Success Stories

Women's Prison Association Law Project, New York City

For a second consecutive year, The New York Bar Foundation awarded a grant in January to the Women’s Prison Association for its Law Project. The Law Project provides civil legal services to women who have been involved in the criminal justice system. While the Law Project does not restrict its services by income, the overwhelming majority of its clients are indigent, and a significant number are homeless at the time of intake. 

Low-income women with criminal justice histories confront many of the same problems that plague other underserved populations including the child welfare system, domestic violence, lack of safe and affordable housing, difficulty accessing public benefits, and barriers to employment, among others. Most clients require multiple and ongoing meetings, advocacy, and support throughout the life of their court cases or until their presenting issues are resolved. With financial aid provided by The Foundation and others, 151 clients received services in 2008 through the Law Project.