Our Leadership

  • Ryan S. Carlson, Esq.

    BOARD CHAIRPERSON

  • Harold B. Garwin, Esq.

    FOUNDER/
    BOARD VICE CHAIRPERSON

  • Erika Kerber, Esq.

    PRESIDENT/
    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Sean M. Bradley, B.A.

    BOARD TREASURER

Highlights from 49 Years of Service

Community Health Law Project established by the New Jersey State Bar Association and designated by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a legal aid society.

Successful CHLP suit ensures that community residences for people with disabilities may operate in residential districts.

CHLP advocacy leads to amending the NJ Law Against Discrimination to apply to people with mental health disabilities.

Federal lawsuit in Mercer County opens federally subsidized housing to people with mental health disabilities.

Successful CHLP lawsuit prohibits state from terminating adult dependents with mental health disabilities from health insurance coverage under their parents' State Health Benefits Plan.

CHLP receives U.S. Housing and Urban Development grant for work in removing architectural barriers in public accommodations.

Favorable Appellate Division ruling on CHLP - initiated suit forces NJ casinos to implement affirmative action programs of employment for people with disabilities.

CHLP statewide survey shows that only 4% of residential multifamily units comply with state and federal architectural barrier laws.

CHLP federal court suit results in invalidation of NJ municipal zoning laws that exclude group homes for people with disabilities from residential neighborhoods

CHLP class action results in agreement by developer to fund $300,000 worth of accessibility renovations in 266 residential units.

Successful CHLP precedent – setting Appellate Division decision excluding SSI benefits from being used for child support obligations of parents with disabilities in Burns v. Edwards.

NJ Superior Court judge orders $1.5 million worth of retrofits to make condos accessible in ADA v. Renaissance.

CHLP successfully advocated for a law requiring public official and commercial data companies to remove lien records of former psychiatric patients from public view.

CHLP received grants from Robin Hood Foundation, Kessler Foundation, Hurricane Sandy NJ Relief Fund, and Sandy Legal Assistance Fund to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy.

CHLP settles 2007 federal court complaint against Port Authority of New York and New Jersey alleging that Jersey City PATH Station is inaccessible with the agreement to construct an elevator and lift to give access to the Grove Street Station.

CHLP expands services to clients living with HIV/AIDS to seven counties.

CHLP helped draft the language and advocate for the successful passage of a new law which provides "due process" rights to residents of free-standing Residential Healthcare Facilities prior to eviction.

CHLP launches Medical-Legal Partnership with addiction agency to provide legal services to those afflicted by the opioid crisis.

CHLP enters into a contract with the City of Elizabeth to assist residents in expunging their criminal records.

CHLP establishes Medical-Legal Partnerships with behavioral health providers in Monmouth and Essex Counties.

CHLP collaborates with the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Horizon’s Neighbors in Health Program, the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey’s DULCE program, and the Department of Community Affairs’ Access to Counsel Pilot Program.

CHLP receives grants to assist tenants who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic avoid eviction and maintain stable housing.

CHLP is awarded a grant from the NJ Department of Community Affairs to be a legal partner in their Access to Counsel program to represent low-income tenants with disabilities in housing matters.