From left, New York Senator Shelley Mayer; Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah; Legal Aid Society of Westchester Executive Director Clare J. Degnan; Chief Judge of the State of New York Hon. Rowan D. Wilson; Senior Associate Justice, Appellate Division, 2nd Dept. Hon. Cheryl E. Chambers; Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives Hon. Edwina D. Richardson; Legal Aid Society of Westchester Deputy Executive Director Sherry Wallach; County Board of Legislator Jewell Wiliams Johnson; Office of Indigent Legal Services Director Patricia Warth; and New York Assemblyman Chris Burdick
More than 200 members of the judicial and legislative branches of state and county government were on hand June 20 to celebrate the grand opening of the Legal Aid Society of Westchester’s (LASW) new Training Center in downtown White Plains.
Located at LASW’s headquarters at 150 Grand Street, the 6,337-square-foot Training Center features a cutting-edge Moot Courtroom, two spacious conference rooms, two offices, and three public areas: reception, kitchenette, and lounge which also double as breakout areas. A moot courtroom simulates a real court environment to give law students an opportunity to put their learning into practice.
The Training Center’s state-of-the-art technology is on par with that of the Federal Courthouses of the Southern District of New York. Utilizing the fully-integrated courtroom AV technologies of NOMAD AV Systems, the Moot Courtroom features four large screens that seamlessly connect to all other screens in the Center, including two LASW conference rooms.
A versatile space at the heart of the Training Center, the Moot Courtroom is a hub for trial advocacy training, a platform for attorneys to moot their trials in preparation, and a spacious lecture hall for training programs, including Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for attorneys. Its availability for use by legal organizations, bar associations, and community providers underscores its immense value and adaptability to various needs. One of the additional offices in the Training Center will house the Westchester Office of the Center for Community Alternatives.
“This Training Center came out of our mission to improve mandated representation across New York State, and particularly in the ninth Judicial District, which incorporates Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland counties. Our purpose is to provide training for all of the public defenders and Family Court representation within the ninth Judicial District,” said LASW Executive Director Clare J. Degnan.
“Young attorneys need to understand that they can be incredible advocates to stand up for their clients and push back at any injustices or biases. But the way to do that is to practice in an area that you’re comfortable with. That means you get comfortable in a courtroom like this. You can take that skill set outside and do what you need to do as a public defender in the real world,” said Degnan.
“I would like to especially thank our Deputy Executive Director Sherry Wallach for her tireless work and collaboration in helping to make this amazing new facility a reality,” said Degnan.
Degnan noted that the Training Center is not just for lawyers. It is for the entire community. “This Training Center provides opportunity and space to put on resource fairs where we can bring in members of the community that are providing support to the community members in multiple areas, such as mental health and substance abuse. There are many pilot programs throughout Westchester County that are alternatives to incarceration,” she said.
The Training Center is adorned with artwork crafted by justice-impacted individuals, adding a distinct touch to its ambiance. “Part of our mission is to have a place where formerly incarcerated individuals can show off their artwork and their talents and creativity,” Degnan said. The Training Center also has a Community Closet for gently used court clothing for LASW clients.
