For over twenty years, Local 79 has offered eligible members, their dependents, and retirees legal services through the law firm Gorlick, Kravitz & Listhaus, P.C (“GKL”). These legal services include representation in the areas of family and matrimonial law, real estate, tenant housing, bankruptcy, wills, and immigration. Additionally, unless specifically excluded, the attorneys at GKL provide up to two hours consultation on legal issues that are not included in these areas.

Eligibility for legal services depends on a number of factors, including the number of hours a member works each year, whether or not the member is up-to-date on payment of dues, and, in the case of dependents, the member’s relationship to the dependent seeking services. For more information about eligibility, consult the Legal Services Summary Plan Description (“SPD”) (Local 79 Summary Plan Description) and contact GKL at (212) 269-2500.

Legal services are offered to members throughout the entire state of New Jersey, New York City’s five boroughs, as well as the following counties in New York: Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester, and Ulster. Generally, coverage for real estate transactions are determined by the location of the property and by the location of the courthouse on litigated matters.

Highlights of the legal services provided in each area of the law are discussed in the SPD. Consult the SPD for specific details of the coverage.

The Board of Trustees of the Local 79 Legal Services Plan announce the following changes to the Plan, effective September 1, 2022:

1. The Plan will provide benefits for immigration and naturalization services without an annual cap on hours. The current sixteen (16) hour cap will be removed.
2. In addition to covering proceedings in landlord/tenant court in which the participant is the tenant, the Plan will cover proceedings in landlord/tenant court where the participant is the landlord provided the property which is the subject of the proceeding is the participant’s primary residence and is either a 2 or 3 family home.
3. The Plan will cover family court and divorce appeals where the Plan’s designated legal services provider represented the participant in the underlying litigation. Appeals that the designated legal services provider does not believe have merit are not covered.
4. If the spouse of an Eligible Member no longer satisfies the definition of Eligible Dependent under the Plan because of the death of the Eligible Member, the spouse will remain eligible for consultation services in connection with the Eligible Member’s estate for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of the Eligible Member’s death.

Members in need of legal services can contact the attorneys at GKL Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.                                                                                                For more information, contact the office at (212) 269-2500.