Latest news with #CoalitionfortheHomeless
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Former Manhattan US attorney leaves Paul Weiss for law firm fighting Trump
Former Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams has left Paul Weiss, the law firm he joined in January, becoming the latest partner to depart the Wall Street firm since it struck a deal with US President Donald Trump in March to rescind an executive order against it. Williams is joining Jenner & Block, the firm said on Friday. Jenner, a smaller firm founded in Chicago, sued the Trump administration to block a similar Trump order and won a ruling last month permanently blocking it. Jenner's announcement did not mention its fight against the Trump administration or the Paul Weiss deal. Paul Weiss in a statement thanked Williams for his contributions to the firm. Williams was not immediately available for comment. In a statement, he said Jenner 'fearlessly advocates for its clients and provides outstanding strategic counsel through their most difficult challenges.' Jenner said Williams, an appointee of former Democratic President Joe Biden who led the US attorney's office for the Southern District of New York from 2021 to 2024, will co-chair the firm's litigation department and investigations practice. As US attorney, Williams oversaw the successful prosecutions of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and New Jersey Democratic US Senator Bob Menendez. Jenner, with about 500 lawyers, was one of four law firms that sued the White House challenging an executive order that sought to strip government contracts from the firms' clients and to bar attorneys at the firms from entering federal buildings. Paul Weiss instead agreed in March to devote $40 million in free legal services to causes approved by the administration in order to escape the order against it. The 1,000-lawyer firm's chairman Brad Karp has defended the agreement, saying it was necessary to protect the firm and did not compromise its principles. Eight other prominent firms later reached similar deals with the White House. Some lawyers and attorney advocacy groups have denounced the agreements, while others have said the firms made strategic business decisions. Five Paul Weiss partners left last month to form a new firm. They did not cite the agreement with Trump in their announcement. The head of the pro bono practice at Paul Weiss also left the firm in April to focus on representing the Coalition for the Homeless with the Legal Aid Society.
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Top NYC mayoral candidate unveils plan to make subway stations hubs for the homeless and mentally ill
A leading candidate in the New York City mayoral race has unveiled a $10 million proposal to set up centers for homeless people within the Big Apple's subway network. Zohran Mamdani wants to convert shopfronts within the MTA network into drop-in facilities that would also serve mentally ill people, Gothamist reports. The plans are likely to prove controversial among New Yorkers amid growing concern about crime on the subway and the city's homelessness epidemic. Four in ten riders say they want to see fewer people acting erratically on the subway, according to an MTA survey published last month. Mamdani's plans were inspired by a similar system which operates in Philadelphia. 'If you just think about New Yorkers who are in a moment of crisis, in a mental health crisis, to just have a place they know they can go to that is in the subway station, where they can get just a moment of relief, a moment of care, a moment of guidance,' he told Gothamist. 'It could be all the difference.' Unlike his political rivals, Mamdani does not believe in hiring more police to tackle crime on subways. Instead he proposes appointing workers in the 100 busiest subway stations to act as a point of outreach. An MTA spokeswoman told Gothamist that there are currently 62 vacant storefronts out of a total of 203 units. There are about 350,000 homeless people in the city according to the Coalition for the Homeless, which said that the majority of this population will be living with a mental illness or other severe health problems. This combined with a lack of psychiatric care beds and support has created a safety crisis on the subway. But policy director for the advocacy group Riders Alliance Danny Pearlstein suggested that attracting vulnerable people down to the centers could exacerbate the current issues. 'We need immediate steps to draw people off the system and into services,' Pearlstein told Gothamist. 'Public space is so precious and this problem is so palpable to so many New Yorkers that it seems irresistible to at least try a solution.' Critics also noted that the Philadelphia system that influenced Mamdani is considerably smaller than what would be required in New York. MTA data shows that felony crime fell in the year to February, but a number of high profile incidents has left many New Yorkers fearful about taking the train. Among the most shocking was the death of Debrina Kawam, who was set on fire by another homeless man as she slept on the subway. So far the response by the authorities has been to send in more police who have at times forcibly removed mentally ill people from the system. Mamdani's plan would form part of his $1 billion public safety proposal. Candice Player, a vice president at Project HOME, the nonprofit that runs Philadelphia's drop-in center, told Gothamist that MTA bosses have contacted her about the model in her city. MTA officials refused to comment to the outlet when asked about the feasibility of the democratic socialist's plan. In the Democratic mayoral primary Mamdani is polling in second place behind disgraced former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who has promised to hire 5,000 more police officers to tackle the crisis. Mamdani acknowledges that his plans would come with a hefty price tag which he claims he would fund by pushing for tax increases for the wealthy. He is up against incumbent mayor Eric Adams, who is made a shock decision to quit the Democrat part y and run for re-election as mayor of New York City as an independent candidate, while decrying extremist politics of the left. Adams was once seen as a future leader in the party, declaring himself 'the Biden of Brooklyn' when he won four years ago. He has since drifted from the rudderless Democrats who are furious with his recent deal-making with Donald Trump on immigration law.
