The New York City Bar Association participated in the 2012 ABA Lobby Day in Washington, DC. City Bar representatives met with the New York Congressional delegation, as well as with representatives of senators Schumer and Gillibrand.
The City Bar expressed support for funding of the Legal Services Corporation at $402 million for Fiscal Year 2013 so that low-income individuals can continue to receive legal representation in civil matters involving basic human needs, such as family, housing and domestic violence cases; passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011, which will allow the continuation of a vital, comprehensive and successful approach to combating violence against women across all states; and the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which will provide full marriage equality for same-sex couples who are now able to marry in New York State but are not considered married for purposes of federal law.
The City Bar will continue to advocate for these core issues, which have been studied and addressed by a large cross-section of committees, including the Council on Judicial Administration, the Domestic Violence Committee, the Sex and Law Committee, the LGBT Rights Committee, and the Pro Bono and Legal Services Committee.