Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The New York Center for Law and Justice seeks to improve the lives of indigent, deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers by representing individual deaf and hard of hearing clients in a range of civil matters, pursuing policy and practice changes within New York City institutions and raising awareness around deaf and hard of hearing causes and issues.

The Center is the only legal services organization in the world, according to the World Federation of the Deaf, with a full-time staff dedicated to representing deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The Center firmly believes in a three-prong approach to advocating for deaf and hard of hearing individuals’ rights — individually, institutionally and societally.

The New York Center For Law and Justice ultimately hopes to foster a culture shift within New York City in how individuals, institutions, organizations and the public understand and communicate with deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers.

Lastly, the Center is inspired by both American and Jewish values that call upon us to advance justice.

The New York Center For Law and Justice seeks to improve the lives of indigent, deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers by representing individual deaf and hard of hearing clients in a range of civil matters, pursuing policy and practice changes within New York City institutions and raising awareness around deaf and hard of hearing causes and issues.

The Center is the only legal services organization in the world, according to the World Federation of the Deaf, with a full-time staff dedicated to representing deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The Center firmly believes in a three-prong approach to advocating for deaf and hard of hearing individuals’ rights — individually, institutionally and societally.

The New York Center For Law and Justice ultimately hopes to foster a culture shift within New York City in how individuals, institutions, organizations and the public understand and communicate with deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers.

Lastly, the Center is inspired by both American and Jewish values that call upon us to advance justice.

Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The New York Center for Law and Justice seeks to improve the lives of indigent, deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers by representing individual deaf and hard of hearing clients in a range of civil matters, pursuing policy and practice changes within New York City institutions and raising awareness around deaf and hard of hearing causes and issues.

The Center is the only legal services organization in the world, according to the World Federation of the Deaf, with a full-time staff dedicated to representing deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The Center firmly believes in a three-prong approach to advocating for deaf and hard of hearing individuals’ rights — individually, institutionally and societally.

The New York Center For Law and Justice ultimately hopes to foster a culture shift within New York City in how individuals, institutions, organizations and the public understand and communicate with deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers.

Lastly, the Center is inspired by both American and Jewish values that call upon us to advance justice.

The New York Center For Law and Justice seeks to improve the lives of indigent, deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers by representing individual deaf and hard of hearing clients in a range of civil matters, pursuing policy and practice changes within New York City institutions and raising awareness around deaf and hard of hearing causes and issues.

The Center is the only legal services organization in the world, according to the World Federation of the Deaf, with a full-time staff dedicated to representing deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The Center firmly believes in a three-prong approach to advocating for deaf and hard of hearing individuals’ rights — individually, institutionally and societally.

The New York Center For Law and Justice ultimately hopes to foster a culture shift within New York City in how individuals, institutions, organizations and the public understand and communicate with deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers.

Lastly, the Center is inspired by both American and Jewish values that call upon us to advance justice.

Our Team

Bruce J. Gitlin, founder and executive director of the New York Center for Law and Justice

Bruce J. Gitlin is the founder and executive director of the New York Center for Law and Justice. He has been practicing law for nearly 40 years. Bruce attended the Industrial & Labor Relations School at Cornell University and Fordham University School of Law where he served on the Fordham Urban Law Journal. He was an associate in a personal injury practice, later an associate in the litigation department of Rosenman & Colin and following Rosenman & Colin, he established, a private practice which has become the firm of Gitlin, Horn & Van de Kieft, specializing in the fields of personal injury, criminal defense and commercial litigation. Bruce has served on the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and remains a member.

Bruce has been serving the deaf and hard of hearing communities for nearly 40 years. In August, 2004, Bruce co-founded the New York Center for Law and Justice, along with Liz Gitlin, to provide a one-stop center for individuals who are deaf and require both legal and social services. The practice has expanded to include work in the areas of housing, consumer debt, asylum, benefits, and family law, among additional needed services.

In January 2018, Bruce served as part of a trial team in Federal Court that secured a verdict for a worker who had a hearing disability. The verdict was in excess of 1.3 million dollars, which included punitive damages based upon discrimination in the workplace. The case was brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act and local human rights laws.

In October 2019, Bruce was awarded the John R. Dunne Champion of Justice Award at the annual event held for Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York as a result of his work in behalf of assisting with the re-entry of a deaf prisoner who had been imprisoned, including in solitary confinement, for decades.

Bruce was featured on the front-page of the New York Law Journal, along with Liz Gitlin, for their work in co-founding the law center. Bruce is a past member of the Legal Issues Affecting People with Disabilities Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, where he has lectured on issues involving the rights of the deaf. He is a member of the Disability Rights Bar Association.

Bruce's dedication to fighting for individuals who seek justice finds its source in the work of Martin Gitlin — Bruce's father — who championed the rights of individuals through his private law practice that was established seventy years ago.

