Fundraising Efforts to Help Texans With Flood-Related Legal Needs Announced by NYS Bar Association and The New York Bar Foundation

ALBANY, N.Y., Aug. 31 -- New York State Bar Association issued the following news release:

The New York State Bar Association and The New York Bar Foundation are seeking donations to help provide legal services to Texas residents affected by Hurricane Harvey.

In a related development, the Texas Supreme Court issued an emergency order August 29 allowing out-of-state lawyers to offer pro bono assistance to Hurricane Harvey victims for a six-month period. For opportunities to volunteer, visit www.nysba.org/probono.

"As the flood waters recede, residents will face numerous legal issues. They include dealing with lost documents, insurance questions, consumer protection issues and applying for federal disaster relief funds," said Sharon Stern Gerstman, president of the New York State Bar Association. "The New York legal community is ready to assist as we have done during previous disasters in New York and other states."

Foundation President John H. Gross said, "Nonprofit legal services providers in Texas will be inundated with calls for help. We are working with the Houston Bar Association and the Texas Bar Foundation to ensure any donated funds from the New York Bar Foundation are earmarked for legal services for flood victims. All of the donations we collect will go toward facilitating the delivery of legal services in this time of disaster."

Attorneys and the general public are invited to contribute to the fund. Checks should be made payable to The New York Bar Foundation with the designation "Disaster Relief Fund" and mailed to The New York Bar Foundation, One Elk Street, Albany, NY 12207. Donations can also be made online at www.tnybf.org/donation. Select restricted fund, then Disaster Relief Fund.

The Bar Foundation and the New York State Bar Association partnered to assist victims in need of legal services after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast in 2012, and the Louisiana flood of 2016.

The New York Bar Foundation is the charitable arm of the 72,000-member New York State Bar Association, which is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation.