Empire Justice Center - Rochester, NY

Championing Civil Rights and Equal Justice Across New York

Navigating the civil legal system is daunting when basic needs like shelter, safety, and healthcare are threatened. Founded in 1973 as the Greater Upstate Law Project, Empire Justice Center has spent over five decades serving as a vital legal anchor for disenfranchised New Yorkers. Headquartered at the Telesca Center for Justice at 1 West Main Street in Rochester, this statewide non-profit law firm combines direct representation with policy advocacy and impact litigation.

By deploying a comprehensive 360-degree approach, the organization teaches the law through technical training for legal aid practitioners, practices the law by delivering direct civil assistance to thousands of clients, and changes the law by taking on systemic inequalities in state and federal courts.

Direct Legal Protection for Survivors and Vulnerable Families

Empire Justice Center provides trauma-informed, compassionate representation to individuals who need immediate legal intervention to escape danger and stabilize their households. Key areas of advocacy include:

• Domestic violence lawyers assistance securing orders of protection, child custody stability, and emergency economic relief for crime survivors
• Disability advocacy representation assisting individuals with initial applications and administrative appeals for Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability
• Civil rights advocacy confronting discrimination in municipal services, public accommodations, and government programs
• Education rights legal support ensuring students with special needs receive appropriate individualized education programs and language access

Foreclosure Prevention and Equitable Housing Initiatives

Preserving community wealth and preventing wrongful displacement is at the core of the firm mission. Through its consumer and housing practices, the organization works to keep Rochester homeowners in their properties:

• Residential real estate lawyers counsel assisting struggling homeowners with loan modifications, deed fraud protection, and mortgage foreclosure defense
• Direct legal defense against abusive reverse mortgage terms and predatory consumer lending schemes
• Leadership as convener of the Greater Rochester Community Reinvestment Coalition, expanding fair mortgage lending and eliminating redlining in local neighborhoods

Workplace Rights, Immigrant Protections, and Economic Security

Economic justice requires that hardworking individuals are paid fairly and protected from unlawful employment practices. The organization provides specialized legal guidance across vital economic areas:

• Employment and labor lawyers advocacy defending workers against unlawful deductions, wage theft, and minimum wage non-compliance
• Workplace discrimination lawyers counsel supporting individuals facing discrimination based on race, gender, pregnancy, disability, or national origin
• Immigration lawyers representation guiding foreign-born residents through naturalization, U-visas for crime victims, and VAWA self-petitions
• Public assistance advocacy helping families navigate SNAP nutrition benefits, Medicaid access, and administrative fair hearings

Community Access to Free Civil Legal Assistance

Empire Justice Center ensures that financial hardship is never a barrier to justice. Services are provided at no cost to qualifying low-income residents in Monroe County and upstate New York. Through partnerships at the Telesca Center for Justice, staff provides bilingual communication in English and Spanish.

If you or someone in your family needs a lawyer right away to protect your housing, income, or safety, contact Empire Justice Center at (585) 454-4060 or visit their Rochester office at 1 West Main Street, Suite 200 to learn about available legal assistance today.