Litigation

NCLEJ is a national leader in using litigation to make sure that low-income people get the benefits they are entitled to and that government agencies administer programs fairly. NCLEJ's litigation has improved the lives of tens of thousands of vulnerable families and individuals. We have ensured their access to Medicaid, Food Stamps, and cash assistance, protected their civil rights, and improved their opportunities to move out of poverty.

When government agencies fail to provide benefits to eligible individuals or to administer programs fairly and in accord with the law, low-income people may have to turn to the courts to secure their rights. Policy advocacy and negotiation often achieve improvements in policies and in day-to-day program administration. However, litigation is a critical tool, and sometimes the only effective tool, to ensure that agencies comply with the law. Litigation promotes government accountability by checking agencies that have lost sight of their legal obligations. Litigation also helps focus broader public attention on the harms suffered by low-income people and can be part of broader efforts to remedy them.

NCLEJ's litigation program includes the following:

leading or co-counseling impact litigation across the country;
shaping winning legal strategies to secure fair and lawful administration of benefit programs;
marshaling resources in the private bar and public interest communities to pursue impact litigation and representation; and
educating and supporting colleagues across the country engaged in similar advocacy.

NCLEJ is available to collaborate with local legal service providers, public interest lawyers, and private attorneys across the country to develop and conduct impact litigation, where appropriate. We provide a full array of litigation services, including drafting papers, interviewing clients, engaging in discovery, and participating in court hearings and oral arguments, and provide on-site staffing resources, as necessary. For further information contact Marc Cohan, Director of Litigation at cohan (at) nclej.org or call 212 633-6967.