Public Services
The Bar Association of Erie County offers many benefits for the public. Educational programs such as the Lawyer Referral & Information Service, the Speakers Bureau, and the Volunteer Lawyers Project are among the many resources available to the non-legal members of our community. Pamphlets on legal topics of interest to consumers are available from the Association without charge. Covering such topics as employment at will, living trusts, divorce mediation and numerous others, these brochures are produced as a public service.
The BAEC has a full-time staff that is available to answer questions about the Association, membership and services. However, for the community, there is NO licensed attorney on staff, and legal advice cannot be secured by contacting the Bar Association’s office.
Legal Resources
There are a number of legal services available to the public. Click the name of an organization to pull up contact info and other information.
Various Legal Services and Resources for Public Benefit
- Attorney/Client Fee Dispute Arbitration Program
- Attorney Grievance Help
- Estate and Will Assistance
- Crime Victims Legal Help
- Judicial Candidates’ Ratings
- Lawyer Referral & Information Service
- Mock Trial Tournament
- Speakers Bureau
- Statement of Client’s Rights
- Web Surrogate Wills Resource *
*The BAEC does not keep wills and other such records on file. Use the Surrogate’s Court resource center at 716.845.7280 or email eriesurrogatehelp@nycourts.gov.
For additional information about the Bar Association of Erie County’s public services and educational programs, call our office at 716.852.8687.
Other Programs With Whom the BAEC Collaborates
Erie County Landlord Tenant HUB Court
The Erie County Landlord Tenant HUB Court is the first court in the State of New York to operate virtually with a presumptive Alternative Dispute Resolution model. The HUB Court which has operated on a pilot basis since December 2021 has handled in excess of 900 new filings transferred from Erie County’s 36 local Town and Village Justice Courts. Under the HUB Court model, any tenant who is income eligible receives legal representation furnished by a consortium of legal service providers, including the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project, Neighborhood Legal Services, Center for Elder Law and Justice, Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, and the Western New York Law Center. The HUB Court assures for the effective deployment of civil legal services by virtue on being housed in a single location. It would be nearly impossible to provide civil legal representation throughout 36 different town and village justice courts. The HUB Court also helps to assure consistency of outcome and access to justice in the complex legal world of landlord tenant eviction matters.
