Azzarmi v. NEUBAUER
AASIR AZZARMI, Plaintiff, Pro Se v. DONALD NEUBAUER, SEDGWICK CLAIMS MANAGEMENT SERVICES, et. al, DOES 1-10, et. al, Defendants
- Kenneth Karas
- 7:20-cv-09155
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In AASIR AZZARMI v. DONALD NEUBAUER, Judge Karas denied Azzarmi’s motion for pro bono counsel without prejudice because it lacked detail about efforts to find counsel.
AASIR AZZARMI’s request for volunteer legal representation was denied without prejudice; he may renew the request as the case proceeds.
What happened
AASIR AZZARMI v. DONALD NEUBAUER concerns AASIR AZZARMI’s renewed request for a volunteer lawyer to represent him in the case. Azzarmi was representing himself.
Azzarmi asked the court to appoint pro bono counsel before discovery or, alternatively, for a jury trial. He said he had no trial experience and argued that he met the factors courts use when considering requests for appointed counsel.
Judge Kenneth Karas denied the motion without prejudice because Azzarmi did not describe in more detail his efforts to obtain counsel. The court said Azzarmi may renew the motion and describe new circumstances or efforts to obtain counsel as the case proceeds.
The detailed version
- Azzarmi v. NEUBAUER · No. 7:20-cv-09155
- Kenneth Karas
- Nov. 6, 2025
Background
AASIR AZZARMI, who was representing himself, filed a renewed letter motion asking the court to appoint pro bono counsel. He requested counsel before discovery or, alternatively, at least for a jury trial. Azzarmi stated that he had no experience and had never had a jury trial. He also referred to Sedgwick’s stated position regarding mediation and a settlement conference.
Arguments and Legal Standard
Azzarmi argued that he satisfied the factors from Hodge v. Police, which courts use when deciding whether to request volunteer counsel for a person who is representing himself. The first threshold question is whether the person’s position appears likely to have some merit; additional considerations include whether special circumstances make counsel more likely to lead to a fair result. The opinion text includes Azzarmi’s argument that his case met those factors.
Ruling
The court denied the motion without prejudice because Azzarmi did not describe in more detail his efforts to obtain counsel. The court permitted him to renew the motion and describe new circumstances or efforts to obtain counsel as the case proceeds. The excerpt does not state that the court ruled on the underlying claims in the lawsuit.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.