Two Years After SuperStorm Sandy<br/>

Wednesday, October 29, 2014 marks the two-year anniversary of SuperStorm Sandy.

 

Just days after the storm hit, Touro Law launched the TLC-HEART hotline to assist victims of the storm and then opened a disaster relief clinic to provide continued legal assistance to storm victims. Two years since that storm, Touro Law has emerged as a leader in disaster relief law, an advocate for victims and a model for providing legal assistance to community members in a time of great need.

 

To date, the law school has engaged with more than 1,600 unique households affected by Sandy. This includes providing information by phone and in-person meetings for a few minutes to several hours. The clinic is providing ongoing assistance to several dozens of households on lengthy consultations combined with ongoing assistance over time, and in some cases representation in more complex negotiations, mediation or litigation.

 

Sandy-related legal needs have ranged from FEMA’s disaster assistance program, flood and homeowners insurance, landlord-tenant disputes, real property issues, and contractor disputes. Since the summer, the greatest unmet need in vulnerable populations has converged around three core areas: flood insurance disputes, which are widespread and frequently involve underpayments of 50% or more; disputes with contractors over substandard work; and mortgage and foreclosure issues arising from significant uncovered losses.

Up to 10 students work in the clinic at any given time, nurturing and drawing upon student talents while engendering their commitment to public service and serving those in need. In addition, Touro Law has facilitated the placement of law students from other schools around the country who want to travel to the region and offer assistance. To date, nearly 100 students from law schools across the country have visited and completed pro bono hours providing legal assistance to storm victims.

 

Director of ProBono at Touro Law Thomas Maligno stated, “Among the Sandy lessons we have learned is that we need to be prepared both as individuals and as communities. This means strong private-public partnerships. For example, on Long Island, the attorneys involved in disaster relief have successfully partnered with social agencies and charities. These partnerships have gone a long way in reducing the burden on homeowners, and our region would be much worse off today without them. But there are limits to what these collaborations can do. One area for reform would be to address that most funding for these disaster recovery collaborations is time-limited, as people and government may assume that recovery will be quick.”

 

Today, Touro Law has emerged as a leader and innovator in having developed the only comprehensive disaster law program of its kind in the country. Touro Law Center’s response to the storm is no doubt having a lasting and positive impact on the community and on a generation of future lawyers.