HIV Law Project provides innovative legal services and advocacy programs for underserved, low-income people living with HIV/AIDS, particularly women and their families; people of color;
undocumented immigrants, members of the LGBT community; and the homeless.

Pro Bono Case Opportunities: Answering the Call

The need for legal services among low-income people living with HIV/AIDS is overwhelming. At least 40% of HIV-positive people experience a legal problem each year. The vast majority are unrepresented. Unresolved legal problems can interfere with an individual's ability to access and maintain appropriate HIV care and treatment.

HIV Law Project provides its pro bono attorneys with the opportunity to answer the call to expand access to justice for people living with HIV/AIDS while at the same time allowing them to expand their knowledge and enhance their skills through real client matters. In an effort to create opportunities that fit into different schedules, HIV Law Project offers a variety of legal matters and service delivery methods through its pro bono program

Virtual Pro Bono Matters — 1 to 3 Hours

Volunteer at your desk! 100% Virtual Counsel & Advice Cases. Premiering our new pilot project: Consumer Debt, Counsel and Advice.

Discrete Legal Matters — 3 to 15 Hours

Last Will & Testament
Healthcare Proxy/Living Will
Standby Guardianships
Housing Part Actions
Immigration Adjustment Applications
Social Security Benefits Appeals
Virtual Service Delivery Options Available

In-depth Legal Matters — 15+ Hours

Full Representation, Research and Policy Work
HIV Housing Discrimination
Sexual Orientation Private Coop Discrimination
Breach of HIV Confidentiality Civil Suit #1 – Pharmacy
Breach of HIV Confidentiality #2 – Hospital Employee
Immigration Application for Crime Victims
Asylum Applications
Policy Research Projects: Electronic Medical Health Information: Spotting the Gaps –and– The Unwritten HIV Immigration Ban: How did it start? How can it end?
Virtual Service Delivery Options Available

Areas of Practice:

Employment discrimination

Health insurance issues

Health care proxies

HIV confidentiality

Immigration

Social security/SSI

Living wills

Wills

Long Term Disability

Medicaid

Supplemental Needs Trusts

Landlord/Tenant

Firms & In-House Counsel

Firms and in-house legal counsel can partner with HIV Law Project to offer its junior attorneys a broader range of professional development opportunities. By working directly with clients on diverse matters, junior attorneys can directly use and refine a range of skills including client interviewing and counseling; negotitation skills; oral argument skills; and trial skills in federal and state courts. Pro bono work can provide junior attorneys with the kind of transformative experiences that will enhance their work with future clients, employers and communities.

HIV Law Project can link our client's case with your law firm or corporation today!

Our Partners

Proskauer Rose, LLP

Weil Gotshal

White & Case, LLP

Cleary Gottlieb

Morrison & Foerster, LLP

Outten & Golden

Interested in Joining?

If you have questions or would like to enroll your firm or corporation in HIV Law Project's pro bono program, please e-mail Alicia Perez, Esq., Pro Bono Coordinator at probono@hivlawproject.org, or call 212-577-3001.

Get Involved

"My first day of work at HIV Law Project, I spoke to clients and received an authentic taste of working as a non-profit attorney. In the first months of working, I was trusted with a high level of responsibility in both researching and writing in a wide variety of areas of law. While the learning curve has been high, I cannot think of a better way to gain genuine legal experience during my deferral year.

The staff at HIV Law project is very friendly, professional, respectful, compassionate and highly impressive. Each employee at HIV Law Project works diligently and tirelessly to help our clients. Moreover, the staff chose to integrate me, to treat me as an associate very early on and to respect my autonomy while providing me with invaluable guidance and continuous hands-on training on matters from housing law, to immigration law, to public benefits. I am very fortunate to be working for such an amazing organization and I look forward to the remainder of my deferral year."

Nicole Lonsway, Attorney,
White & Case, Fellow at HIV Law Project

"As a deferred associate, I could not have imagined a more fulfilling way to spend my time off. I was immediately welcomed by the entire staff and given the responsibilities of a new staff attorney. From day one, I have been in contact with clients and advocating on their behalf. I have a caseload of approximately 10-15 cases with issues that range from housing and welfare to immigration and domestic violence.

Aside from providing direct legal assistance to our clients, I have also been given the opportunity to work with the women in our Center for Women and HIV Advocacy and conducted training on domestic violence. I also have been following and researching legislation before the New York State Senate which would allow HIV-positive individuals to donate their organs to HIV-positive recipients. It has been an experience unlike anything I was exposed to in law school, and the hands-on, general practice of the HIV Law Project has prepared me to hit the ground running when I start at my firm."

Kelly Karneeb, Attorney,
Fried Frank, Fellow at HIV Law Project

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