Suspension Representation Project wins pro bono award

Photo of the 2009-2010 Suspention Representation Group BoardOn May 3, the Suspension Representation Project (SRP) was awarded a New York State Bar Association 2010 President's Pro Bono Service Award. SRP was selected for their work providing training for law students to represent public school students in New York Board of Education superintendent’s suspension hearings.

During the 2009-2010 school year, the SRP’s ranks included 120 trained advocates from NYU Law, plus 60 others from Pace Law School and CUNY School of Law. The student advocates provide phone support and in-person representation at suspension hearings in New York City’s five suspension hearing offices. During the last 12 months, the advocates provided phone support to over 130 families, and in-person representation to 62 public school students.

The group was founded in the fall of 2007, and has quickly expanded. This year, NYU Law students collaborated with other New York law schools to create SRP chapters at Brooklyn Law School, CUNY School of Law, Fordham Law School, and Pace Law School. The 2009-2010 co-directors were: Noam Biale '11; Charles Gussow '11; Ellie Happel '11; and Sara Zier '10. The SRP advisory board included: Avni Bhatia '10; Darren Luft '10; David Spielman '10; and Joachim Steinberg '10. Katherine Marshall '10 served as the group’s education law and policy board liaison. 3Ls Bhatia, Spielman, Steinberg and Zier were founding members of the group.

“We hope this award will further illuminate the needs of a severely underrepresented New York City population,” said SRP Director Marne Lenox '11. “We share this award with the students and families we represent.”

Posted May 13, 2010