In 2006, then Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye issued a clarion call for help: The New York City Family Court was flooded with cases, and about 80 percent of the litigants were pro se. A new program, the New York City Family Court Volunteer Program, was launched. Under it, law firms would commit to staffing various courts a few days a month and attorneys would be on hand to counsel litigants just before they went before the judge.
Three attorneys and their firms—Stephanie R. Feld of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Jamie L. Halavais of Dechert; Rene A. Kathawala of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe—were among the first to step up. The program has now helped more than 8,000 litigants in cases involving child support, paternity, custody, guardianship, visitation and orders of protection, said Angela M. Britton, court attorney to the program.
