83 of 193 Law Firm Challenge donors were first-time contributors

Law Firm Challenge brings out the best of younger attorneys
This year’s Law Firm Challenge did a fantastic job of getting the word out to younger attorneys about the Campaign for Justice and the local demand for civil legal services among the underserved. Volunteer Legal Services Project, The Legal Aid Society of Rochester, and LawNY partner together in this one fundraising effort, and for the second year, a team of attorneys under age 40 helped get the word out to their peers in 19 organizations that participated in the Law Firm Challenge.

With 193 attorneys under 40 donating through the Law Firm Challenge, there were 83 first-time donors.

The Law Firm Challenge results are (almost) in...

As the Campaign for Justice stands at $118,000 of a $280,000 goal [Dec. 2: 9 a.m.], the initiative to
involve younger attorneys is being tallied. This is the second year that a number of law offices joined the Law Firm Challenge, striving to involve as many “under-40” attorneys as possible.

With 14 private firms participating in the Law Firm Challenge, and 5 government law departments, the challenge ended a few days ago, but not all participants have reported in. While waiting on the last 15% to respond (Giddy up!) it is too soon to announce winners in the small firm, mid-size firm, large firm, and government office categories. [For names of participating offices, see the Nov. 18th blog.]

LFC Committee Chair Bill Lowe is chasing down the last reports as this blog is written, and plans for a December 7th celebration at the Strathallan are well under way.

With 85% of the responses in, the chart below shows this year’s incomplete results compared to last year’s final results.

Keep in mind, the pool of “under-40” attorneys at participating firms remains about the same size – ballpark 200 attorneys. Stay tuned for the final tally and announcement of firm winners.

Of course, the true Law Firm Challenge winner is the Campaign for Justice itself! Striving to meet or exceed the CFJ goal – for the 29th year.

Written by Nora A. Jones

Who will win the law firm challenge?

So far, 63 attorneys under the age of 40 have made contributions to the 2015 Campaign for
Justice. Last year, 176 attorneys under age 40 and another 16 in that 40-ish category, contributed in the first Law Firm Challenge.

Bill Lowe, committee chair for this year’s challenge, is confident there is enough time left (until
November 27) to exceed last year’s level of participation.

“The goal is to get younger attorneys engaged in the community’s need for civil legal services for
Rochester’s low income population,” Lowe explained. “The firms and legal organizations have been very responsive.”

Dividing the legal community into 4 categories to compare participation level, the competitors
include:

Large firms: Harter Secrest & Emery, Nixon Peabody, Harris Beach, and Woods Oviatt.
Mid-size firms: Barclay Damon, Bond Schoeneck, Boylan Code, Phillips Lytle, Underbert & Kessler, and Ward Greenberg.
Small firms: Pullano & Farrow, Littler Mendelson, and Faraci Lange.
Gov/Public law: Rochester City Law Dept, District Attorney’s Office; Public Defender’s Office, and Monroe County Law Dept.

The number of participants, so far -- 11/18/2015 – looks like this:

Law firm challenge committee members Bill Lowe, Meghan McGuire, Jack Heisman, Sanjeev
Devahakthuni, Jeremy Cooney and Anthony Orphe are counting on a lot more “under 40s” to contribute in the next few days. Don’t forget, with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, next week is a short week!

​Written by Nora A. Jones

2015 Campaign for Justice is off to the races...

Frank Novak, William Lowe, and Arline Santiago want to get the word out that the 2015 Campaign for Justice is already picking up momentum. With a goal of $280,000, to be distributed to Volunteer Legal Services Project, Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc., and the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, the traditional phone-a-thon is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 18th.

The Law Firm Challenge, geared to increase the number of attorney-donors under the age of 40, and to raise awareness of the legal service agencies that coordinate civil legal relief for low income residents in Monroe County, kicked off on October 19. Last year’s inaugural Law Firm Challenge raised $11,198 contributed by 176 new donors.

