Legal Services
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Legal Services Plan
Table of Contents Page 1 - Employment-Related Legal Services Plan Eligibility Labor Negotiation Disciplinary Charges Workers' Compensation Meritorious Grievance Page 3 - Personal Legal Services Plan Personal Finance and Estates Business and Commercial Real Estate Negligence, Personal Injury and Damage Claims Family-Related Matters Page 5 - Procedures for Obtaining Services Page 6 - Legal and Labor-Relations Service Providers Ralph M. Purdy - Labor Contract Preparation/Negotiations Thomas P. Halley, Esq. - All Labor and Personal Services Frank & Associates,P.C.. - All Labor and Personal Services Richard Abbate, Esq. - Personal Services Frank Pellegrini - Workers' Compensation John H. Rubin, Esq. - Personal Svcs (Family matters specialist) Gerarda M. Rella, Esq. - Workers' Compensation Randall G. Lawrence & Associates PC - Personal Services Peter T. Goodrich, Esq. - Personal Services Leeds Morelli & Brown PC - Personal ServicesEmployment-Related Legal Services Plan Eligibility for employment-related legal services in the Federation Plan requires compliance in the following areas: A) 100% participation by members of the member local. Membership Brochure - Informational brochure for individuals interested in forming a Federation collective bargaining local. Brochures are available from our New York office. (You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer to view and print the brochure. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader free of charge from www.adobe.com ) Authorization for Representation form - Authorizes Federation to represent you in collective bargaining. Groups of security officers interested in becoming a local bargaining unit of The Federation must submit Authorization for Representation forms for at least 60% of the employees in the group in order for The Federation to apply to the NLRB for certification as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for the employees in the group. B) Federation dues must be paid within thirty (30) days of receipt of billing invoice submitted by the Federation. C) Dues must be received by the Federation at the mailing address shown on the invoice. D) Locals must continue to pay dues to the Federation, for labor and legal related services, for the length of the labor contract negotiated by the Federation with the bargaining unit. Billings shall be done by the Federation on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. Bills outstanding for more than thirty (30) days shall result in suspension of the Plan services. If the bill remains outstanding for sixty (60) days, the Federation Legal Services Plan may be terminated. The local will remain liable for payment of all outstanding bills, including collection costs, if any. The cost of any other litigation or procedure not specifically set forth herein shall be subject to retainer fees agreed to by the member and the attorney, with a copy of the retainer agreement to be provided to the member. Please note that the Federation Legal Services Plan WILL NOT be responsible for payment of attorney fees, filing fees, arbitration fees and/or any other costs or expenses if any individual member or bargaining unit chooses to use the services of any attorney or firm that does not have an agreement with the Plan to handle any matter covered by the Plan.The Federation Employment-Related Legal Services Plan will provide to participating bargaining units, free of additional charges, the following services by attorneys, and other professionals, who have retainer agreements with the Plan: 1. Preparation of labor contract demands 2. Negotiations 3. Mediation 4. Fact-finding or arbitration 5. Super-mediation 6. Legislative hearing conducted as a result of fact-finding 7. Meritorious grievances under the collective bargaining agreement 8. Labor contract preparation 9. Disciplinary hearings 10. Improper practice charges 11. Workers' compensation claims 12. Initial disability retirementReturn to Top Home Revised January, 2000 The Federation will: 1. Prepare the presentation to be introduced to the arbitration panel, with the assistance of the local; 2. Provide testimony on "ability to pay"; 3. Provide the employee panel member on the arbitration panel; 4. Provide five (5) copies of all exhibits required to be presented to the arbitration panel;
Initial hearings by an attorney (before a hearing officer) are provided with no charge for services of attorney. If an initial hearing is before a neutral arbitrator, the Legal Services Plan will provide the services of an attorney at no cost, and pay the cost of the neutral arbitrator. Court appeal of disciplinary hearings shall be provided through an attorney. There is no charge for the services and expenses of the attorneys. The Legal Services Plan will, if permitted by the court to photocopy, provide the required copies of the transcript, record and brief. Workers' compensation shall be handled solely, by the firms listed as workers' compensation attorneys, with fee entitlement of the attorney as set by Workers' Compensation Law. The Federation Legal Services Plan shall provide the services of an attorney for the pursuit of meritorious grievances before a neutral arbitrator. The fees and expenses of the arbitrator shall be paid by the Plan. The Federation shall pay the cost of any filing fees incurred in the selection of the neutral arbitrator. Federal arbitration review panel must approve arbitration. Return to Top Home Revised January, 2000 The Personal Legal Services Plan is intended to provide members with a full range of legal services at reduced rates. The plan has been expanded to include certain commercial and business-related services not previously covered. Members shall be entitled to free telephone or personal consultation on any legal matter involving, but not necessarily limited to, the areas of law referred to below. When required, additional attorney's services shall be offered to members at a reduced rate. Where otherwise not specified in this schedule, the attorney's fee arrangement for additional services shall be pursuant to a written retainer agreement between the attorney and the member, one copy of which shall be provided to the member. Any legal matters not otherwise designated as free, or with a specific fee, shall be at a discounted per hour rate or whichever amount (flat fee or contingency fee) as may be agreed to between the member and the attorney. A copy of said agreement shall be furnished to the member and, unless otherwise stated in the agreement, all disbursements shall be paid by the member. Note: Disbursements shall include, but not be limited to, all filing fees, index numbers, requests for judicial intervention, transcripts of hearings and/or trials, expert fees and photocopying. WHAT IS COVERED: 1. Simple