Estimated reading time: 5 minutes · Last updated:
Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson used the statewide Civil Legal Services hearing in Albany to press for an expansion of civil legal aid and of nonlawyer advocates, saying the current $180 million in funding remains short of an estimated $1 billion needed to represent New Yorkers at or below twice the federal poverty level. As first reported by NYSBA, Wilson argued that nonlawyer assistance can provide meaningful help to millions who lack any representation. The hearing on September 24, 2026, brought more than a dozen providers, clients and program leaders to the Court of Appeals to describe funding strains, contracting delays and workforce gaps.
Not every dispute requires a lawyer to resolve it.
Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson
Key takeaways
- Chief Judge recommendation: Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson urged expanding the roles of legal advocates and nonlawyer assistance and said $180 million in funding still falls short of an estimated $1 billion need.
- Hearing participants: More than a dozen civil legal service providers and clients testified at the September 24, 2026 hearing in Albany.
- Contracting problem: Sal Curran, executive director of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, warned that inconsistent state agency payment practices create payroll and cashflow difficulties for non-profits.
- Rural pipeline: A New York Pathways survey reported that 74% of summer interns said they were fairly or totally convinced to begin a legal career in rural New York because of the program.
Table of contents
- Key takeaways
- Why the Chief Judge wants nonlawyer advocates expanded
- How contracting delays and payment practices strain providers
- Programs trying to build a rural lawyer pipeline
- Client testimony and the next procedural steps
- Case for and case against expansion
- What to be careful about
- Frequently asked questions
Why the Chief Judge wants nonlawyer advocates expanded
At the hearing, Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson framed expansion of nonlawyer assistance as a practical response to an enduring access gap. He acknowledged the state’s recent $180 million increase in civil legal services funding but said that amount remains far below what is required to provide counsel to people at or below twice the federal poverty level; he stated a $1 billion need and asked how limited legal resources can reach millions of unassisted litigants.
Wilson emphasised that not every dispute requires a lawyer and focused the debate on whether nonlawyers can provide “meaningful assistance” to people who otherwise have none. That line of argument shifts policy questions from full licensure change to pragmatic regulation, training standards and supervised practice models that could extend help without replacing lawyers where counsel is essential.
How contracting delays and payment practices strain providers
Several testimony strands converged on the same operational pain point: funding that is difficult to deploy. Sal Curran, executive director of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, described inconsistent policies among state agencies that alter timing and methods of payment to non-profit grant recipients. He told the panel that making payroll has become increasingly difficult because of how cash flows through different agencies.
Those contracting delays are not abstract budgetary notes; they affect a charity’s ability to retain staff, schedule intake and sustain client services. The hearing therefore connected higher headline funding to the practical requirement of predictable, consistent disbursement practices across agencies if the money is to improve access in the near term.
Programs trying to build a rural lawyer pipeline
Speakers also described workforce shortages as tied to geography. The New York State Bar Association’s 2020 Task Force on Rural Justice supports several initiatives discussed at the hearing, including New York Pathways, which arranges eight-week summer internships for law students hosted in rural counties.
Judd Krasher, chief of staff to Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry, said a recent survey of Pathways summer interns found that 74% reported being fairly or totally convinced to begin a legal career in rural New York because of the program. That result helped justify a new relocation-focused effort called Rural Ready that connects practicing attorneys to job openings and local bar ambassadors to ease social and professional transitions.
Client testimony and the next procedural steps
The hearing gave space to clients whose cases illustrate the human stakes. Tyra Robinson of Suffolk County described being evicted during the COVID pandemic after a landlord received rental-relief payments and, she said, discarded her family’s belongings. Robinson credited Legal Services of Long Island with securing accountability and preventing silence and shame in the aftermath.
After the four-hour hearing, Chief Judge Wilson is expected to submit his findings to the New York State Legislature and to the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice. A complete recording of the hearing is available on YouTube for legislators, program leaders and advocates to review testimony before the formal reporting cycle begins.
| Subject | Representative | Issue Highlighted |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY | Sal Curran, executive director | Contracting delays and inconsistent payment practices |
| New York Pathways | Judd Krasher, chief of staff to Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry | 74% of interns convinced to consider rural practice |
| Legal Services of Long Island | Rez Islam, deputy executive director | Client representation and accountability for predatory landlords |
Case for and case against expansion
The case for
- Expanding supervised nonlawyer assistance could extend help to millions who currently lack any representation, addressing an access gap Chief Judge Wilson quantified with the $1 billion figure.
- Pipeline programs such as New York Pathways and Rural Ready provide measurable recruitment gains—74% of summer interns reported increased willingness to practice in rural counties—suggesting workforce strategies that complement funding increases.
The case against
- Even with the $180 million increase, funding remains materially short of the $1 billion Chief Judge Wilson cited, leaving a large gap in full representation that training and supervision alone may not close.
- Operational impediments such as inconsistent contracting and delayed payments can blunt the impact of any appropriation by undermining non-profit capacity to hire and retain staff.
What to be careful about
- Inconsistent state agency payment practices risk interrupting payroll and service continuity for non-profit civil legal providers.
- A funding gap between the available $180 million and the $1 billion estimated need could leave many litigants unrepresented even if nonlawyer roles expand.
- Rural recruitment gains from short-term internships may not translate into sustained retention without relocation incentives and local practice support.
The bottom line
The hearing made clear that policy change on civil legal aid will need to pair money with operational fixes. Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson’s appeal to expand nonlawyer assistance reframes access as both a resource and a regulatory problem: more funding—$180 million to date—helps, but the $1 billion estimate he cited implies an approximate $820 million shortfall. Advocates at the hearing pressed contracting reform and workforce pipelines as necessary complements. Lawmakers and the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice now hold the items Wilson promised to forward, leaving choices about whether to prioritise disbursement reliability, training rules for nonlawyer roles, or deeper appropriations.
What to watch
- Watch for Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson’s formal report to the New York State Legislature; no date has been set.
- Watch for a response or recommendations from the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice following receipt of the Chief Judge’s findings; no date has been set.
- Watch for any legislative proposals or budget actions in Albany addressing civil legal services funding and contracting reform; no date has been set.
Frequently asked questions
What did Chief Judge Rowan Wilson propose at the hearing?
Wilson urged expanding the roles of legal advocates and supervised nonlawyer assistance to extend help to unrepresented litigants. He noted $180 million in current funding but said an estimated $1 billion is needed to provide counsel for people at or below twice the federal poverty level.
How do contracting delays affect civil legal providers?
Sal Curran of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY testified that inconsistent payment practices among state agencies make payroll and cashflow unpredictable for non-profit grant recipients, undermining their ability to retain staff and deliver services.
Do programs exist to encourage lawyers to work in rural New York?
Yes. New York Pathways reported that 74% of surveyed summer interns, after completing eight-week placements in rural counties, felt fairly or totally convinced to begin a rural legal career; Rural Ready is a new effort to relocate practicing attorneys.
Related reading
