Western New York 211

Need Help? Dial 2-1-1

1.888.696.9211.

  • Get Involved
  • Other Resources

211 WNY

  • Get Directions »
  • Send to email »
  • Print »
  • Update Information »

Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County

  • Follow 211 WNY on Facebook
  • Follow 211 WNY on Twitter

Send to Email

Send to phone.

Erie County, NY Assigned Counsel Program

Section title.

The Erie County Assigned Counsel Program is a part of the Office of Indigent Legal Services, located in Buffalo, NY. The program strives to help those who cannot help themselves, who face steep odds against the power of the State, and who struggle with poverty, mental issues, helplessness and dread. The attorneys in the program save lives and save families. Panel attorneys are the first line of defense for the freedoms granted to us by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Panel Attorneys take Misdemeanor D and E Felonies, C, D, E Felonies, A-B Felonies and Homicide cases in Criminal Courts. They also handle Paternity, Child Support, Family Offense, Custody/Visitation, IDV, Adolescent Offender and Article 10 cases in Family Court. The Assigned Counsel Office consists of one Chief Defender, First Deputy Defender - Criminal Division, one Deputy for Litigation Support and Appeals, one Sentencing Mitigation Attorney, one Supervising Criminal Investigator and five Criminal Investigators. If the court has assigned a public defender to your case in Erie County, please contact the office head for assistance.

Contact Information

  • Public Defenders

Forgot password?

Already Have An Account? Go For LogIn

Reset YOUR PASSWORD

Submit a Resource

Law Help NY

Assigned Counsel Program, Erie County Bar Association Aid to Indigent Prisoners Society, Inc.

Locations served.

The Assigned Counsel Program is a project of the Bar Association of Erie County. The Program coordinates the assignment of attorneys to represent, at no cost to the client, individuals who are charged with a crime or a violation which could result in incarceration and who cannot afford their own attorney.

The Program handles all matters, both misdemeanor and felony, in each of the 40 Justice Courts in Erie County, as well as all of the felony work in Superior Court. In addition, it handles cases in Buffalo City Court which the Public Defender cannot accept because of conflicts among multiple defendants. 

Representation is also provided at final parole revocation hearings, on parole appeals, and on appeals to the Appellate Division in both criminal and Family Court matters which cannot be handled by the Legal Aid Bureau because of a conflict. Criminal appeals from Justice Courts to County Court are also handled.

In addition, the Program coordinates the assignment of lawyers for certain Family Court matters. These Family Court matters do not include divorces, modification of child support orders, or representation of paternity petitioners. They do include representation of respondents in neglect, abuse, termination of parental rights, paternity, and support order violation matters, as well as both petitioners and respondents in family offense, custody and visitation matters.

How to Get Help

All clients must first be referred to the Program by the Court, and are required to document their financial need.

Last Reviewed: July 13, 2017

  • UB Directory

assigned counsel of erie county

  • Alumni >
  • Get Involved >
  • Business Directory >

Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County

About Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County The Assigned Counsel Program provides quality legal representation in both Criminal Courts and Family Court in Erie County. Mission Statement: We strive to help those who cannot help themselves; who face steep odds against the power of the State; and who struggle with poverty, mental issues, helplessness and dread. We save lives and we save families. We are the first line of defense for the freedoms granted to us by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. 

The Program is officially titled the Erie County Bar Association's Aid to Indigent Prisoners Society, Inc. 

Director, Michelle Parker (CEL '12, JD '93)

The Brisbane Building, Ste. 215 403 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14203

Phone: (716) 856-8804 

Website:  https://www.assigned.org/

  • Go To Google Maps for directions and details
  • FASTCASE LOGIN
  • EVENTS CALENDAR
  • JOIN OR RENEW
  • MEMBER PORTAL

Bar Association of Erie County logo

Assigned Counsel Vouchers Approved and Authorized for Payment

  • By Administrator
  • March 26, 2020

Pursuit to the authority vested in me, and in accordance with the recent operational protocols issued by the Chief Administrative Judge for the trial courts of the United Court System, it is hereby

ORDERED that until the Administrative Order issued on March 16, 2020 and any subsequent amendment thereto is rescinded, all vouchers submitted pursuant to County Law Section 722-b(4) are hereby approved and payment by the County Assigned Counsel Program is authorized, provided the Assigned Counsel Director is satisfied that all other requirements of law and procedure have been followed; and it is further

