The Legal Defense Project
Project Coordinator - Michael Shahin

With the participation of Arab American attorneys throughout the US, the program offers free legal assistance to match community needs.

Legal Defense & Education Fund

The Legal Defense & Educational Fund is a national effort aimed at networking attorneys, students and community members to leverage our resources and abilities in the development of a self-sustaining community legal program.  As a service to Arab American attorneys and community members, the program promises to meet the growing needs of or community while establishing a network of support. 

Resources:

http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/

Legal Assistance Program

The Legal Assistance Program is a national legal service aimed at networking attorneys with those in need of legal consultation. The program entails the following:

  • Legal Referrals: There will be regular postings on the upcoming NCA virtual community web site and public handouts containing lists of participating attorneys, categorized by areas of practice.
  • The NCA Legal Hotline: The hotline will have two main functions: (1) to provide information in Arabic and English on immigration policies and procedures that may directly affect the Arab-American community; and (2) to serve as a tool to acquire legal referrals regarding a variety of matters. Callers will have the option of listening to an informational announcement or connecting to the NCA office through a messaging service, prior to being referred to an appropriate participating lawyer. The NCA will try to accommodate all individual attorney preferences and stipulations.
  • Volunteer Legal Advice: Participating attorneys will designate time slots during which they would be available for free initial consultation for referred clients either via phone or at their office, at the attorneys’ preference. The NCA will play no role hereafter and does not expect any return, monetary or otherwise, from subsequent business arrangements between the attorney and the referred client. The expected time slot will not exceed 2 hours per month, and may be divided into segments. The NCA office will screen phone calls and coordinate clients’ individual inquiries with attorneys at the attorneys’ preferred time slot. A schedule with appropriate time slots and associated attorneys will be available at the office. Connecting to the office may also be done through the hotline forwarding service.
     

NCA Civil Rights Defense Project: 

To safeguard and promote the civil rights of the more than 1.2 million Arab Americans living in the United States by working side-by-side with students, community activists, progressive legal organizations, and other organizations who support the NCA’s overall mission. The NCA Civil Rights Defense Project functions as a strategic liaison between grassroots community activists and progressive legal organizations seeking to maximize community support for the advancement of the NCA’s mission throughout every phase of impact litigation, education, or public policy work undertaken by such organizations.  
 
Objectives:
  • Advance the civil rights of Arab Americans in every sphere of life
  • Mobilize community support for cases and issues which impact the Arab American community;
  • Raise public support and awareness of issues impacting the civil rights of Arab Americans through a variety of methods including:  media activism, online action alerts, statements/petitions, workshops, town hall meetings, and by encouraging as well as supporting student campus activism;
  • Serve as a resource for both community activists and progressive legal organizations working on politically charged cases and issues impacting the Arab American community;
  • Work with and carry out joint projects with other organizations in order to advance the civil rights of Arab Americans; and
  • Document and monitor civil rights issues within the Arab American community.

    Project Components:
     
  • Strategic Action Coordinating Committee dedicated to bringing the community and progressive legal organizations together to coordinate activities at the grassroots level, thereby preempting and combating attacks on the civil rights of Arab Americans.
  • Interactive website resource including a “Report a Hate Crime/Incident” section, “Know Your Rights” information (in Arabic), immigration information, links to progressive legal organizations/legal collectives, and a Student/Community Activist Toolkit.
  • Nationwide Speakers Bureau dedicated to advancing the Civil Rights of Arab Americans.
    Media Relations Spokesperson/Department devoted to bringing civil rights issues faced by Arab Americans to the fore.
  • Student/Attorney Pro Bono Project directed at creating a space for students and attorneys to fulfill pro bono hours (as required and/or recommended by law schools and State Bar Associations). Work in this area would include:
    • Providing legal research and support to those involved in Arab American civil rights cases;
    • Translating material and client information (from Arabic to English and vice versa) for legal organizations/attorneys; and
    • Documenting and publishing information pertaining to Arab American civil rights issues; and:
    • Meeting the need for greater awareness, support, and dissemination of timely information relating to current federal immigration laws and policies impacting those within the Arab American community seeking asylum, temporary or permanent residency, or citizenship in the United States.
       
  • Currently, the NCA is a plaintiff in two Federal lawsuits.  The first was filed against the City of New York for denying us use of the Great Lawn in Central Park for holding a Civil Rights rally on the 41 anniversary of the Civil Rights March on Washington.  The second case is against the District of Columbia and other entities for denying citizens the right to express their views during the presidential inauguration of 2005. Additionally, the NCA is currently preparing a lawsuit against the University of California for denying Arab American students their first amendment rights.
 
Arab American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)

AALDEF would combine the Legal Assistance Program and Civil Rights Defense Project in order to achieve complete self-reliance. The Arab American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) seeks to safeguard and promote the civil rights of the more than 1.2 million Arab Americans living in the United States.  AALDEF works to secure the rights of Arab Americans through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.
 

    AALDEF Objectives: 

  • In addition to the objectives presented above, AALDEF would serve to advance progressive public policies, laws, and programs that safeguard the rights of Arab Americans (using in-house legal counsel);
  • Develop and provide legal clinics to address issues facing the Arab American community; and
  • Provide Scholarships for Arab American activists interested in public interest work which advances the interests of the Arab American community.

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    Join
    If you are interested in taking part in this project, please contact the project coordinator.
     
    Project Coordinator:
    Michael Shahin: shahin@arab-american.net