wills 2. Complex wills and trusts 3. Estate planning 4. Probate and administration 5. Contested wills 6. Personal bankruptcy 7. Attachments and garnishments Business and Commercial 1. Purchase and sale of small business 2. Partnership, shareholder and joint-venture agreements 3. Business corporations and unincorporated businesses 4. Preparation and review of commercial leases 5. Commercial financing 6. State and federal licensing and departmental hearings 7. Preparation and review of commercial contracts 8. Commercial litigation 9. Litigation 10. Preparation and review of employment agreements 11. Commercial bankruptcy and reorganization 12. Mechanical and professional liensReturn to Top Home Revised January, 2000 Real Estate 1. Purchase and sale of one- and two-family primary residences 2. Purchase and sale of secondary residences and investment properties 3. Purchase and sale of cooperatives and condominium properties 4. Mortgages and refinance 5. Certioraris and condemnation 6. Land use, developing and zoning 7. Co-op and condominium conversions 8. Preparation and review of residential leases 9. Eviction proceedings Negligence, Personal Injury and Damage Claims 1. Automobile and motorcycle liability 2. Homeowners and premise liability 3. Municipal liability 4. Street and highway liability 5. Manufacturer's product liability 6. Medical and dental malpractice 7. Property damage claims 8. Civil assault 9. False arrest and malicious prosecution 10. Libel and slander 11. Civil rights and human rights violations Family-Related Matters 1. Adoptions 2. Custody 3. Divorce, separation and annulment 4. Child support 5. Paternity 6. Pre-nuptial agreements 7. Protective orders 8. Family court proceedingsNOTE: Appearances as a witness by a member and/or eligible dependant in civil court, criminal court, grand jury or administrative hearing(s) are excluded from personal and employment-related services provided by the Plan. Return to Top Home Revised January, 2000 PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING SERVICEBefore contacting any member of the legal staff, all members must call the Federation Offices. At this time, if you are unsure of who will be assisting you, or have a problem with the staff member assigned to your local, arrangements will be made to direct you to another person. 1. Negotiations Each local is assigned to a labor-relations consultant who will assist the local in preparing the list of demands, make the initial contact with the employer and attend all negotiation sessions. If an impasse is declared, the Federation office will prepare the 'Declaration of Impasse' and file it with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), or the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), as appropriate. The labor-relations consultant will assist in the mediation session. If mediation does not produce an agreement, the Federation will file the request for arbitration. The local will assist in preparing the case for arbitration and assist, if necessary, in presenting the case. 2. Grievances If the Federation is the bargaining representative, they will file the grievance and follow through on each step of the procedure. If the local is its own bargaining representative, the labor-relations consultant will assist in the informal stages, if requested. If the grievance must go to arbitration, the Federation will file the required documents with the appropriate agency must be approved by Federal Arbitration review oanel. Again, the member and/or local will assist in preparing and, if necessary, presenting the case. 3. Disciplinaries Disciplinaries will be directly assigned to the participating attorney. 4. Improper Practice All improper practice charges will be filed by the Federation. The member and/or local will assist in preparing for the hearing on the charges filed. 5. Workers' Compensation These cases will be directly assigned to the participating attorney.6. Disability Retirement These cases will be directly assigned to the participating attorney.7. Personal Legal Services These cases will be directly handled by the participating attorney. Return to Top Home Revised January, 2000 LEGAL & LABOR RELATIONS STAFF********************************************************** RALPH M PURDY, President UNITED FEDERATION OF SPECIAL POLICE &SECURITY OFFICERS, INC 540 North State Road Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 Tel: (914) 941-4103- FAX: (914) 941-4472 E-mail: rpurdy@securityfederation.com E-mail: rmpurdy@msn.comServices Provided: Labor Contract Preparation & Negotiations ********************************************************** THOMAS P. HALLEY, ESQ.* 80 Washington Street - Suite 309 Poughkeepsie, New York 12601 Tel: (845) 452-9120 FAX: (845) 452-9192Services Provided: All Areas of the Legal Services Plan, Including Personal Legal Services ********************************************************** FRANK & ASSOCIATES, P.C.* 500 Bi-County Boulevard Suite 112N Farmingdale, NY 11735 Tel: (631) 756-0400 FAX: (631) 756-0547Services Provided: All Areas of the Labor and Personal Services ********************************************************** RICHARD ABBATE, ESQ. 656 Yonkers Avenue Yonkers, New York 10704 Tel: (914) 423-1568 FAX: (914) 423-8150Services Provided: Personal Legal Services ****************************************************************** FREEDMAN, WAGNER, TABAKMAN & WEISS** 130 North Main Street New City, New York 10956 Tel: (845) 638-1400Services Provided: Workers' Compensation ********************************************************** JOHN H. RUBIN, ATT0RNEY-AT-LAW 2 Deertree Lane Briarcliff Manor, New York 10510 Tel: (914) 923-7798 FAX: (914) 923-7793Services Provided: Matrimonial Law, Divorce Mediation ********************************************************** GERARDA M. RELLA, Esq.** 300 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 202 1875 Route 6 White Plains, New York 10601 Carmel, New York 10512 Tel: (914) 287-0651 (800) 365-0651 FAX: (914) 287-2048Services Provided: Workers' Compensation ********************************************************** FRANK PELLEGRINE 336 West 37th Street Suite 905 New York, NY 10018 Tel: ( 212) 219-8312 FAX: (212) 925-1702Services Provided: Worker's Compensation ********************************************************** Services Provided: Personal Legal Services Services Provided: Personal Legal Services **************************************************** PETER T. GOODRICH, Esq. Goodrich and Bendish, Attorneys at Law 399 Knollwood Road, Suite 303 White Plains, New York 10603 Tel: (914) 683-8484 FAX: (914) 683-6770Services Provided: Personal Legal Services Services Provided: Personal Legal Services **************************************************** *Presently on Retainer by Federation **Fees are Covered by Workers' Compensation
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