Legal News

Lawyer Offers Free Advice on Streets of Harlem
Download PDF
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

lawyer offers free advice in harlem

 

Summary: Lawyer offers free counsel and representation on the streets of Harlem.

  
What
Where


With high-profile cases such as those of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, two black men who lost their lives during confrontations with cops, we’ve seen an intense reaction from the nation, putting some pull and strain on how individuals regard the police, and, in the case of Andrew Bersin, how he practices his legal profession. Bersin drives from his home in upstate Newburgh a few days a week and sits behind a white plastic table on the streets of Harlem — 125th street, specifically — offering free legal advice to whomever approaches him, and, in some cases, representation in court as well.

“I get the satisfaction of interacting with people who appreciate the guidance I can give them,” he said, as reported by the New York Daily News. “The law can be very intimidating and people can get distressed. Their lives are disrupted. They can’t get answers or any direction, and when I’m able to [aid them] with simple things, you can see how good they feel.”

He takes on an average of one new case each week, and juggles 15 cases at a time, now that he’s working on his own. Previously, he spent ten years as an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County working on about 60 homicide cases, and after that worked at a White Plains-based firm, handling civil rights cases, and then turning to medical malpractice with the Fitzgerald Law Firm.

Get JD Journal in Your Mail

Subscribe to our FREE daily news alerts and get the latest updates on the most happening events in the legal, business, and celebrity world. You also get your daily dose of humor and entertainment!!




After that he offered legal aid in Harlem, accompanied by another lawyer and using a mobile truck, but later, after losing the truck, he took a direct approach and sat on the streets.

“We decided to see how it was on the street itself and that was much better than the [mobile] office,” he said. “People lose their inhibition because you’re basically right in their face.”



Though the problems he is approached for commonly include landlord issues, he has recently taken on an alleged case of police brutality affecting a family of six in Staten Island, the sort of issue that as if by osmosis is putting people like him into the aid of minority communities.

“It’s in minority communities where they do these things,” he said, “and that’s why there’s no trust.”

As Cornelius Ricks, who runs another legal services program, said, “[Bersin] really wants to bring the issues that plague the urban community to the attention of the streets. He serves on cases he can accept, that a lot of lawyers wouldn’t accept. He’s a great litigator.”



 

RELEVANT JOBS

Associate Attorney

USA-PA-Exton

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY McKenna Snyder LLC, a law firm in Exton, PA has an immediate opening for an ex...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Sturgis

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Coldwater

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Deputy General Counsel / Senior Deputy General Counsel

USA-CA-Sacramento

Cal Cities Culture and Mission Cal Cities is dedicated to creating a collaborative and inclusive ...

Apply now

BCG FEATURED JOB

Locations:

Keyword:



Search Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with ...

Apply Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-Carlsbad

Carlsbad office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with 4-...

Apply Now

Education Law and Public Entity Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law and public ent...

Apply Now

Most Popular

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

To Top