Sullivan & Cromwell was honored at the 2024 New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) Pro Bono Awards on October 24 with the “Champion of Justice Award,” the program’s highest honor, in recognition of the Firm’s work in a class action that secured a favorable settlement on behalf of low-income New York City schoolchildren seeking special education services.
An S&C pro bono team began partnering with attorneys in NYLAG’s Special Education Unit and Special Litigation Unit almost five years ago to tackle the problem of unlawful delays for students with special education needs. In early 2020, NYLAG and S&C filed a class action suit against the New York City Department of Education in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf of low-income families who were experiencing unlawful delays in obtaining special education services for their children. The team successfully certified a class, litigated numerous discovery disputes and other motions, and participated in dozens of mediations to reach a settlement during the pendency of summary judgment proceedings.
Under the settlement in JSM v. New York City Department of Education, low-income New York City schoolchildren seeking special education services will face shorter hearing wait times and improved practices to prevent unlawful delays.
The S&C team included William Monahan, Jessica Klein, Amanda Mayo, Kara Grandin and Joe Lindblad.