Advocating Outside the Courtroom

We here at Tolmage Peskin believe that advocating for our clients doesn't stop when you exit the four walls of the courtroom. We know that injured people are not only affected by the individual facts and circumstances of their cases, they are affected by the laws and policies set forth by New York State.

Because our clients are affected by elements outside their individual cases, we are members of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. NYSTLA is a state-wide organization of attorneys who seek "to promote a safer and healthier society, to assure access to the civil justice system by those who are wrongfully injured and to advance representation of the public by ethical, well-trained lawyers."

On April 28, NYSTLA organized a group of over 170 lawyers to go to Albany and talk to lawmakers in the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate. I had the opportunity to be part of that group. We talked to these lawmakers about issues that affect injured New Yorkers. We tried to impress upon them that the hurt and injured are among the most vulnerable subsets of people. That injured people need to be assured access to the court house. That laws must be strengthened so that the rights of the injured are protected just as much as the rights of insurance companies and landlords are protected. Many of the issues we talked to lawmakers about can be found here.

I was encouraged by the NYSTLA trip to Albany. The lawmakers seemed very receptive to what NYSTLA attorneys had to share with them. I know the wheels of government turn slow; they are supposed to. But I believe that the advocacy we engaged in on behalf of the injured, coupled with a sustained campaign to educate people about our issues can bring about change. This sort of work is important; so that if you ever find yourself injured, you have the full protections afforded under law at your disposal.