Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT)

Brooklyn, New York

Our Mission

Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT) empowers families to advocate for themselves in the complex Family Courts, where over 80% of litigants do not have a lawyer. We serve 30,000 people each year by operating hotlines to answer pressing questions related to court processes, child support, custody, and visitation; running Education Information Sites and Family Legal Centers at courthouses in all 5 boroughs; and holding parenting workshops and mother's groups that address the needs of our participants.

Who We Are

LIFT was launched in 1996 when three lawyers had the simple but revolutionary idea of establishing â€œgo-toâ€ locations in New York City's Family Courts that would provide on-the-spot help and legal information for vulnerable families struggling to make their way through the complex Court system. Before LIFT, there was no source of information or guidance available, and families were left to fend for themselves in a confusing and intimidating Court system. Today, LIFT operates innovative, award-winning programs in the Family Courts and in the community, all of which share the goal of promoting positive outcomes for families and children.