Federal Pro Se Assistance Program Reports Progress
New York Law Journal, June 25, 2015
Federal Pro Se Assistance Program Reports Progress
Since its March 18 launch, the Federal Pro Se Legal Assistance Project, or FedPro, has advised more than 100 pro se litigants on a wide variety of federal cases ranging from civil rights issues to small business disputes and foreclosure actions. “When low-income pro se litigants have access to high quality legal advice and assistance, the facts and legal issues can be presented more clearly, and the litigants can proceed more strategically,” Nancy Rosenbloom, FedPro’s project director, said in an email. Rosenbloom said the pilot program allows cases to move forward more efficiently. She also said it increases the likelihood that some cases will settle and that some litigants find they would “achieve better outcomes” by taking their cases to forums other than federal court. FedPro operates from the Eastern District courthouse in Brooklyn. The New York City Bar Association provides supervision, malpractice insurance, computers, a cloud-based case management system and a network of attorneys who provide pro bono services.
