St. John's University Announces $492,000 Grant from New York State Attorney General's Office for Securities Arbitration Clinic in New York City

The St. John’s University School of Law Securities Arbitration Clinic announced today that it has received a $492,000 grant from the New York State Attorney General’s Office.  The clinic, a live-client program staffed by second and third year St. John’s law students, opened its doors in August of 2004 thanks in part to funding from the New York State Attorney General’s Office.  The clinic represents investors residing in New York State in securities arbitration claims before the NASD or NYSE against broker-dealers and their registered representatives on a pro bono basis.  Clients of the clinic generally have very limited financial means and are unable to afford legal representation.  Students of the clinic are involved in all phases of the client’s case and, thus, gain valuable practical lawyering skills and substantive legal knowledge. 

The grant will enable the clinic to increase the supervising staff, accept additional students into the program and, thus, enable the clinic to represent additional clients. The clinic also plans to increase its investor education and community outreach efforts with the funding.

The Dean of St. John’s School of Law, Mary C. Daly, was thrilled to receive the news about the grant award stating, “Clinical education is an integral part of the professional skills training that St. John’s offers its students.  I am especially delighted that this grant will allow us to expand the size of the Securities Arbitration Clinic, enroll more students, and serve more clients.” 

The Director of the Securities Arbitration Clinic at St. John’s, Professor Lisa A. Catalano, also welcomed the announcement with enthusiasm and excitement noting, “The clinic was initially established with the assistance of a generous grant from the Attorney General’s Office and I am thrilled that it recognizes and supports the law school’s commitment to provide quality free legal representation to New York’s underserved investor community.”

“The recent grant from the Attorney General’s Office will not only enable the clinic to represent additional clients, but will also assist the clinic in its proactive efforts to educate the community through investor education seminars before they are victimized by securities fraud and other abuses.  I am simply thrilled by the Attorney General’s generosity,” added Catalano.

For more information contact Dominic Scianna, Director of Media Relations at (718) 990-6185 or e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu, or Professor Catalano at (718) 990-6626 or e-mail inquiries to catalanl@stjohns.edu.