“Based on the information available so far, we hope to surpass both totals this year,” stated Bill Lowe in talking about the efforts of his committee, which includes: Meghan McGuire, Jack Heisman, Sanjeev Devabakthuni, Jeremy Cooney (who headed last year’s challenge) and Anthony Orphe.

The competition, which concludes November 27, includes four categories of participants: Large firms; Medium-sized firms; Small firms; and Public Sector entities. The status, by category can be found at www.vlsprochester.org, under the donate tab, with a link to law firm challenge.

A winner from each category will be determined by the highest percentage of participation.

“We are looking at ways to strengthen our ties with the participating entities,” Bill added. “We want to ensure that the Challenge becomes a fixture within each of the firms and entities.”

The Campaign for Justice has been conducted annually since 1986 raising critical funds to ensure our community’s poor have access to the legal system. With the region’s poverty population expanding, the funding also needs to grow.

By Nora Jones

The Best Yet!

With near-final-numbers settling into place, it looks like the 2015 Art of Lawyering fundraiser for civil legal services will net $11,500. That’s at least $3,000 more than the 2013 auction, and the highest net proceeds since the fundraiser began in 2007.


The Village Gate venue and range of art work (84 items!) also raised the FUN factor, so that chart looks something like this:

• A big thank you goes out to all the sponsors, art donors, and auction shoppers!
• A special salute to the School of the Arts for their collaboration on an art/justice project. 
• A round of applause for the pro bono performance of Special Counsel – a 5 piece band that kept attendees entertained and engaged. 
• And HATS OFF to the committee of volunteers who made this a success!

What does justice look like?

School of the Arts students in the 3-Dimensional Design class recently used their creativity to describe “delivering justice” using a model truck to convey their message. Brainstorming what justice looks like in different settings, students worked together and individually on this community art project, in support of Volunteer Legal Services Project.

All eight of the trucks completed are available as part of the silent auction line-up for the Art of
Lawyering fundraiser, Oct. 7 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Village Gate on North Goodman St.

With the event venue in the Neighborhood of the Arts, Nixon Peabody partner David Tennant reached out to SOTA and the idea was enthusiastically embraced by the school and turned into a great collaboration in time for the annual VLSP fundraiser.

SOTA teacher Susan Rudy mentioned the school’s past participation in Benches on Parade,
Neighborhood of the Arts’ Art Walk, painting traffic control boxes, creating posters for various agencies, and doing a mural for YMCA.

Students named the truck sculptures for the Art of Lawyering, so you might check the list below and see if you can match the correct name with the student art work.

• Wings of Justice 
• Making a Movement 
• Justice to America 
• Peace Rider
• Freedom Truck 
• Bohemian Freedom
• Quantum 
• Peace in the World

Wednesday, Oct. 7th 5:30-7:30 pm -- come see for yourself which is which—and bid to take one home to your office as a unique conversation piece. All proceeds go to VLSP, a nonprofit organization.

​By Nora Jones

Everybody wins with this home run...

The last day of the 2015 major league baseball season is rapidly approaching, and no matter what team you support on the field, the VLSP Art of Lawyering provides an opportunity for your own home run this October: You can make an art purchase at the VLSP Art of Lawyering on October 7th and you win by having a unique one-of-a-kind item and the Rochester community wins by receiving VLSP resources to help underprivileged local residents resolve legal issues that tear at the core of their existence.

This stunning painting by Cordell Cordaro is among the silent auction items.

As are a number of photographs and paintings by area artists and attorneys

By Nora A. Jones

Art of Lawyering has something for everyone... come see for yourself

The October 7th Art of Lawyering reception and silent auction will include a number of FIRSTS this year:

New venue: Village Gate, 274 N. Goodman St.

New time: 5:30-8:30 with bidding to close at 8:00 that night. If you can’t be there, you’ll want your delegate to act on your behalf because the auction is streamlined to a 3-hour event.
New format: as noted above, it is a “night of” auction. Be there or be square. Bidding ends at 8.

