborative and inclusive nature of their legal services.

“The Telesca Center for Justice is a unique model of legal services rooted in thoughtful collaboration in an easily accessible co-location. Its partners demonstrate the impact of a community-centered justice organization working to ensure the basic American principle that all people – regardless of income – deserve and should receive fair and equal legal representation. With this $80,000 secured by New York State, I am proud to support the work they are doing to bring increased equity to our civil legal system by providing counsel to thousands of families and individuals in Rochester and Monroe County, so that low-income people will not continue to

suffer from the negative effects of inaccessible representation.” – Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson, Chair of Labor.

About the Telesca Center: With the motto, “Four agencies. One stable community. Together, justice for all,” the Telesca Center was born of the overwhelming difficulty clients faced navigating the complexities of the civil legal system, which lacks affordable and low-income service providers. This has resulted in thousands of Monroe County residents who do not have the financial means to resolve their legal matters. These matters include consumer credit and protection, custody, healthcare, bankruptcy, eviction or foreclosure, wage disputes, divorce, etc., that would often go unaddressed, placing people in further financial arrears and legal trouble.

The partnership focuses on the following areas:

• Expanding access to legal services for low-income and underserved populations
• Developing new programs and services to address emerging legal needs
• Advocating for policies that promote justice and equality
• Increasing public awareness of legal rights and resources
• Collaborative fundraising and development efforts

Through their shared space, the Telesca Center has emerged as a one-stop-shop for legal advice, representation, and resources. They also partner with other community service providers needing to connect low-income clients to civil counsel. Importantly, when people with low income have opportunities to resolve their civil legal matters in a timely manner, it brings measurable and meaningful benefits to our entire community.

Civil legal matters represent the most common legal needs of most New Yorkers. According to data, eight in ten Americans face a civil legal problem each year, and often, one civil legal problem begets another leading to increased financial burdens, homelessness, unsafe situations, job loss, loss of custody, and more. Representation by a quality attorney can make the difference between confronting and resolving legal matters, and those worsening outcomes.

Collectively, the Telesca Partners handled more than 19,000 civil legal cases (ranging from family law matters like divorce, custody, and supporting survivors of domestic violence; to preventing homelessness through foreclosure and eviction prevention; and supporting community members and a variety of matters in between) benefiting more than 45,000 community members in 2023 alone. In addition, nearly 1 million New Yorkers benefit from services other than direct legal representation (which includes community legal education, pro se assistance, online information/assistance, and outreach assistance) provided by the Telesca Partners each year. The effects of Empire Justice Center’s systemic legislative work and impact litigation are difficult to quantify, given the wide-reaching and seemingly endless rippling impact across the state and -in many cases- for decades.

“The Telesca Center for Justice honors the strength that comes with true collaboration and multiplies the partners' collective impact, ensuring more community members have access to justice. We’re incredibly grateful for Assemblymember Bronson’s continued support and commitment to bring reality to the promise of access to justice for all,” said Carla Palumbo – President & CEO, The Legal Aid Society of Rochester, NY

“Our partnership within the Telesca Center significantly boosts our ability to serve Monroe County residents and address complex legal issues more effectively. We are deeply grateful for the support of our collaborative efforts and remain committed to working together to meet the needs of our community,” said Lori M. O’Brien, Esq. - Executive Director, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY)

"The Telesca Center for Justice is a beacon of hope for those facing civil legal challenges. Our collaboration of four nonprofit legal services agencies provides essential support, empowering individuals and families to navigate complex legal systems and access fundamental needs,” said Kristin Brown – President & CEO, Empire Justice Center

“The statistics are staggering. Only 20% of low-income Americans can afford legal representation in civil cases, while those who can afford it have a significantly higher chance of a successful outcome. This is a gap that the Telesca Center for Justice partners are actively working to bridge. We stand united in our shared vision of an empowered and stable community where access to justice is for all,” said Tina Foster – Executive Director, JustCause

About the Telesca Center Partner Organizations:

Empire Justice Center is a statewide, nonprofit law firm with the dual purpose of teaching and practicing law. They provide training, support, and technical assistance to legal services and other community‐based organizations so that they can better serve their clients, as well as providing direct, civil legal representation to low‐income people. Empire Justice is also engaged in policy analysis, research, and advocacy and undertaking impact litigation to get at the root of systemic issues.

JustCause improves the quality of life of low‐income residents of Monroe County by ensuring a readily available panel of over 1,500 skilled volunteer attorneys to resolve serious legal problems. JustCause inspires and empowers our legal community to provide compassionate, pro bono civil legal services to achieve life-changing results for those who need it most.

The Legal Aid Society of Rochester (LASROC) is a nonprofit law firm that provides direct civil legal services, advocacy, and related human services to financially eligible individuals in Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, and Wayne counties.

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY) is a regional nonprofit law firm that envisions a society where access to justice is not determined by one’s social or economic status. LawNY provides direct legal advocacy, self-help tools, and community education in 14 New York counties, including Monroe, Ontario, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Livingston, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Tioga, Wayne, and Yates.

To learn more about the services provided by the Telesca Center or if you are in need of civil legal support, please visit their Web site or call: (585) 232-4090.