Liz Gitlin, staff attorney for the New York Center for Law and Justice

Liz Gitlin has spent over 30 years representing the rights of individuals with disabilities. Shortly after graduating from Fordham Law School, after having received a graduate social work degree from the Columbia University School of Social Work, Liz began her career with the Mental Health Law Project (MHLP). There, Liz represented disabled individuals who sought social security disability benefits. Upon securing benefits for her clients, Liz promoted the second mission of MHLP: securing permanent housing for her clients with the benefits secured from the Social Security Administration.

Liz was the subject of a front-page New York Times article that described the meaningful work of MHLP.

Liz continued to work over the next decade with Bruce Gitlin in a litigation practice established by her father-in-law that represented individuals who had sustained personal injuries due to the negligence of others.

Sixteen years ago, Liz founded the New York Center for Law and Justice with Bruce Gitlin, Executive Director of the law center. Over the years, Liz has provided hundreds of clients with “wrap-around” services, applying her social service skills cultivated at Columbia and her legal skills gained at Fordham to advance the interests of her clients.

Liz was recognized for her work in a front-page article of the New York Law Journal published several years ago.

Liz has represented individuals in Housing Court, Family Court, Civil and Supreme Courts, at the Social Security Administration, in administrative hearings where her clients have sought benefits and in asylum proceedings.

Liz has represented clients, additionally, in matters brought in Federal Court under the Americans with Disabilities Act where, along with Bruce Gitlin, she has sought to secure injunctive relief requiring that the government and places of public accommodation provide America Sign Language interpreters when serving deaf clients.

Liz provides workshops to the deaf community on legal issues, mentors social work students as an Instructor at the Columbia School for Social Work, guides law students and has served as a resource to the legal services community on issues involving the rights of the deaf community.

Over the years, Liz has developed an expertise in working with individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. Liz receives assistance from exceptional American Sign Language interpreters retained by the law center when communicating with her clients.

Liz is a member of the Disability Rights Bar Association and is admitted to the bar in both New York and New Jersey.

Catherine Helde, staff attorney for the New York Center for Law and Justice

Catherine (Katie) Helde serves as a staff attorney at the New York Center for Law and Justice. Prior to law school, Katie graduated from New York University as a University Honors Scholar. Katie subsequently attended the American Sign Language-English Interpretation Program at LaGuardia Community College. Katie has served as a community interpreter, working with Deaf, Deaf-blind, and Deaf+ communities.

In 2021, Katie graduated from St. John’s University School of Law, where Katie received the Dianne Marie Arrue Memorial Award for Leadership in Public Interest Work. Katie is a frequent lecturer to the Deaf, Deaf-blind and Hard of Hearing communities where Katie has designed unique materials that advise consumers about their rights. Katie has lectured as well to legal service attorneys and paralegals regarding best practices for representing the Deaf, Deaf-blind and Hard of Hearing communities in New York. Katie is admitted to the New York State Bar.

DAISY DARVALL
KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP

KATHERINE E. DURNAN TAYLOR
DEBEVOISE & PLIMPTON LLP

BRUCE GITLIN, ESQ.
NEW YORK CENTER FOR LAW & JUSTICE, INC.

MARGERY GREENBERG, ESQ.
SEGAL & GREENBERG, LLP

PAUL GROBMAN, ESQ., TREASURER
LAW OFFICES OF PAUL GROBMAN

JEFFREY HOROWITZ, ESQ., CHAIR
ARNOLD & PORTER

RIKKI KAPLAN
NEW YORK, NY

PAUL KLAUSNER, ESQ.
The Law Office of Paul J. Klausner

PETER KURSHAN, ESQ., SECRETARY
HERZFELD & RUBIN, P.C.

KEVEN POORE
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

ABBY ROSMARIN, ESQ.
BERKMAN BORTGER NEWMAN & SCHIEN

JEFFREY ROTHMAN, ESQ., VICE CHAIR
ROTHMAN BROTHERS PLLC

JILLIAN ROTHMAN, ESQ.
ASSOCIATE COUNSEL, WARNER MUSIC GROUP

MATTHEW S. WEINER
AMAZON

Our Partners

Over the years, our pro bono partners have volunteered more than 2,000 hours of service, thus increasing our capacity to deliver access to justice.

The New York Center for Law and Justice values the partnerships that it has cultivated in our work to promote access to justice
for all Deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers.

Access to Justice Award

Access to Justice Award Timeline

Questions About NYCLJ?

Dedication

The Law Center has been established in honor of Raymond Kurshan, and Gloria and Martin Gitlin, who believed deeply in the importance of access to justice. May their memories be for a blessing.

Dedication

The Law Center has been established in honor of Raymond Kurshan, and Gloria and Martin Gitlin, who believed deeply in the importance of access to justice. May their memories be for a blessing.