The Pro Se Assistance Program is available to assist financially eligible pro se litigants in civil lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York who need legal advice on a limited-scope basis.  The Program may assist pro se litigants who have already filed a civil lawsuit, want to file a civil lawsuit, or have been sued civilly in the Western District of New York.

The Program offers remote assistance and in-person consultations in Buffalo and Rochester.

Buffalo

The Pro Se Assistance Program in Buffalo will be open for in-person consultations every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., from June 5 through August 14, 2026 (except for June 19 and July 3, 2026), with plans to reopen again in-person in September 2026.

IIf you are a pro se litigant in need of legal advice, you may visit the Program in Buffalo at the Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse, 2 Niagara Square, Buffalo, New York, in the office located within the public entrance to the Clerk’s Office on the second floor.  While we encourage you to obtain in-person assistance, remote assistance is available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. by contacting the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project at (716) 847-0662 (ext. 340).

Rochester

The Pro Se Assistance Program in Rochester will be open for in-person consultations every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., from June 3 through August 12, 2026, with plans to reopen again in-person in September 2026.

If you are a pro se litigant in need of legal advice, you may visit the Program in Rochester at the Kenneth B. Keating Federal Building, 100 State Street, Rochester, New York, on the second floor.  While we encourage you to obtain in-person assistance, remote assistance is available by contacting JustCause at (585) 683-7707 at any time.

Further information for pro se litigants is available on the Court’s website:
https://www.nywd.uscourts.gov/pro-se-self-representation.