For The Public
Service to the community has been a significant part of the mission of the Nassau County Bar Association since its inception in 1899. A variety of free public education programs and services for the general community and the schools of Nassau County are made possible through the volunteer efforts of our members.
Legal Services
Lawyer Referral Information Service
If you think you need a lawyer, chances are you do. People often postpone getting legal help because they do not know a lawyer or are unsure of how to choose one.
The Nassau County Bar Association established the Lawyer Referral Information Service (LRIS) to provide trained personalized assistance to help you find the right lawyer for your legal issue.
There are more than 500 participating private practice attorneys on the panel who have experience in all areas of the law. All are in good standing with the New York State Bar Association. It is important that you seek competent legal assistance before your situation becomes a serious problem. DON’T DELAY!
Bankruptcy Clinics
NCBA members provide pro bono legal assistance to indigent individuals who cannot afford attorneys and who meet income guidelines. The clinics are held bi-monthly at the NCBA headquarters, where attorneys review the individual’s financial situation to determine if bankruptcy is the best course of action.
→ For more information, contact
Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee
One Helen Keller Way
Hempstead, NY 11550-3903
(516) 292-8100
Alternative Dispute Resolution Tribunal
The NCBA has established an Alternative Dispute Resolution Tribunal. NCBA members are available as arbitrators or mediators for the resolution of disputes for the courts, litigants, parties to contracts and to the general public.
Employment Dispute Resolution Program
The Nassau County Bar Association’s EDR program was created as an alternative to going to court to resolve statutory employment disputes between employers and employees. Both parties agree to be bound by the decision of a member of the panel of specially trained attorneys.
Mortgage Foreclosure Pro Bono Program
In 2008, the Nassau County Bar Association, in partnership with Nassau/Suffolk Law Services, the Nassau Regional Office of the Attorney General and the County of Nassau, became the first bar association in New York State to address the looming mortgage foreclosure crisis by launching its Mortgage Foreclosure Pro Bono Project, a program that provides free legal assistance to help Nassau homeowners stave off foreclosure on their homes.
→ Nassau County residents interested in more information may contact the Nassau County Default Counseling Prevention Hotline – 516-571-HOME (4663).
Veterans Advocacy Project
In 2007, the Nassau County Bar Association, working closely with the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency, launched the Veterans Advocacy Legal Project, a program to provide free legal assistance for returning veterans who face legal challenges resulting from their current military service. NCBA attorneys have volunteered to provide free (also known as pro bono) legal assistance to any returning veteran who may be facing such legal issues as discrimination in the workforce, credit penalties incurred during military service, or even eviction or foreclosure issues that may be a result of their military service.
→ Returning veterans wishing legal assistance may contact the Nassau County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Office at 516-747-4832 or email LawyerReferral@nassaubar.org.
Community Services
Lawyers are available free of charge to give dynamic and informative presentations on a variety of legal topics at meetings of community, business, civic, philanthropic and fraternal organizations. Presentations can be tailored to the specific interests of your members.
→ To request a speaker, submit the Speakers Bureau Request Form 4 to 6 weeks before your meeting date. You will receive confirmation with the attorney’s name and contact information. Views expressed by speakers are their own and not those of the NCBA.
Employers can request a free public education presentation at the work site for employees during the lunch hour. A variety of legal topics, unrelated to employment, will help employees to understand laws relating to personal issues.
Employees are encouraged to bring their lunch when attending a presentation. Presentations last approximately one hour, including a question-and-answer period.
→ To request a speaker, submit the Lunch with a Lawyer Request Form 4 to 6 weeks before your meeting date. You will receive confirmation with the attorney’s name and contact information.
Senior Citizen Consultation Clinics
Each month, attorneys give free 30-minute private consultations to Nassau County residents 65 years of age and over. The consultation does not provide free legal service.
→ Advance telephone registration is required. Please call the
Public Education Seminars
Free community education seminars on legal issues of concern to the general public are held several times each year at the Nassau County Bar Association. Seminar presentations deal with topics to interest a wide range of audience: DWI laws, real estate taxes, elder law, workplace issues, housing, family and matrimonial law, discrimination, identity theft, special education, home improvement contracts, and a host of others.
Student Services
Mock Trial Tournament
Each year, Nassau County Bar Association lawyers volunteer to encourage and motivate high school students to consider a career in the legal profession by giving them support and advice to argue a real case in a real courtroom during Mock Trial. The annual New York State High School Mock Trial Tournament, the nation's largest, provides students with hands-on opportunities to further their understanding of the law, court procedures and the legal system, while honing their speaking, listening, reading and reasoning skills. With 44 high schools and nearly 500 students participating, the Nassau contest is the largest single-county competition in the state.
Student Mentoring Program
Attorneys act as mentors to middle school students selected by guidance counselors, meeting with them on school premises twice monthly for 45 minutes during the school year. The one-on-one program permits mentor and student to develop a rapport, and motivates students to set and work towards positive goals.
→ Attorneys wishing to serve as mentors, please call NCBA at (516) 747-4070.
Lawyer in the Classroom Program
Lawyers bring the real world of law into the classroom, speaking on a wide range of law topics relevant to the curriculum and grade level, to enhance understanding of the law and to promote responsible citizenship.
Lawyers visit classrooms as guest lecturers/discussion leaders on legal issues relevant to curriculum.
→ To request a speaker, fill out and submit the Lawyer in the Classroom Request Form 4 to 6 weeks before your desired date. You will receive confirmation with the attorney’s name and contact information.
Arts & Letters Competition
As part of the annual national observance of Law Day, a competition for students in grades 7 through 12 solicits entries on a designated theme in the forms of poetry, essay, and a variety of art media. Winners are honored at the NCBA’s Law Day Student Awards Reception in May.
