Center for Elder Law & Justice

Who We Are

It is the mission of the Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ) to use the legal system to help the community’s seniors, people with disabilities and the low income population to live independently and with dignity.

CELJ offers free, civil legal services to help people maintain the essentials of life – access to health care, securing safe and affordable housing, protective services to remain free from violence, and access to sufficient income to improve their overall quality of life.

We are an unrestricted provider and engage in impact litigation, as well as direct client services.

We have offices at the following locations:

438 Main Street, Suite 1200
Buffalo, NY 14202

314 Central Avenue, Suite 201
Dunkirk, New York 14048

175 Walnut Street, Suite 1
Lockport, NY 14094

How to Get Help

We are offering remote services at this time, through our Risk Detector, Senior Financial Safety Tool, website, and Helpline.

Please visit our website at www.elderjusticeny.org.

Our office is also available by phone via (716) 853-3087 during the following times:

Monday through Friday 9am-5pm

Summer Hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day) – Monday through Friday 9am-4:30pm

For non-legal service providers wishing to use the Legal Risk Detector, a web-based legal health check up, as a way to detect a client’s legal issues and refer the case to CELJ for prompt follow-up and handling, please contact Molly White at (716) 853-3087, ext. 260.

We offer a Legal Advice Helpline that, due to COVID-19, is no longer restricted by age or income.  The Helpline provides brief legal services free of charge, as well as referrals to full-scope legal service providers if the caller is in need of more in-depth service.  The Helpline offers live calling hours from 9am to 11am M-F when callers can reach an attorney right away for assistance.  Additionally, individuals in need can call the Helpline outside of these hours and leave a voicemail with their name and telephone contact information to receive a callback from an attorney within 1 business day.  Individuals can also send a request for assistance by email to helpline@elderjusticeny.org, including their name and telephone contact information, to receive a callback from an attorney within 1 business day.

For more information about the legal changes and government programs related to COVID-19, please visit our COVID-19 blog page here. This is updated regularly as conditions change.

Who We Serve

Area(s): Allegany County, Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, Erie County, Genesee County, Niagara County, Orleans County, Wyoming County

Language(s) Spoken

• French / Français
• German / Deutsch
• Gujarati / ગુજરાતી
• Hindi / हिन्दी
• Polish / Język Polski
• Russian / Pусский
• Spanish / Español
• Swahili / Kiswahili

Circumstances and languages in which interpreters are provided

We have employees that speak Hindi, Gujaranti, French, Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili and Russian. We also have Language Line, which gives our office access to over-the-phone interpretation from English to more than 200 languages, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If a potential client or client needs interpreter services, we are happy to provide them at no cost.

Income Guidelines

Please contact the CELJ office for additional income guideline information.

Your family’s income should be at or below the following percentage of the federal poverty level

125

Is this organization accessible by wheelchair?: YES

Does this organization provide access for the hearing impaired?: YES

Eligibility Restrictions

For help, you must be: a senior (60 years or older)

This program does not serve: under 21 years old

Type of Help

This group provides the following types of services based on your legal needs and its resources:

• Full Legal Representation
• Brief Advice
• Self-Help Materials