In 2001, the horror and destruction of 9/11 paved the way for the largest pro bono efforts in the history of American jurisprudence. The unprecedented nature of those terrorist attacks meant that many victims, and their families, did not know their rights or if there was any legal recourse, so up stepped legal professionals to fill in these gaps in a massive undertaking.
Now, in the wake of the Hamas-led murdering rampage on October 7th in southern Israel, a partnership between the Israel Bar Association and the New York Bar Association are trying to replicate that historic undertaking.
Adv. Amit Becher, Head of the Israel Bar Association reached out to his counterpart New York Bar Association President Richard Lewis to study the best practices from the 9/11 legal pro bono efforts to understand how they can be best utilized for Israeli victims.
“Much of the country, especially the victims and families of the October 7th massacre, are very much frozen in time, while the world around them continues, creating something akin to a national daze,” Adv. Becher said. “Many of the victims and their families have so much to think about, so we are hoping to bear some of their burden, specifically on legal matters, recourse and undertakings.”
“Since the earliest days after the massacre, we were receiving countless inquiries regarding legal issues from victims and their families, so we sought to create a holistic response and make it as easy and efficient as possible to receive answers to the myriad of questions we are already receiving.
In the wake of the massacre and the subsequent launch of ‘Operation Iron Swords’, the Israel Defense Forces’ operation to defeat Hamas and ensure security for Israel, Becher utilized his international connections to try and find the best solution for Israelis affected by the war from a legal point of view.
The Israel Bar Association sought to provide swift and effective pro-bono legal assistance to those in need, reinforcing the essential role of the legal profession in times of crisis.
Becher also reached out to Henry Greenberg, Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig’s New York office and past New York Bar Association President, who assisted in the building of a platform to dispense free legal advice to those affected by the October 7th massacre and the war.
Launching this week, the website, available through the Israel Bar Association’s portal of pro-bono volunteers, is the fruit of these efforts.
The website and an outreach effort on social media will be a crucial platform connecting Israeli citizens with legal professionals, to help resolve inquiries stemming from the events of October 7. The site will match Israelis in need of pro bono legal counsel and representation to a network of volunteer lawyers with relevant areas of expertise.
“I am delighted to be part of this Israeli effort, and it is just another example of how legal professionals can assist during times of pain and suffering,” said New York Bar Association President Richard Lewis. “As legal professionals, we believe strongly in the concept that justice will prevail, so while the State of Israel and its people try to rise from the ashes of October 7th, just like we had to after 9/11, we must lead the fight for justice and equitableness.”
In addition, the Israel Bar Association has been active in the international legal arena, and has sent multiple delegations around the world, accompanying families of hostages held in Gaza and other affected parties, to speak at relevant legal forums and conferences.