ORDERED that until the Administrative Order issued on March 16, 2020 and any subsequent amendment thereto is rescinded, all vouchers submitted pursuant to Family Court Act Sections 243(c) and 245(c) are hereby approved and payment by the Office of Attorneys for Children is authorized, provided the Office of Attorneys for Children is satisfied that all other requirements of law and procedure have been followed, and it is further

ORDERED that until the Administrative Order issued on March 16, 2020 and any subsequent amendment thereto is rescinded, ail individuals seeking legal representation pursuant to Article 18-B of the County Law shall be deemed eligible, regardless of financial ability to obtain counsel.

Dated: March 20, 2020 Buffalo, New York Hon. Paula L. Feroleto Administrative Judge Eighth Judicial District

  • 8th Judicial District , Coronavirus , COVID-19

BAEC Icon White

716.852.8687  |  [email protected]   |  438 Main St., 6th Floor, Buffalo, NY 14202

© 2022 Bar Association of Erie County. All rights reserved.

THIS WEBSITE USES COOKIES

Privacy overview.

LEARN HOW THE BAEC CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Erie Times-News

Erie County councilman seeks greater scrutiny of Davis administration, requests oversight committee

E rie County Councilmember Rock Copeland is requesting that council form an investigative oversight committee to delve into the Brenton Davis administration’s handling of finances and personnel.

In a letter emailed Sunday to Council Chairman Terry Scutella and shared with the rest of council, Copeland highlighted three areas “of immediate concern:"

  • Dealings of the Erie County Economic Development Department;
  • Allocation of funds to other entities; and
  • Employee health and well-being.

Copeland, a Democrat who represents the 3rd district, stated the committee will not be limited to these areas.

“Legislative oversight is a foundational principle in our democracy,” he stated in the letter. “This body should utilize the authority granted to it by the Home Rule Charter in order to ensure good governance.

The letter signals a growing concern among council’s 5-2 Democratic majority of the Republican administration’s use of funds and its approach toward county employees, with Copeland stating that council has “received many anecdotal reports that raise concerns about the work environment within the courthouse."

Copeland: Economic Development Department should face scrutiny

In his letter, Copeland stated that council is concerned about the Economic Development Department and how its role in county government is “not defined, nor constrained in the (Erie County) administrative code.”

The department, which was created in 2022 , was touted by the Davis administration as its top community development initiative. The department seeks to coordinate countywide resources to develop a “network of industry, business, education and workforce support that will enhance growth and development throughout the region,” according to the Erie County website .

The department, which is located across the hall from Davis’s fifth floor office in the Erie County Courthouse, is comprised of three members, including Director Joe Sinnott, the former three-term Erie mayor. Sinnott was recently appointed as Davis’s director of administration, sparking a search for a new department director.

While the department was initially funded by $280,000 in American Rescue Plan funds and another $50,000 from a National Association of Counties grant, Copeland noted that the department’s budget expanded from roughly $350,000 in 2022 to about $800,000 in 2024.

“Of that amount, wages and fringes have increased from $97,000 to $439,000,” he stated. “This is a significant increase in overhead, yet council has not been made aware of the returns on this investment.”

Committee would investigate HR complaints, use of funds

Copeland stated the committee would also review all human resources complaints produced between Jan. 1, 2022, to present, and investigate how the administration handled each complaint.

“Council should seek to obtain private testimony and data regarding the welfare and well-being of all employees as we work to ensure that the county government offers the best possible work environment,” Copeland stated.

Davis is already facing a whistleblower lawsuit that alleges he fired an employee in retaliation for voicing a workplace grievance. The suit was moved to federal court in Erie on Nov. 15 due to the constitutional claims.

Copeland further voiced concern over “pools of funds,” set aside to be allocated “at the county executive’s sole discretion without a transparent process for distributing those funds.”

He cited funding via emergency medical services grants, municipal GAP funding and the Economic Development Department.

“The county should be awarding funds based on a set of established parameters, not at the discretion of the county executive for political or personal gain,” Copeland stated.

The oversight committee, if established, would be comprised of three council members, selected at the discretion of Chairman Scutella.

A.J. Rao can be reached at  [email protected] . Follow him on X @ETNRao .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County councilman seeks greater scrutiny of Davis administration, requests oversight committee

Rock Copeland is sworn in as a member of Erie County Council during the swearing-in ceremony of judicial and county elected officials inside courtroom H at the Erie County Courthouse in Erie on Jan. 2, 2024.

