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Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc.

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The Civil Legal Services Unit provides legal assistance in Housing, Divorce, Mortgage & Tax Foreclosures, Unemployment Insurance, Bankruptcy and Other Consumer matters, Wills & other End-of-Life Documents, Immigration, Veterans matters, and Reentry matters, as detailed in the following categories below.

- Family Justice: Provides divorce representation in both contested and uncontested divorce matters, including cases involving contested custody, domestic violence, mental health issues, or client vulnerability, as well as Post-matrimonial Enforcements & Modifications. Also handle some Family Court matters including child or spousal support, custody, visitation, and family-offense petitions.

- Housing: Can help homeowners set priorities to maintain home ownership and neighborhood stability while under financial constrictions. Represents homeowners and tenants in court and may refer them to other not-for-profit agencies and funding resources for assistance.

- Employment: Provides advice, counsel, or direct representation to low-income workers facing denial of unemployment insurance benefits and workplace discrimination or retaliation, including discrimination based on past criminal convictions.

- Veterans: Provides advice, counsel, or direct representation to service members about their rights, as well as divorce, child support, custody, visitation, family offense (order of protection), and spousal support. Participates in the Erie County Veterans Court, a single venue whose aim is in to achieve successful reintegration into civilian culture.

- LGBTQ: Staff is fully familiar with marriage-equality rights and the impact of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act on same-sex marriages in New York. Provides advice, counsel, or direct representation in cases of child support, divorce, parental rights, employment discrimination, domestic violence, name changes, housing, educational discrimination, and youth issues related to school and other services.

- Re-Entry: Provides the following services for clients returning to the community from a correctional facility: aids clients in preparing applications for relief of civil disabilities, assists clients in obtaining, reviewing, verifying, correcting, and sealing criminal records, assists with restoring professional licenses suspended on conviction, assists with child support modification, and refers clients to appropriate reentry partners in Erie and surrounding counties regarding counseling, training, employment, and housing opportunities.

- Immigrants, Asylee & Refugees: Assists immigrants with naturalization paperwork, adjustments of status, employment authorization documents, and family reunification matters. Also provides assistance with asylum applications in some instances.

- Wills & Estates: Works to preserve generational wealth through preparation of wills, powers of attorney, health care proxies & living wills, and title transfer documents. Also provides advice and counsel in some Surrogate's Court matters.

The Criminal Defense Unit represents indigent persons charged with criminal offenses in the City of Buffalo, including misdemeanors under both the New York State Penal Law and the Vehicle & Traffic Law, as well as C, D and E Felonies. Starting January 1, 2026, our services will also include B Felonies in the City of Buffalo, as well as misdemeanors under both the New York State Penal Law and the Vehicle & Traffic Law, as well as B, C, D and E Felonies in the Town of Cheektowaga.

The Attorneys for Children is privileged to represent children in neglect, abuse, custody, adoption, juvenile delinquency, PINS, and other proceedings in Erie County Family Court, as well as special education, school discipline and other matters in the education arena.

The Appeals and Post-Conviction Unit is the primary appellate provider for indigent criminal appeals in Erie, Cattaraugus, Genesee, and Orleans Counties. We also assist clients on assignment from the Appellate Division, Fourth Department in Chautauqua, Niagara, and Ontario Counties. Our office primarily handles appeals from superior court matters â€” supreme and county courts â€” but may file appeals to county court when called upon in Genesee, Cattaraugus, Ontario, and Orleans Counties.

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Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc.

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Appeals & Post-Conviction Unit

Civil Legal Services Unit

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