I am writing to update you on the steps being taken by the Association and the City Bar Justice Center to provide assistance on various fronts in addressing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In doing so, we are mindful of the many efforts taking place nationwide to provide assistance to victims. New York City Bar efforts will be targeted to areas where we have special abilities to be helpful and where we can effectively target our assistance.

Displaced Persons Relocating to New York
The Association has set up a hotline to field calls from persons who have relocated to the New York area from the hurricane-stricken region and have law-related questions or problems. The number is (212)626-7373 and the email is katrinahelp@nycbar.org. We will offer callers in need of legal services the opportunity to be matched with a volunteer attorney "facilitator", drawing upon the successful model the City Bar Justice Center used in response to the September 11th tragedy. We are also making outreach efforts to schools, government leaders and others to make them aware of services available through the City Bar Justice Center and other organizations.

Aid to Persons in the Affected Areas
We are in communication with bar associations and legal services organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas to offer assistance, and are gearing up to serve as a resource for those organizations as they begin to assess and respond to requests for legal assistance.

Aid to Displaced Lawyers
We have received a number of calls from New Orleans lawyers who have relocated to this area and are seeking office space, secretarial assistance, employment and living space. We have been inquiring of lawyers as to whether they can provide any of the above. If you can, please reply to this email. We also encourage any displaced lawyers who need such assistance to contact our hotline at 212-626-7373 or rchild@nycbar.org.

Our Library will be open to displaced lawyers, and they may also avail themselves of the Small Law Firm Center. The Legal Career Center posted on our website provides a free posting of job opportunities targeted at lawyers displaced by the hurricane.

Aid to Law Students
Many students from Tulane and Loyola Law Schools have resettled in the New York area, and local law schools have generously taken them in to their student body. We are making efforts to reach out to these students to help integrate them into the New York legal community. We invite any such students to call the above hotline and let us know how we can reach you.

Policy Issues
Association committees and City Bar Justice Center pro bono volunteers are addressing and will address a number of substantive legal issues emanating from the Katrina disaster and the recovery effort which may lead to recommended changes in law, regulation, policies and practices. We are identifying individuals and committees to coordinate our efforts in different subject areas. In some cases, there will be a need to act with great speed, given the pace of events, and we will be responsive.

Website
We have set up a page on the City Bar website, www.nycbar.org, to provide information and assistance regarding Katrina aid, and will be updating that page frequently as new information becomes available.

Fundraising
You are all aware of the many opportunities to donate funds to relief efforts. We are monitoring the fundraising to be sure that the legal services organizations and others serving the legal needs of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina are receiving increased funding to deal with the overwhelming demand for their services. We may well be communicating further with you on this subject.

More to Come
There is more to be done, and we will indeed do more. I welcome your suggestions for how the Association can help ease the hardships of those affected by this unprecedented event.

Bettina B. Plevan
President
New York City Bar Association
42 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
www.nycbar.org

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