IMAGES

  1. Public Defender Resources, Public Lawyers and Rights in Erie County

    assigned counsel of erie county

  2. Public Defender Resources, Public Lawyers and Rights in Erie County

    assigned counsel of erie county

  3. Daniel C. Whorley, Esq.

    assigned counsel of erie county

  4. NOTICE OF APPEARANCE OF ASSIGNED COUNSEL

    assigned counsel of erie county

  5. Due Process in Criminal Court Cases in Erie County

    assigned counsel of erie county

  6. Meet the Attorneys: Know your rights and responsibilities with Assigned

    assigned counsel of erie county

COMMENTS

  1. The Assigned Counsel Program

    The Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County located at 403 Main Street, Suite 215, Brisbane Building, provides valuable free criminal and family court resources and representation to members of the public.

  2. Welcome to Family Court

    Phone: 716-845-7400. Fax: 716-845-7546. Hours of Operation. 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. THE ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM IN FAMILY COURT. The Assigned Counsel Program (further ACP) represents most people who qualify financially free of charge in the following areas of Family Court: Custody and Visitation; Child Abuse / Neglect or the ...

  3. Legal Assistance and Education Services for Erie County

    Lori also ensures the quality of the Co-Counsel Program, under which co-counsel is assigned to all serious felonies and all jury trials. ... The Assigned Counsel Program. Erie County Bar Association Aid To Indigent Prisoners Society, Inc. 403 Main Street Suite 215 Buffalo, NY 14203. Contact. 716.856.8804. About Us.

  4. Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County

    Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County 403 Main Street Suite 215 Buffalo, NY 14203 www.assigned.org Main Phone 716-856-8804 Fax 716-856-0424 Primary Services Public Defender Description

  5. Contact

    Assigned Counsel Program. Address: 403 Main Street Suite 215 Buffalo, NY 14203. ... 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Phone: (716) 856-8804. E-Mail: [email protected]. The Assigned Counsel Program. Erie County Bar Association Aid To Indigent Prisoners Society, Inc. 403 Main Street Suite 215 Buffalo, NY 14203. Contact. 716.856.8804. About Us. About the ...

  6. Criminal Defense Consulting and Referral Programs

    The Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County offers comprehensive social programs to help individuals find all of the resources they need for proper representation on any criminal court case.

  7. Free Criminal Attorney, Lawyer in Erie County, NY

    Assigned Counsel Program - Free Attorney Application ... Swahili - Kiswahili Tigrinya Urdu Vietnamese - Tiếng Việt. The Assigned Counsel Program. Erie County Bar Association Aid To Indigent Prisoners Society, Inc. 403 Main Street Suite 215 Buffalo, NY 14203. Contact. 716.856.8804. About Us. About the Program; Join Our Panel; Donate;

  8. Erie County, NY Assigned Counsel Program

    The Erie County Assigned Counsel Program is a part of the Office of Indigent Legal Services, located in Buffalo, NY. The program strives to help those who cannot help themselves, who face steep odds against the power of the State, and who struggle with poverty, mental issues, helplessness and dread.

  9. Assigned Counsel Program, Erie County Bar Association Aid to Indigent

    The Assigned Counsel Program is a project of the Bar Association of Erie County. The Program coordinates the assignment of attorneys to represent, at no cost to the client, individuals who are charged with a crime or a violation which could result in incarceration and who cannot afford their own attorney.

  10. Assigned Counsel Program Serving Erie County

    The Assigned Counsel Program provides high-quality legal representation to all financially-eligible persons in the County of Erie who are entitled by law to counsel, thereby protecting society's interest in the fair administration of justice.

  11. Assigned Counsel

    During this unprecedented public health emergency, in order to expedite the payment of attorneys assigned to representparties on appeal and entitled to compensation pursuant to County Law Section 722-b, it is hereby ORDERED that until further notice, all vouchers submitted pursuant to County Law Section 722-b (4) are hereby approved for amounts ...

  12. Assigned Counsel Program of Erie County

    403 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14203 Phone: (716) 856-8804 Website: https://www.assigned.org/ Facebook Go To Google Maps for directions and details The Assigned Counsel Program provides quality legal representation in both Criminal Courts and Family Court in Erie County.

