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Bar Association Offers Free Help For NYers In Debt Cases

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (WCBS 880) – With consumer debt cases clogging the courts on Staten Island, the Richmond County Bar Association is stepping up its efforts to help those who remain unrepresented.

"Courts have been inundated with unrepresented individuals," said John Murange, the association's president. "It's extremely widespread."

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In 2009, more than 15,000 collection cases were filed, according to the Association, and only 1 percent of the defendants had legal representation.

Murange said they formed a civil legal advice and resource office to provide free legal aid.

"One of the big things that you have out there is that many of these plaintiffs cannot prove their claim. They don't have the documents. You heard all those issues with the banks not having original documents," Murange said.

When they recruit more pro-bono lawyers, they'll help in foreclosure cases too. Students from Wagner and Fordham will also offer help to provide the free legal services.

Why are they doing this?

"We have this angst amongst us that when we go to the movies and we see a movie like Jurassic Park and the attorney gets eaten, and everybody applauds," Murange said. "They should know just because you're an attorney, you're not an evil person."

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