New participants: in addition to numerous attorney-artists returning from prior Art of Lawyering auctions, the new venue allows us to be more community inclusive.

o School of the Arts is decorating 3-D model trucks to the theme of delivering justice under the supervision of SOTA’s director of visual arts, Susan Rudy (Oh – so that’s what David Tennant is talking about as he shows a prototype (photo above) of a 3-D food truck to the AOL committee.)
o Newly recruited attorney-artists and families offering unique pieces
o With the venue in the Neighborhood of the Arts, artists from the neighborhood have been invited to participate.

New food and beverage donors: several of the restaurants in the NOTA area have generously committed to food donations. The list of food and beverage donors is growing, and so far includes:

• Gate House • Wegmans • Constellation Brands
• Espada • Salena’s • Stueben Brewing
• Get Caked, Inc. • California Rollin

As in prior years, there will be musical entertainment, including Special Counsel with Anthony Piazza; Josh and Natalie Pincus; and Jonathan Feldman (keyboards). In addition, there will be an opportunity to see a magic act – as a sneak peek at one of the auction items: a magician for your own party.

And here’s a sneak peek at some more of this year’s auction items:

Sneak peek at unique art available October 7th

From fine woodworking to jewelry to textiles, the Art of Lawyering offers a spectacular range of one-of-a-kind gift items.

This year’s silent auction fundraiser will be held in the Neighborhood of the Arts – third floor of Village Gate – from 5:30-8:30 on Wednesday, October 7th.

The spalted birch clock above was created by Boylan Code attorney Chris Werner from salvageable portions of a tree in his own back yard.

“Spalting is a discoloration of the wood caused by a fungus intrusion. It can be quite decorative and occurs in light-colored hardwoods,” Werner explained.” Anyone who appreciates Mother Nature’s art might never see another clock like this one!”

Nicole Black, legal technology evangelist and director at MyCase.com, a cloud-based law practice management system, has been making jewelry as her creative outlet. The turquoise and silver bracelet pictured above catches the eye of most bracelet enthusiasts. Nicole also does a lot with Czech glass beads, wood beads, glass beads and silk ribbons. Below is necklace she is also donating to the Art of Lawyering auction.

Kendra McNally’s donation of a knitted lace stole/scarf is from a pattern called Enchanted. The yarn is mohair silk and polyester. It has sequins at intervals to give it a little bling. The above photo doesn’t do it justice, but the scarf she donated to AOL in 2013 sold for $150.

Also among this year’s selections is a refurbished Victoria doll house, created and contributed by Ellen Rosenweig Goldman. You have to see it in person to appreciate the details. Although the minimum bid is $400, when you see the doll house, you’ll know why she’s sold others for $750! OOOO-LA-LA.

You can't roller skate in a Buffalo Herd

You can’t go swimming in a baseball pool. And you can’t go fishing in a watermelon patch … but you can be happy if you’ve a mind to.

A handful of you might recognize these as lyrics crooned by Roger Miller (King of the Road fame) in the mid-1960s when his humorous country songs were played daily on the transistor radio you carried around. Those were the days when baby boomers across the country were advocates for world peace and equal rights.

Do you still believe in equal rights?

Then please help level the playing field when it comes to life’s basic needs.

Volunteer Legal Services Project handles about 1,260 cases per year, thanks to a network of dedicated volunteers who step in to meet the needs of underserved clients.

I wonder how many more clients seeking basic relief in housing, family matters, and debt relief might be served with more attorneys signed up to take just one VLSP case per year?

Unfortunately, I doubt those prospective volunteers are reading this blog…. But I can hope that the folks whose names regularly appear in the Pro Bono Honor Roll might read this and be reminded that they need to encourage colleagues to sign up with VLSP and help resolve legal issues in our community where poverty is in the news daily.

I am aware that if you are reading this, you already get it. But, if every attorney currently working on a VLSP case could get a colleague to take his/her first VLSP case, it’s possible VLSP could help an additional 1200 residents from the poorest zip codes.

Isn’t that what equal rights is all about – helping the underdog in civil matters so they have a chance to improve their circumstances?

