The Legal Aid Society was founded in 1876 in New York to defend the individual rights of German immigrants who could not afford to hire a lawyer. A large donation from the
Rockefeller Family in 1890 enabled the organization to expand its services and include individuals from every background.[1] It was renamed the New York Legal Aid Society in 1890.[4] The society is governed by a board of directors. On December 2, 2010, Richard J. Davis was elected chairman of the board.
Presidents
Alan Levine, president 2019 to present
Blaine V. (Fin) Fogg, president from 2009 to 2019.[5]
The Legal Aid Society provides a range of civil legal services, as well as criminal defense work, and juvenile representation in
Family Court. The organization's primary purpose is to provide free legal assistance to New Yorkers who live at or below the poverty level and cannot afford to hire a lawyer when confronted with a legal problem.[19] It handles more than 200,000 indigent criminal cases every year, serves as attorneys to more than 30,000 children and represents families, individuals and community groups in more than 30,000 cases. Legal Aid also conducts major
class action litigation on behalf of thousands of welfare recipients, foster children, homeless families, elderly poor, inmates at
Rikers Island and other prisoners.
^"Hughes Heads Legal Aid. Republican Candidate for President Succeeds Von Briesen". New York Times. December 29, 1916. Retrieved September 28, 2014. At a meeting of the Directors of the Legal Aid Society yesterday afternoon ex-Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Hughes was elected President unanimously to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Arthur von Briesen. Mr. Hughes has been a member of the Legal Aid Society from its early days, and became an Honorary Vice President in 1911.
^"Von Briesen Is Out As Legal Aid Head. Criticism Because of His German Name One Reason for Declining Re-election". New York Times. February 26, 1915. Retrieved September 28, 2014. Because of his German name Arthur von Briesen, for more than twenty-five years head of the Legal Aid Society, refused at the society's annual meeting yesterday to accept the Presidency for another year. After some pleading, however, he decided to withhold his decision, and if no other selection could be agreed upon, to serve, but only for one more year. ...