tions filed. The number of briefs filed
in 2010 was the same as in 2009, but
the number of motions jumped 13%,
to a total of 185.
Given the ever-expanding writing
caseload accompanying such growth,
in 2010, the position of Supervisor of
the Writing Unit was created, and Janet Neustaetter, who had been a prolific member of the writing team since
January 2004, assumed that role.
The milestone of 50 briefs per year
was achieved in 2011, and the number of motions that year was approximately 200, thus exceeding by 25%
the overall number of documents
filed only two years earlier. Given
the sharp increase in the number of
documents filed in the lower courts,
as well as our value and commitment
to develop our staff, a new protocol
was initiated in 2011, in which some
motions were prepared by trial attorneys, under the supervision of their
trial supervisors, without involvement of the Writing Unit. This initiative relieved the Writing Unit and further strengthened our team approach
at CLCNY.
CLCNY to continue to raise that
bar. As this article demonstrates, the
Writing Unit’s statistics have steadily
climbed every year since the inception of CLCNY and are not a function
of the number of petitions filed in the
trial courts, but rather result from
other factors.
In 16 years, CLCNY has handled hundreds of appeals and is approaching
two thousand filings in the Family
and Supreme Courts. Many decisions
rendered in these cases have had a
substantial impact on the law pertaining to custody, visitation, guardianship, paternity, domestic violence
and other areas of child welfare. Going forward, we will continue to use
written advocacy to achieve favorable outcomes for our clients and to
shape the law. Additionally, we hope
that our developing Training Manual,
periodic Practice Pointers on a wide
array of topics, and internal and external trainings will continue to enlighten CLCNY staff and other stakeholders who practice in this area.
In 2012, 43 briefs and 265 motions
were filed, and the milestone of 300
documents per year was reached,
only three years after the 200 document milestone. The number of
summations in 2012 (17) was nearly
double that filed in 2011 (9). Factors
contributing to increased writing assignments in recent years include
the effects of budget cuts and earlier
court closing hours, resulting in more
issues that cannot be resolved following courtroom colloquy.
The vision of raising the bar
in trial court practice through
high quality writing has been
achieved and it is our goal at
The 2013 Writing Team
Fall/Winter 2013 CLCNY? 7?