Local media reports say that bar associations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have launched advice centres to deal with a range of issues in the fall-out from the worst storm to hit the region in a generation. Top of the list is advice on obtaining aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and eligibility for food stamps.

Rockaways clinic

The Wall Street Journal reports on several lawyers involved in various projects, quoting one in-house corporate practitioner as highlighting the difficulties facing storm victims. Theresa Mohan – a lawyer with global technology giant IBM – ran an advice clinic last weekend in the Rockaways area of the New York City borough of Queens, an area that was especially hard hit by the storm.
‘A lot of people haven’t even applied for FEMA help yet,’ she told the Journal, in a story that had extra piquancy as Ms Mohan was raised in the Rockaways.

Communications hitches

According to lawyers, applying for federal assistance is not complicated, but nonetheless storm victims have been hampered by a lack of internet access and intermittent telecommunications connections.
Later this week, the New York State Bar Association will host a free webcast updating lawyers on the issues around post-storm advice to victims. A bar statement said the session would provide an overview of assistance programmes,  with panellists including representatives from agencies such as the American Red Cross, as well as FEMA, the federal tax authorities, small business associations and the state government.