NEW YORK — On Monday, July 25, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lisa Headley issued a decision and order directing New York State and New York City to pay assigned counsel a rate of $158 per hour. 

State Senator Brad Hoylman, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said: “Yesterday’s State Supreme Court decision increasing the pay for assigned counsel is long-overdue recognition of the public service lawyers provide by representing low-income and vulnerable New Yorkers in criminal and family court. By mandating a fair wage for lawyers, this decision will help increase the number of assigned counsel, reduce the burden of caseloads, and greatly improve access to justice for at-risk families and individuals.  

This preliminary injunction is subject to appeal and further proceedings, however, and does not appear to apply to the rest of the state. Therefore, in order to fully address this long standing problem, the State Legislature must provide a fair wage and uniform standard for assigned counsel throughout New York."

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