In the aftermath of the terrible events of September 11th, almost one quarter of the firm’s lawyers signed up to participate in the largest coordinated pro bono effort in the New York Bar’s history, staffing intake tables and counseling businesses and individuals affected by the disaster. A few of those matters continued into 2006. In addition to the case discussed above involving the rights of a surviving domestic partner, Mary-Jo Saeli, legal assistant Catherine Taylor, and fiduciary administrator Inta Miele continued the administration of the estate of a firefighter who lost his life at the World Trade Center.

Tom Moreland, Ilyssa Sena, and Jennifer Despins have helped family members of fallen firefighters gain disclosure under the Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”) of materials evidencing the tragic events of September 11th. The family members, each of who lost either a son or a husband on September 11th, intervened in this action, initially brought by the New York Times and one of its reporters, challenging the NYC Fire Department’s denial of a FOIL request for access to the records. After litigation through all three levels of the New York State court system, the Court of Appeals ordered the release of thousands of pages of materials, including oral histories of firefighters and transcripts of Fire Department radio transmissions.

Most of the material was released in August 2005, and the family members gathered at Kramer Levin’s offices to review it. One plaintiff learned the likely location of her son’s unit during the disaster. Additional materials, consisting of tapes and transcripts of the operators’ and dispatchers’ voices from calls made to 911 on September 11th, were released in March and August 2006. The release of these materials generated great interest in the media, and press conferences held at Kramer Levin attracted local, national, and even international news agencies from as far away as Japan, Canada, and England. The family members brought this action not only to uncover information about the last moments of their loved ones’ lives, but also to provide the public with vital information regarding the management and effectiveness of rescue operations and safety in high-rise buildings to minimize the loss of life in the event of a future similar catastrophic event or terrorist attack.

We also participated in the nonprofit world’s response to the disaster. Charlotte Fischman was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the September 11th Fund, an organization created by The New York Community Trust and United Way of New York City, which distributed more than $490 million in cash and services to individuals and businesses affected by the terrorist attacks. Mary Aversano and Helayne Stoopack assisted in the creation of Windows of Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing aid and future scholarships for survivors of food service workers who died on September 11th. Helayne continues to advise this organization.

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