About

William Randolph Hearst Public Advocacy Center

Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center developed The William Randolph Hearst Public Advocacy Center to have an impact on social justice, legal training and the lives of countless individuals in and beyond the local community.

Housed within the law school, the Center provides furnished offices to local non-profit agencies. Touro students have the opportunity to work with participating agencies, proving them the opportunity for hands-on skills training while developing an understanding of the problems facing the local community.

Currently, fifteen agencies are members of the Center. These agencies are:

Breaking Barriers
Room: PA205
(631) 650-2322
Breaking Barriers is a student-run project, based in the PAC, dedicated to removing barriers to employment by helping people correct errors on their RAP (Record of Arrests and Prosecutions) sheets and obtain Certificates of Relief from Civil Disabilities and Certificates of Good Conduct, court documents that remove any automatic statutory disqualification from jobs or licenses. The program is co=sponsored by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society.
Brighter Tomorrows
Room: PA223
Mariah Prensa - (631) 395-1800 ext.111
Brighter Tomorrows is committed to listening, believing & helping victims of domestic violence. Founded in 1986, Brighter Tomorrows, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) human service agency dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic violence. The agency serves victims from Suffolk and Nassau counties as well as New York City and the Tri-State area. We provide shelter, counseling and legal advocacy.
The Center for Restorative Practices, Inc. (Hope for Youth)
PA Room 206
Dr. David J. Hegarty, Executive Director
(631) 650-2321
The Center for Restorative Practices, Inc. has a central mission to break the “School-to-Prison Pipeline” and reduce Disproportionate Minority representation in the juvenile justice system. They are advocates, advisors, and trainers in Restorative Justice, Restorative Practices and Non-violent Communication. These approaches and skills constitute effective viable alternatives to: incarceration, residential placement, school suspensions and expulsions.
Empire Justice Center
Room: PA216, 218, 222, CL119
(631) 650-2305
Linda Hassberg, Esq., Senior Attorney - (631) 650-2305
Don Friedman, Esq., Managing Attorney - (631) 650-2316 
Michelle Caldera-Kopf, Senior Attorney & Project Manager, (631) 650-2320
Cheryl Keshner, Paralegal / Community Advocate - (631) 650-2317
Maria T. DeGennaro, Esq., Regional Coordinator, Homeownership Protection Program (HOPP), (631) 650-2319
The Empire Justice Center is the only statewide, multi-issue, multi-strategy non-profit law firm focused on changing the "systems" within which poor and low-income families live. With a focus on poverty law, Empire Justice undertakes research and training, acts as an informational clearinghouse and provides litigation backup to local legal services programs and community-based organizations.
Empowerment Collaborative of Long Island Inc. (ECLI)
PA203/PA213
631-880-1125
In case of an emergency call Jennifer Hernandez at 631-880-1125.
Empowerment Collaborative of Long Island Inc. (ECLI) is a not for profit human service agency comprised of social workers, mental health counselors and advocates. Our mission at ECLI is to create safer communities by empowering youth and families to break the cycle of violence, poverty and oppression through crisis intervention, advocacy and transition to independence. ECLI engages the whole person and the complexity of their experiences that builds a community of support to foster healing and lasting change.
ECLI works with Touro Law students in collaboration with Suffolk County Legal Aid Society (SCLAS) to maximize the benefits of our program, as well as providing students with a well rounded understanding of the legal system.

