The Plan provides compensation to private attorneys for representing indigent clients charged with criminal offenses. Assistance of counsel means having a lawyer represent you, especially in a criminal case.Denial of the effective assistance of counsel. You can get a lawyer referral, learn about free legal services, and get answers to questions about the law and courts. The City Bar Justice Center's Legal Hotline offers legal information, advice and referrals to low-income New Yorkers who cannot afford a private attorney. The Court of Appeals held that counsel's representation, when viewed as a whole, did not constitute ineffective assistance. The Sixth Amendment's right to effective assistance attaches directly to the fidelity and competence of defense counsel's services. TOPIC: Settlement agreements requiring plaintiff's counsel to hold defendant harmless for making settlement payments to plaintiff. There is no requirement in SDNY or EDNY to associate local counsel. However, it is certainly a good idea.