Written by Nora A. Jones

A "date night" idea

What if I told you that for $15 per person, you could enjoy cocktails and a variety of hors’douevres,
musical entertainment, suitable circumstances to meet people and chat with friends, and the
opportunity to view dozens of artistic creations, and buy/bid on many one-of-a-kind items?

Get your advance tickets to the VLSP Art of Lawyering (online at www.vlsprochester.org) using the
donate link and Art of Lawyering. The Wed., Oct. 7th art reception will be Wed., Oct. 7 from 5:30-8:30 at the Village Gate.

Tickets will be available at the door for $20 each. But for two tickets -- via the online pre-order process that’s only $30, saving you $10 -- perhaps enough to tip the waiter when you go out for dinner at one of the Village Gate restaurants after an hour or two enjoying the Art of Lawyering that evening.

Looking for a new “date night” idea? Surprise your significant other with plans to attend the Art of
Lawyering reception (October 7th) before a nice meal at Salena’s, Lento, Gate House or Good Luck. Sign up now for the VLSP Art of Lawyering at www.vlsprochester.org.

Past auction items have included dance lessons, gourmet dinners cooked by some of your colleagues, golf packages, and ski passes, along with metal garden sculptures, handmade pottery, paintings, Noro Wool scarves, and jewelry.

One of this year’s features will be a restored and furnished antique doll house! See a sneak peek at one of the rooms below.

Calling all artists and art lovers

Rochester’s legal community has lots of talent beyond the courtroom. I should know, I wrote nearly 100 articles about local attorneys who have creative passions and skills equal to their professional stature.

At one end of the spectrum you have woodworking sculptor Hon. Jerry Alonzo and photographer Louis Ryen. There is also painter Sharon Stiller and trombonist Anthony Piazza.

Not only are these attorneys multi-talented, they have used their craft to help raise money for
Volunteer Legal Services Project’s “Art of Lawyering” silent auction.

Wednesday, October 7 is your opportunity to participate in the 2015 Art of Lawyering reception to be held at Village Gate. Alonzo, Ryen and Stiller have all commited new items for this year’s fundraiser, and Piazza along with musician colleagues will be part of the musical entertainment that evening from 5:30-8:30.

Mark your calendar to attend, and meanwhile, see if one of your creative hobbies might generate a little cash for VLSP to continue to assist the growing number of impoverished families in Rochester who need civil legal services to protect their home and family.

You’re not an artist?

The Art of Lawyering committee is open to all kinds of creative submissions – from hand embroidery to button art bracelets. You might not call yourself an artist, but you’ve likely created something that others would admire.

Jewelry workshops in 2011 and 2013 inspired a number of auction pieces by first-time jewelry-makers. Those who knit, crochet, sew and quilt have also contributed beautiful hand-crafted goods that generate money for VLSP and joy for the buyer.

Join in the fun. Go to www.vlsprochester.org and under the donate prompt, click Art of Lawyering to get the details about donating art and attending the October event.

Help us out…. The auction typically nets $11,000. We need a wide variety of art and attendees to make our goal.

-Written by Nora Jones

Community through Beekeeping

Sweet Beez, Inc., Rochester’s urban beekeeping group dedicated to community development in the Southwest quadrant of Rochester, begins a unique program in El Sauce, Guatemala.

Sweet Beez has partnered with immigration advocacy not for profit, Alterna, to begin a community beekeeping cooperative in the hills of Northwest Guatemala. Sweet Beez has committed to financing the program that includes employing a local “Mam” beekeeper as the leader of the cooperative. Ten coffee farming families have each started their own honeybee hive for the purpose of increasing coffee yields (pollination) and, of course, providing the bonus of honey. The ten families have also each committed to donating a portion of their proceeds to their neighbors and to Sweet Beez, Inc. and Alterna.

Sweet Beez has plans to travel with teens from Southwest Rochester neighborhoods to visit the new beekeeping cooperative. A number of teens have taken special interest in honeybees through helping with community garden hives and taking part in some of Sweet Beez’ educational programs. The next trip is coming up quickly and promises to bring exciting new information about a local school that will be partnering with Sweet Beez to inspire future generations.

