FORDGAM LAW NEWS  — Approximately 100 attorneys completed virtual training to provide volunteer legal aid to incarcerated people appealing parole denials, through Fordham Law School’s Parole Advocacy Initiative (PAI) on Feb. 16. The initiative is a collaboration between the Parole Preparation Project, a New York City-based nonprofit that has advocated for the release of those serving long sentences, and Lincoln Square Legal Services, Inc., the clinical law office at Fordham Law. PAI’s work aims to increase access to high quality, pro bono counsel for incarcerated people who are serving indeterminate life sentences and are appealing denials of parole. “This work has been going on for several years on more of an ad hoc basis, but now we’re expanding in order to help more incarcerated people,” said Natasha Vedananda, parole advocacy fellow and pro bono coordinator at Fordham Law. “The project is really driven by the efforts of volunteer attorneys.” Vedananda—along with Michelle Lewin, executive director of the Parole Preparation Project, and Associate Clinical Professor of Law Martha Rayner—led the training session, providing attendees with an overview of the parole process in New York, executive law and parole regulations, the parole denial appeals process and issues, and resources available at volunteers’ fingertips.