Thank you very much for your interest in the COVID-19 Pro Bono Recovery Task Force, formed through a partnership of the New York State Bar Association and the New York State Court System. The COVID-19 Recovery Task Force is coordinating this network and is chaired by former Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, currently of counsel at Latham & Watkins.

The mission of the Task Force is to facilitate the delivery of effective, comprehensive and efficient pro bono legal services, in urgent civil and criminal matters, to all New Yorkers in need during and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Do you Need Legal Assistance?

LawHelpNY.org is New York’s free legal information website. Here, you can access free information about a variety of legal issues. Under “Find a Lawyer,” you can enter your county and the type of legal issue you have to access a directory of free legal service providers who may be able to assist you.


**Working Group rosters and press releases may be found by clicking on the Resources tab on the left navigation menu.**


Meet the Task Force

  • Jonathan Lippman (Chair), Former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals and Of Counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Jason Myles Clark, Office of the New York State Attorney General
  • Dean Craig M. Boise, Syracuse University School of Law
  • Saralyn Cohen, pro bono counsel at Shearman & Sterling
  • Mylan L. Denerstein, partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
  • Dean Matthew Diller, Fordham Law School
  • Vincent E. Doyle, president of Neighborhood Legal Services in Buffalo and past president of NYSBA
  • Cynthia F. Feathers, director of quality enhancement for appellate and post-conviction representation at the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services
  • Sally Fisher Curran, Executive Director of Volunteer Lawyers Project on Onondaga County, Inc.
  • Robert J. Giuffra, Jr., partner at Sullivan & Cromwell
  • Rose Gill Hearn, principal at Bloomberg Associates
  • Seymour W. James, former attorney-in-chief of the NYC Legal Aid Society, partner at Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco and past president of NYSBA.
  • John Kiernan, a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton and past president of  the New York City Bar Association
  • Erin Law, Executive Director & Counsel at Morgan Stanley
  • Marcia Levy, executive director at Volunteers of Legal Service
  • Alan Levine, partner at Cooley
  • Edwina G. Mendelson, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives
  • John R. Morken, partner and head of the pro bono department at Farrell Fritz
  • Lillian M. Moy, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York
  • Gail Prudenti, Dean of Hofstra Law School and former presiding justice, Appellate Division, Second Department
  • James Sandman, president emeritus of the Legal Services Corporation in Washington, D.C.
  • Kathryn Wheelock, law clerk to Chief Judge DiFiore

New York State needs the help of attorneys to handle a surge in legal matters resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing economic fallout. Visit our Pro Bono Network to review current volunteer opportunities.

Committee Roster

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