  13. Rate hike for NY assigned counsel to cost taxpayers millions

    The rate for private lawyers who participate in the Erie County Bar Association's Assigned Counsel Program used to be $60 an hour for misdemeanor cases and $75 for felony cases. The new...

  14. Links

    Federal Public Defender's Office. Western District of New York. U.S. Courts (The Federal Judiciary) USA.gov. The U.S. Government's official web portal. 8th District Links Commercial Division of the Supreme Court Erie County Assigned Counsel Program (Erie County) The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo The Erie County Bar Association.

  15. PDF ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM

    ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AID TO INDIGENT PRISONERS SOCIETY, INC. ROBERT N. CONVISSAR CHIEF DEFENDER I ADMINISTRATOR CLAUDIA S. SCHULTZ DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR March 18,2015 Robert M. Graber Clerk of the Erie County Legislature 92 Franklin Street, 41 " Floor Buffalo, NY 14202

  16. PDF ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM

    ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AID TO INDIGENT PRISONERS SOCIETY, INC. ROBERT D. LONSKI ADMINISTRATOR ... Clerk of the Erie County Legislature 92 Franklin Street, 41h Floor Buffalo, NY 14202 Re: Erie County Legislature Resolution of March 4, 2004 Comm. 5E-24 (2004) Dear Mr. Graber: THE CROSBY BUILDING 170 FRANKLIN STREET ...

  17. The Editorial Board: Low pay for Assigned Counsel Program hurts the

    The Assigned Counsel Program in New York State and Erie County is underfunded, increasing the risks of unequal justice. There's a crisis brewing in the Erie County criminal justice system. It ...

  18. Assigned Counsel Vouchers Approved and Authorized for Payment

    Assigned Counsel Vouchers Approved and Authorized for Payment By Administrator March 26, 2020 3:23 pm Pursuit to the authority vested in me, and in accordance with the recent operational protocols issued by the Chief Administrative Judge for the trial courts of the United Court System, it is hereby

  19. PDF ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM

    ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AID TO INDIGENT PRISONERS SOCIETY, INC. ROBERT N. CONVISSAR CHIEF DEFENDER I ADMINISTRATOR THE CROSBY BUILDING 170 FRANKLIN STREET. SUITE 400 BUFFALO. NY 14202·2412 CLAUDIA S. SCHULTZ DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR (716) 856-8804 FAX (716) 856-0424 March 18,2015

  20. PDF ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM

    Funds disbursed by Erie County to Assigned Counsel Program, year to date: $7,518,628,00 Administrative expenses in fourth quarter: $286,499.48 Administrative expenses, year to date: $1,029,731.21 Payments made to attorneys for legal services in fourth quarter: $1,853,591.13 Payments made to attorneys for legal services, year to date: $6,776,650,64

  21. PDF ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM

    ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AID TO INDIGENT PRISONERS SOCIETY, INC. ROBERT D. LONSKI ADMINISTRATOR CLAUDIA S. SCHULTZ DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR April 12,2011 Robert M. Graber Clerk ofthe Erie County Legislature 92 Franklin Street, 4th Floor Buffalo, NY 14202 Re: Erie County Legislature Resolution ofMarch 4, 2004 Comm. 5E-24 ...

  22. PDF ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM

    ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AID TO INDIGENT PRISONERS SOCIETY, INC. ROBERT D. LONSKI ADMINISTRATOR CLAUDIA S SCHULTZ DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR July 29,2011 RobertM. Graber Clerk ofthe Erie County Legislature 92 Franklin Street, 4th Floor Buffalo, NY 14202 Re: Resolution 233 ofMay 6, 1975 Dear Mr. Graber: THE CROSBY BUILDING ...

  23. PDF THE ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE FINANCE & Timothy J. Meyers Chair

    ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM "Quarterly Report - 4th Quarter of 2023" 13. COMM. 3M-2 (2024) Session 3. ASSIGNED COUNSEL PROGRAM "Financial Report & Meeting Minutes" 14. INTRO. 4-4 (2024) Session 4. VINAL "Referring Thefts at EC Clerk's Office to Federal White Collar Crimes"

  24. Erie County councilman seeks greater scrutiny of Davis ...

    Erie County Councilmember Rock Copeland is requesting that council form an investigative oversight committee to delve into the Brenton Davis administration's handling of finances and personnel ...