NYLSC’s Statement on FY 2025 Judiciary Budget Request

Albany, NY - December 4, 2023

Civil Legal Services Targeted for 3% COLA and Other Increases in Judiciary Budget Request 

“On December 1, the Office of Court Administration (OCA) submitted an itemized estimate of its financial needs for the State Fiscal Year 2025 (SFY 2025) to Governor Hochul and the legislature.  

The New York Legal Services Coalition (NYLSC) appreciates the proposed 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for the IOLA Fund and the proposed 6% increase for Civil Legal Services (consisting of a 3% COLA and an additional 3% increase.) 

These increases begin to address the need for more attorneys who provide legal assistance to low-income and at-risk New Yorkers. However, more substantial investments are needed. We support the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice’s request to invest an additional $100 million over time to close an estimated $1 billion justice gap. The justice gap represents the cost of providing civil legal services to meet the essential needs of low-income New Yorkers. The Coalition also calls for all government branches to come together to ensure pay equity for attorneys and advocates serving historically disadvantaged communities, veterans, and older adults. 

Currently, civil legal services attorneys’ salaries are thousands of dollars lower than other government funded attorneys doing the same work. Entry level attorneys in civil legal services start at salaries 30% to 45% lower than their government counterparts. Those inequities only grow throughout their careers and, after ten years of civil legal services employment, the gap between civil legal services attorneys and the attorneys in the Office of the Attorney General can be as high as 75% in some parts of the state. Nonprofit salaries must increase significantly to stabilize and grow the civil legal aid workforce to meet the overwhelming need for representation. We will continue to work with the OCA, the Governor, the legislature, and non-profit partners to address the justice gap and pay equity concerns in the final budget.” 

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The New York Legal Services Coalition is a professional association of over 40 legal aid organizations committed to delivering effective legal services to low-income New Yorkers and ensuring access to civil legal services statewide.