Pro Bono Projects

Representative pro bono work

Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana (EDOLA)

We were pleased to have assisted the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana (EDOLA) and EDOLA’s Office of Disaster Response in their vital recovery and rebuilding efforts to transform lives and neighborhoods afflicted by Hurricane Katrina.

Krivit & Krivit focused on legislative initiatives to affirm the historic role of faith-based and voluntary organizations in providing affordable housing opportunities and disaster recovery case management services, and to also ensure that our fellow Americans whose lives were devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita would continue to receive vital disaster recovery case management services to help them rebuild their lives.

Our efforts resulted in EDOLA’s participation in hearings conducted by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on “Post-Katrina: How FEMA Decides When Housing Responsibilities End” which focused on the absolute necessity of continued case management efforts and the removal of barriers to the production of affordable housing units. Additionally, in an effort to bring the challenges and concerns of those suffering in the aftermath of the storm to the attention of the Congress, we were instrumental in organizing a Congressional visit of five staff members of the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management to tour hard hit areas for a clearer understanding of progress and remaining challenges.

New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders

Since 2009, Krivit & Krivit, P.C. has been providing pro bono legislative advocacy services to the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders.

Our efforts on behalf of NJCTS have been focused on the development of legislation that would provide for the expansion, intensification and coordination of the research programs and activities of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with respect to Tourette Syndrome, a misunderstood, misdiagnosed, inherited neurological disorder that affects 1 in 100 children and adults, and is characterized by vocal sounds and/or motor movements known as tics.

Working in close coordination with Congressman Albio Sires (D.-N.J.) and Senator Robert Menendez (D.-N.J.) and their senior legislative staff, Krivit & Krivit assisted the drafting of the Collaborative Academic Research Efforts (CARE) for Tourette Syndrome Act of 2012. The primary purpose of the legislation is to establish four to six regional centers of excellence across the country to conduct research into the cause, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, control and treatment of Tourette Syndrome and associated co-morbid disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression.

Congressman Sires’ House bill, H.R. 3760, was introduced in December 2011. Senator Menendez’ companion legislation, S. 2321, was introduced in the U.S. Senate in April 2012. Prior to the end of the 112th Congress, the CARE legislation had gained the co-sponsorship of 42 Members of the House of Representatives.

Congressman Sires has reintroduced his legislation in the 113th Congress as H.R. 146, and Senator Menendez has reintroduced his Senate bill as S.637. Krivit & Krivit, P.C. is now working to gain nationwide support for passage of the legislation.