New York Legal Services Coalition

23/09/2026

Join us on Thursday, September 24 from 1PM – 5PM to tune into the 2026 Chief Judges Hearing where many of our Coalition members will be testifying, including our President of the Board, Kristin Brown.

During the hearing, you will learn from legal experts, advocates, and clients about the ongoing unmet civil legal services needs in New York and the need to assess the additional resources to bridge these service gaps.

You can listen in live using this link:

The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York, Hon. Rowan D. Wilson, will hold a statewide public hearing on Thursday, September 24, 2026 to evaluate the continuing unmet civil legal services needs in New York and to assess the level of resources necessary to meet those needs. Th...

31/08/2026

Today, Kristin Brown, President of the New York Legal Services Coalition and CEO of Empire Justice Center, joined a press conference alongside Alliance Against Sexual Violence, , and thanking Kathy Hochul for stepping in to stem what were devastating cuts to services that support and advocate for victims of crime, child abuse, intimate partner violence, sexual violence and family by the Office of Victims Services (OVS), which administers the federal Victims of Crimes Act (VOCA) funding.

We look forward to working together to fix the structural problems with the way the funding is administered.

Read press release here:

This morning, advocates representing R**e Crisis Programs (RCPs), Domestic Violence Providers, Child Advoacy Centers (CACs), and legal services organizations applauded Governor Hochul for committing $36 million to make up for funding losses from t...

28/08/2026

Congratulations, Vinny! 🎉

Congratulations to Rossetti Founder & Principal of Rossetti Government Relations, on being named a 2026 New York Powerhouse Lobbyist of the Year by USLege’s Best in Government Affairs awards.

As the New York Legal Services Coalition’s lobbyist, Vinny has been a cornerstone of the coalition’s successes and growth. He has been amazing to work with, and on behalf of the New York Legal Services Coalition, we sincerely thank him for all the work he does for the legal services sector in New York.

This recognition celebrates Vinny’s tireless advocacy, policy expertise, and commitment to delivering meaningful results for communities across New York.

Learn more here: https://www.uslege.ai/best-in-government-affairs/new-york/2026/vincent-rossetti

Vincent Rossetti of Rossetti Government Relations is a 2026 Best in Government Affairs New York honoree, recognized as Powerhouse Lobbyists of the Year.

10/08/2026

We’re proud to share that the New York Legal Services Coalition has been named a 2026 Top Trade Association by City and State NY.

Congratulations to our President, Kristin Brown Lilley—and thank you for your leadership and partnership in advancing access to justice across New York. Kristin also serves as CEO & President at Empire Justice Center.

This is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of all of our members. Thank you for making this work possible.

Grateful for this recognition—and motivated for what’s ahead.

Read more here: https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2026/08/2026-top-trade-associations/415212/?oref=csny-author-river -york-legal-services-coalition

10/08/2026

https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2026/08/2026-top-trade-associations/415212/?oref=csny-author-river -york-legal-services-coalition

🎉 Congratulations to Kristin Brown Lilley!

We’re so proud to see our President & CEO and Board President of the New York Legal Services Coalition, for being recognized on City and State NY's 2026 Top Trade Associations list!

This recognition celebrates Kristin’s leadership and her work to strengthen New York’s nonprofit sector. Together with New York Legal Services Coalition, Kristin has helped bring attention to the challenges nonprofits face when state contracts and payments are delayed, and build momentum for change.

New York’s nonprofit contracting reform bill has passed the Legislature and now needs the Governor’s signature.

30/06/2026

Last week, we joined nonprofit leaders, advocates, and elected officials to celebrate the passage of long-overdue nonprofit contracting reforms and urged Governor Kathy Hochul to sign them into law.
Nonprofits provide housing assistance, legal services, healthcare, workforce development, and other essential supports that millions of New Yorkers rely on every day. Yet too often, organizations are forced to wait months—or even longer—to be paid for services they've already delivered.

The legislation passed by both chambers would create clearer payment timelines, strengthen accountability, and provide advance payments to help nonprofits maintain services without interruption.
Thank you to State Senator Shelley Mayer and Assemblywoman Amy R. Paulin for championing these reforms. Now it's time to get them signed into law.

Click here for photos and video from the press conference.

09/06/2026

Big news for New York nonprofits: The Legislature has passed landmark contracting reform legislation that will help fix the State’s broken payment system for nonprofit providers.

For too long, nonprofits delivering vital services – including civil legal services – have waited years—to be paid for work already completed. These delays force organizations to take on debt, drain reserves, and divert resources away from the communities they serve.

This legislation, sponsored by Senator Shelley Mayer and Assemblymember Amy Paulin, will establish clearer payment timelines, improve accountability and transparency, expand access to bridge financing, and help ensure nonprofits can focus on serving New Yorkers rather than navigating bureaucratic delays.

Thank you to Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Carl Heastie, our bill sponsors and all the legislators who voted for this for recognizing the urgency of this issue and advancing these critical reforms.

The Legislature has acted. Now it's time to finish the job. Governor Kathy Hochul, please sign S.9761/A.10741 into law.




Read more here: https://westfaironline.com/economy/nonprofits-urge-hochul-to-sign-reform-bill-when-it-reaches-her-desk/

03/06/2026

Nonprofits across New York are still waiting on delayed contract payments and facing unpredictable funding processes that make it harder to keep serving communities.

When funding is delayed, essential services are put at risk — from legal aid to housing support to healthcare and education.

Lawmakers can fix this. It only takes a minute to send a message urging legislators to improve nonprofit contracting and ensure organizations get paid on time.

Take action here:

May 2026 Contracting Action Alert

29/05/2026

The FY27 New York State Budget includes major investments in civil legal services that will help providers meet rising demand across the state.

At a time when many New Yorkers face eviction, immigration proceedings, domestic violence, and loss of essential income without guaranteed legal representation, these investments are critical.

The budget:
• Restores full IOLA spending authority ($102.5M)
• Increases OCA civil legal services funding by $25M
• Adds $10M for immigration legal services through ONA

Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Judiciary Chair Luis Sepúlveda, Assembly Judiciary Chair Charles Lavine, and Chief Judge Rowan Wilson for recognizing the importance of stable, sustained funding for civil legal services.

We look forward to continuing work on nonprofit contracting reforms before the end of session.

Read our full statement here: https://nylscoalition.org/sfy27-ny-budget

NY Legal Services Coalition Applauds Final Budget Investments in Civil Legal Services, Strengthening Access to Justice Statewide Budget fortifies core funding streams that help low-income New Yorkers access housing, safety, and essential benefits