By Mary Sheridan, Esq.
Director of Local 237 Legal Services Plan

How many Local 237 Citywide and Housing Division members and retirees are unaware of their free legal services benefit? More than I would have guessed. The vast majority of people in the United States must pay thousands of dollars to a private attorney when they need legal assistance. As members and retirees of the largest Teamsters local, you have a free attorney available to you for many of your day-to-day legal issues.

Local 237 was a trailblazer when it created the legal services benefit. The notion that working people should have access to a lawyer was an innovative and radical one. Even today, for example, one can visit the New York City Landlord Tenant courts and see that more than three-quarters of tenants are unrepresented while landlords have attorneys. Our legal system provides no right to a lawyer even when one is at risk of losing his or her home. Local 237 believes you should have that right. Your Legal Services Plan spends significant time in court insuring that landlords provide you with your legal entitlement to a habitable apartment.

In addition to representing tenants, we represent thousands of members and retirees for the following matters in New York State covered counties: purchase and sale of co-op, condo, 1- and 2-family primary residences; wills, health care proxies and powers of attorney; bankruptcy; divorce, separation and prenuptial agreements; family court matters; and many consumer and civil court matters. Not only are you provided with a free attorney, your Welfare Fund provides you with $500 toward your litigation expenses after you pay a $150 deductible.

Why shell out your hard-earned money for a private attorney when you have an attorney available for free? Do not hesitate to call your Legal Services Plan at 212-924-1220 for assistance or advice.