New York Times
09-04-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Top Pro Bono Leader Resigns from Paul Weiss, a Firm Hit in Trump's Crackdown on Big Law
A leader of the pro bono practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is resigning from the law firm, within weeks of the elite firm striking a deal with President Trump to lift an executive order that had threatened its ability to represent clients with business before the federal government. Steven Banks, a former New York City social services commissioner who was special counsel at the New York-based law firm for the past three years, said in a statement that he was leaving to return to his roots and would resume working for the rights of the homeless by providing legal services to the Coalition for the Homeless and The Legal Aid Society. 'This has been weighing on me since the November election,' said Mr. Banks in the statement. 'At this historical moment, I know that I belong back on the front lines fighting for the things that I have believed in since I first walked in the door of The Legal Aid Society as a staff attorney in 1981.' While Mr. Banks, 68, did not mention the settlement with the White House, his departure comes as Paul Weiss has faced a barrage of criticism for not fighting Mr. Trump and his broader attacks on the legal system. Mr. Banks, reached by phone, said he would let the statement speak for itself. Laura Van Drie, a Paul Weiss spokeswoman, said, 'We thank Steve for his leadership and many contributions over the past three years.' She added, 'We remain committed to providing impactful pro bono legal assistance to individuals and organizations in need.'
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
Greenberg unveils plans for mountain bike park at former homeless camp in south Louisville
Mayor Craig Greenberg unveiled plans for a new mountain bike park in Louisville's South End on Tuesday. The park will be on Park Boulevard, underneath the I-264 overpass near the Muhammad Ali International Airport. Preliminary plans show four sections of track for beginners up to advanced bikers, complete with jumps, hairpin turns and more. "We're going to create spaces that will make it possible to host mountain biking events that will draw people from all around, from each end of the country and add to the outstanding momentum that we have in our tourism and hospitality sectors," Greenberg said. The proposed park is on the site of a previous homeless encampment that the city "relocated," Greenberg said. "There were homeless encampments in this area and crime," Greenberg said. "People in this area could not feel safe, and that's not acceptable." Greenberg said individuals experiencing homelessness have local options, including the Community Cares Campus, which recently opened a temporary shelter to house six to 12 families. The full campus, which will include a family emergency shelter, is not expected to be completed until later this year. Local homeless outreach workers have criticized the Greenberg administration's use of the term relocation for camp clearings, saying those forced to move often have nowhere to go. According to data from the Coalition for the Homeless, nearly 600 people were living unsheltered during a Point In Time count in 2024. Deputy Mayor Nicole George could not give a specific date on when the camp where the bike park will be was relocated but said the city continues working to relocate encampments. "Parcels of property that lack consistent management, which are going to compound with drugs, make them ripe for illicit activities," George said. No budget or cost estimates are set for the park yet, as it's still in the early development phase, George said. A community meeting to give input on the preliminary designs will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Beechmont Community Center. Derek Fetko with the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association said mountain bikers often have to drive several hours to find a similar park to practice skills or participate in competitions. "This is how people come together, make new friends and develop their hobby," Fetko said. Louisville Metro Councilwoman Betsy Ruhe, who represents the district the proposed park will be in, said she believes the park will benefit the area. "I'm really excited to bring something positive to a neglected area and to bring an asset to our city that we don't have," Ruhe said. More: A Louisville abortion clinic drew intense protests. Now it's being demolished Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville to build mountain bike park on site of former homeless camp
