Home foreclosure filings in Nassau County continue to be among the highest in New York State. To help Nassau residents caught in the growing mortgage foreclosure crisis, attorneys will be available to answer their questions at a free clinic sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association on Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 4-6 p.m. at the NCBA headquarters, 15th and West Streets, Mineola, NY. Attorneys have volunteered to provide one-on-one guidance, advice and direction to any Nassau County homeowner who is concerned about foreclosure matters or is already in the foreclosure process involving property in Nassau County. Reservations are required by calling the Bar Association at 516-747-4070 between 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Since launching the clinics last spring, the NCBA clinics have had dozens of attorneys volunteer and have helped more than 350 homeowners with individual foreclosure issues, help them sort things out, and give advice or refer them to agencies and programs, right in the same room. The attorneys do not provide legal representation, but help homeowners find out if indeed, they need a credit counselor or a lawyer, and get them in touch with available resources.

In addition to meeting one-on-one with a volunteer attorney, housing counselors from the Nassau County Homeownership Center and representatives from Nassau/Suffolk Law Services — which provides free legal services for those who meet certain income guidelines — will be on hand to provide assistance.

In May 2008, the Nassau County Bar Association - working closely with Nassau/Suffolk Law Services, the Nassau Regional Office of the Attorney General and the County of Nassau - was the first bar association in New York State to address the looming mortgage foreclosure crisis by launching its Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force, chaired by Martha Krisel, Chief Deputy County Attorney for Special Projects, Office of the Nassau County Attorney.