Guardianship Corp.
Room: 104
(631) 650-2325
Robert Heppenheimer, CEO
Jillian Jurow, Administrator 

Guardianship Corp is a new not for profit organization that was formed to fill the urgent need to serve as Court-appointed Guardians. Courts are required to appoint someone to represent the interests of persons found to be incapable of managing their own affairs, due to mental or physical deficits, as it relates to their legal, financial, housing, health and/or other critical basic needs to live a safe and secure life. For those with no family or friends willing to serve in this capacity and have no funds or assets to pay for these services, there is no public reimbursement mechanism for these cases. Since New York State has no public guardianship program, the process of appointing private attorneys and/or social workers is challenging and dependent on pro bono work.
We collaborate with Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) to screen, train, deploy and coordinate trained volunteers that visit, monitor and support each assigned client. Through a relationship with the Senior Law Project at Touro Law School, supervised legal interns assist with needed legal work. Additionally, Social Work and Nursing students from Stony Brook University assist with visiting and assessing clients in the field.
Latino Justice
Room: PA207
631.650.2303
Nathalia Alejandra Varela, Staff Attorney

LatinoJustice has been engaging in increasing civil rights work in Long Island over the past decade as the Latino community has grown significantly during that time, and is in increasing need of legal services. 
Long Island Advocacy Center (LIAC)
Room: PA204
Eilleen C. Buckley, Esq., Attorney - (631) 650-2313

Long Island Advocacy Center provides information and referral, individual/case advocacy, and represents the legal rights of students attending Public School. In addition, Long Island Advocacy Center provides service coordination and vocational advocacy for adults with disabilities. Through mediation, negotiation, and representation the Long Island Advocacy Center ensures students and individuals with disabilities receive all the services to which they are entitled under law.
Long Island Fair Housing Services, Inc. (LIHS)
Room: PA215
Ian Wilder, Esq., Executive Director
Phone: (631) 650-2304 or call (631) 567-5111 ext. 314
Email: info@LIFairHousing.org
Web: www.LIFairHousing.org

Initiated in 1969, Long Island Housing Services (LIHS) is a HUD-approved counseling agency and LI’s only HUD qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organization. The mission of Long Island Housing Services is the elimination of unlawful housing discrimination and promotion of decent and affordable housing through advocacy and education. The agency promotes racial and economic integration and equal housing opportunities through direct client services, special projects and collaborative efforts with other non-profits and government enforcement agencies.
Activities include counseling, investigation of discrimination in rentals, sales, lending and insurance, including testing, education and facilitating Fair Housing enforcement under federal, state and local laws, helping to educate and alert the public to avoid and report mortgage rescue scams; Tenant’s Rights Counseling geared to improving habitability, treatment, provide referrals and information about resources for various related issues and pre/post Homeownership Counseling. LIHS offers top quality counseling and free legal services for Foreclosure Prevention. Bilingual, Spanish fluent staff is available.
Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Inc.
Room: PA214
Carolyn McQuade, Attorney
(631) 650-2314
Vivian Storm, Attorney
Coordinator, Community Legal Help Project
Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Inc.
(631) 232-2400, ext. 3309
(Fax): (631) 232-2489

Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Inc. is a non-profit, community-based poverty law program which provides legal assistance in civil (non-criminal) matters to low-income individuals throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. The program provides free legal service in thousands of cases each year as well as legal support to every church, agency and grassroots organization that works with the poor.
New York Civil Liberties Union (Suffolk Chapter)
PA219, 221
Irma Solis, Esq., Chapter Director
Marina Nadler, Administrative Assistant
Hector Gerardo, Long Island Coordinator
(631) 650-2301
(631) 250-2302

The Suffolk Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union is dedicated to the protection of civil liberties as embodied in the Bill of Rights. Its mission is to protect the constitutional rights of the people it serves through advocacy and involvement in the legislative process and to educate the community about civil liberties issues.
New York State Defenders Association, Veterans Defense Program
CL109, CL111
Blair Hill, Esq., Staff Attorney
Barbara Lombardi, Asst. Program Coordinator
(631) 650-2331
ProBono Partnership
PA212/213
631.650.2311
Melissa Greenberger, Staff Attorney
Judy Siegel, Staff Attorney
Stephanie Speranza, Administrative Assistant

Pro Bono Partnership provides free transactional legal services to nonprofit organizations on Long Island and in other suburban New York counties as well as Connecticut and New Jersey.

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