504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for Civil Court Manhattan Margaret Chan's response)

Candidate Name: Margaret Chan

Candidate for: Civil Court in the 2nd Municipal District, Borough of Manhattan

Campaign Manager: Michael Oliva

Phone: 212-226-7011

Fax: 212-226-7708

Campaign Name: Friends of Margaret Chan

Campaign Address: 401 Broadway, Suite 1620, New York, N.Y. 10013

Phone: 212-226-1589

Fax: 212-226-7708

Email: MargaretChan2006@aol.com

Website: ChanforCivilCourt.com

Key endorsements to date:

Community organizations:

Village Independent Democrats
Village Reform Democratic Club
CoDA (Coalition for a District Alternative)
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club

Local community leaders:

Miriam Friedlander (former NYC Council Member, Greenwich Village)
Rocky Chin, Labor Activist
Margaret Chin, Deputy Executive Director, Asian Americans for Equality
Billie Holiday-Hayes, NAACP, Mid-Manhattan Branch
Pastor Nemias Otero, St. Mary's Church, Lower East Side
Steven DeCastro, Tenant Attorney and Activist
Harvey Epstein, Housing Activist, East Village/Lower East Side
Eric Eng, President, CCBA (Chinese Community Benevolent Society)
Justin Yu, President, Lin Sing Association

Have you had personal experience with disability? If so, please describe.

I've been successful in helping my clients overcome the denial of their disability benefits from Social Security and also attain back benefits owed to them due to the denial of their claims.

I've had occasion to use the limited sign language that I know to counsel and communicate with a client who was deaf.

As a court-appointed guardian over the person and property of people who were deemed incompetent, I have transferred my clients to better facilities that suit their needs. I make sure their needs are met, including treating them to food they like and buying them clothing, which, to a certain extent, are ignored by the facilities.
How will you incorporate people with disabilities into your campaign? Are you willing to hire and use flex-time and job-sharing if necessary?

We need people to do phone banking, data entry, volunteer coordination, mailings, etc. In fact, I have a volunteer who, because of her limited capacity to walk, does data entry for my campaign.

I am definitely willing to hire and use flex-time and job-sharing in hiring people with disabilities into my campaign. However, because it is a small campaign, I'm relying on volunteers and the kindness of my friends.
If you are in private practice, is your office accessible to people with disbuilities? If not, what have you done to ensure access?

My office is fully accessible to people with disabilities.
Is the courthouse in which you work accessible to people with all kinds of disabilities? If not, what have you done to ensure access?

N/A. I do not work in a courthouse.
Has a person with a disability appeared before your court as a juror or litigant? If so, please indicate what, if any, challenges arose? And how were they handled?

I have clients who are disabled. The major problem is their transportation. As stated earlier, my office is fully accessible to people with disabilities.
Do you believe that a deaf or a blind person can serve as a juror? Why or why not?

I believe everyone should serve as a juror. It is a privilege and a duty. The court system should have accommodations to assist deaf or blind jurors. Deaf jurors should have sign interpreters assigned to them, and blind jurors should be allowed to examine the evidence to the extent possible.
Are you willing to hire either on a job share or full time basis, a qualified law clerk/secretary with a disability?

Of course!
How will you work within the court structure to assure the accessibility of all facilities of the courts? For example, participation in the Committee for People with Disabilities, relevant training opportunities?

I would like to take part in the Committee for People with Disabilities. With the assistance, counsel and insight of people who understand the particular needs for people with disabilities, the court can have a liaison with this committee to better serve people with disabilities, be they litigants, witnesses, attorney, judges or jurors.

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