New and Noteworthy Archives
NCLEJ Dinner on June 9th Honored Amy Schulman, Mark Greenberg, and Partners in Maryland Court Victory
-Posted June 2010
Pfizer Senior Vice President and General Counsel Amy Schulman; HHS Administration for Children and Families Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Mark Greenberg; and the Homeless Persons Representation Project, Public Justice Center, and the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP (partners in NCLEJ’s Maryland court victory) were honored at NCLEJ's annual awards dinner on June 9 at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Through its annual dinner, NCLEJ celebrates the accomplishments of remarkable individuals and organizations such as those honored this year, while raising much needed funds to support our programs. To read about past dinners, click here.
New Mexico Court Allows Agricultural Workers to Pursue Case Challenging Denial of Workers' Compensation
-Posted May 2010
A severely injured New Mexico farmworker and two groups that represent farm and ranch laborers may pursue their claim that the exclusion of farm and ranch laborers from the state's worker's compensation program violates the state constitution's equal protection clause. Read more
NCLEJ Reports on Barriers Childless Adults Face in Accessing Public Health Insurance
-Posted April 2010
Of added relevance with the passage of health care reform, this groundbreaking work explores the specific barriers faced by New York’s 500,000 eligible but uninsured childless adults and recommends strategies to improve their participation in public health insurance. Read more
NCLEJ Sues Nassau County for Delaying Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Cash Public Assistance to Hundreds Each Month
-posted April 2010
NCLEJ and the Empire Justice Center have filed a class action lawsuit challenging Nassau County’s failure to process more than half of all food stamp (SNAP), Medicaid, and cash public assistance applications in a timely manner. Read more
NCLEJ Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Goldberg v. Kelly, Landmark Supreme Court Victory
-posted March 2010
In this historic decision upholding due process protections in public benefit programs, Justice Brennan spoke of this “Nation's basic commitment . . . to foster the dignity and well-being of all persons within its borders.” Read more
Cary LaCheen's Article on Improving Communication between Public Benefits Agencies and Persons with Hearing Difficulties Is Published in Clearinghouse Review
-posted February 2010
Find the article here (pdf).
Lawsuit Causes FEMA to Disgorge Documents on Accessible Temporary Housing
-posted January 2010
Only after NCLEJ went to court did FEMA release its policies for accessible temporary housing for people with disabilities. Hogan & Hartson represents NCLEJ. Read more
Total Victory Won in Maryland Benefits Delay Case
-posted December 2009
On December 10th, after a four-day trial, low-income Marylanders won a permanent injunction to speed the applications process for food stamps, Medicaid, and cash public assistance. NCLEJ, the Public Justice Center, the Homeless Persons Representation Project, and the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis represented the plaintiffs at trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Jennifer Selendy, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis and an NCLEJ Board member, and the K&E team, played a key role in the litigation. Read more
Steuben County, NY, Agrees to Speed Provision of Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Cash Public Assistance to Those Hard Hit by Recession
-posted November 2009
NCLEJ, the Western New York Law Center, and the Empire Justice Center have achieved a settlement in a federal class action challenging Steuben County’s unlawful practice of delaying food stamp, Medicaid, and cash public assistance applications. Read more
Indiana Agrees to Court Order Speeding Provision of Food Stamp Benefits
-posted October 2009
Hungry Hoosiers should get their food stamps faster as the state implements an agreed-upon preliminary injunction in this NCLEJ case. The state is required to improve its compliance with federal time frames, provide monitoring data to demonstrate the extent of its compliance, and create a mechanism for certain applicants to have individual problems resolved. Read more
Rhode Island to Speed Food Stamp Processing Under Court-Approved Settlement
-posted October 2009
On October 19th, a U.S. District Court judge signed off on a settlement in which Rhode Island agrees to meet federal deadlines for processing food stamp applications. The case was filed by NCLEJ and the Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union. Read more
Now Available Online: Reorienting and Expanding Our National Advocacy Program
- Posted October 2009
In this article Henry Freedman reviews the exciting progress made by NCLEJ since it lost all federal funding in 1995. Read more (pdf)
Suffolk County, NY, Agrees to Time Limits for Processing Food Stamp and Medicaid Applications
- posted July 2009
In a major turnabout, the County has agreed to abide by federal and state deadlines for processing applications and take other steps to assure eligible families get aid. The agreement is the result of a court-approved settlement in Maryann C. v. DeMarzo. Read more
Three Prominent Attorneys Join NCLEJ's Board of Directors
- posted July 2009
New York City attorneys Caitlin J. Halligan of Weil Gotshal, Nancy A. Lieberman of Skadden Arps, and Brian S. Weinstein of Davis Polk, have joined NCLEJ's Board of Directors. Read more
NCLEJ Lawsuits Challenge Benefit Delays in Indiana, Maryland, Rhode Island, upstate New York, and Texas
- posted July 2009
NCLEJ is committed to assuring that government agencies provide critical health, nutrition, and cash assistance benefits to eligible families in urgent need in this economic downturn. Five lawsuits filed in recent months demand compliance with application processing time limits for benefits. Read more
Law360 Interviews NCLEJ Board Member Jennifer Selendy
- posted July 2009
NCLEJ Board member Jennifer Selendy, a partner in the litigation group in Kirkland & Ellis's New York office, spoke with Law360, a newswire service for business lawyers. Read more courtesy of Law360
Earlier Items
- Opportunities for Deferred Associates and Law Firm Externs (April 2009)
- Public Benefits Privatization and Modernization: Recent Developments and Advocacy (May 2008)
- NCLEJ and Colleagues Achieve Settlement Ending Lengthy Delays in Processing of Food Stamp Applications in New York City (April 2008)
- NCLEJ Achieves Settlement Providing Due Process for Tens of Thousands of Missouri Children (April 2008)
- NCLEJ and Colleagues Achieve Settlement in Colorado Requiring Prompt Processing of Benefits Applications (January 2008)
- NCLEJ and Colleagues Win Ruling Barring FEMA From Terminating Rental Assistance for Katrina/Rita Evacuees Without Adequate Notice and Opportunity for Pre-termination Hearing (with 2008 Update)
- New York Court Approves Plan to Restore Benefits to Thousands of New York Families of Children with Disabilities in Case Brought by NCLEJ and Colleagues (September 2007)
- Disabilities and Welfare: A New NCLEJ Resource for Advocates (February, 2007) (February 2007)
- NCLEJ Achieves Settlement Requiring Translation of California Food Stamp Forms (December 2006)
- NCLEJ and Colleagues Win Settlement Requiring Accessible Trailers for Katrina Evacuees with Disabilities (September 2006)
- Senator Edward M. Kennedy Praises Settlement (October 2006)