So, what does this have to do with Pro Bono Legal Services? You might recognize the founder of Sweet Beez, Inc. as VLSP’s very own Bryan Babcock!

For more information, check out: www.sweetbeez.org

miEl Sauce Beekeeping Cooperative, 2015

Expanding your comfort zone for a good cause

One of the best mentors I ever had instilled two memorable concepts I have carried with me daily. (1) We cannot become what we aspire to be by remaining the same. (2) You have the keys to the jail, let yourself out any time you want.

It’s true. You can’t grow if you are unwilling to leave your comfort zone. You may even miss the main act if you don’t look beyond your own little bubble. And who are you waiting for? You are in control?

A google search brings up a number of interesting images when you type in “expanding your comfort zone.” -- see exhibit A. Pretty powerful stuff.

So what are you going to do different this year? Aren’t you curious what might happen?

What if you take a pro bono grandparent custody case to help some five-year-old get settled in
grandma’s house before the school year starts?

What? You’ve never been to family court?

Ah, with VLSP staff guidance, a possible mentoring partnership with an attorney who does practice in family court – you know you could do it. Then the second case would be that much easier.

Maybe you can help unite and keep a family together by obtaining immigration or permanent residence status. Again, there are VLSP staff members to assist with finding forms or locating a colleague who could assist the first time through.

If life begins just outside your comfort zone, VLSP’s roster of cases for assignment might be the leap of faith that opens a whole new world.

By Nora A. Jones

Exhibit A

What's your pro bono policy?

A) I have no formal policy, but take a case now and then

B) I am listed in the VLSP Pro Bono Spotlight at least once or twice a year

C) I helped draft our office’s pro bono policy and encourage firm-wide participation acting as a role
model myself

D) I am busy enough with paying clients and will make a financial contribution instead

E) Other (please explain)

If you answered “A”… the Rochester community asks you to make “B” your pro bono policy.
We are very happy with those of you taking a least one pro bono civil case or helping with pro
bono clinics each year. Thank you.

For those who answered “C” – we are delighted that you understand the importance of serving
the underprivileged population who need help advocating for basic needs like food and shelter.
Hats off to your office and many thanks for your participation.

For those who answered “D,” we are delighted with your financial contribution, but ask you to
also handle a pro bono case each year as there are so many more potential clients than
attorneys volunteering.

Discussing resources needed to meet pro bono needs, the VLSP board recently hosted a breakfast with managing partners and general counsel to brainstorm ways to increase pro bono civil legal services. Panelists included Appellate Division, 4th Dept. Presiding Justice Henry J. Scudder; Gail Norris, general counsel at University of Rochester; and Carolyn Nussbaum, managing partner at Nixon Peabody LLP.

VLSP currently handles about 1,260 cases per year. However, that only serves about 25% of the clients seeking civil legal services in the Rochester area.

Reports indicate 90% of eviction tenants go without legal representation; similarly nearly 60% of
foreclosures are unrepresented or pro se. This may not be your area of law, but you are more uniquely situated to help than any other segment of the community.

If you don’t help, who will?

Many law schools now require a certain number of pro bono hours.

What’s your plan for the rest of 2015?

By Nora A. Jones

Learning as we grow - and growing daily

Local attorney Sandra Williams won two prestigious pro bono awards in recent weeks (New York State Bar Association’s 2015 President’s Pro Bono Service Award and the VLSP William E. McKnight Volunteer Service Award), but she’ll be the first to admit it is often a learn-as-you-go process.
She has extensive experience in banking services, investment products and asset management from her initial post-law school employment, but she is willing to go outside her area of expertise without reservation, representing VLSP clients in unemployment insurance hearings and other quality-of-life matters. She serves as an Attorney for the Children, providing a voice for minors in many kinds of court proceedings including juvenile delinquency, custody and visitation and child protective proceedings.

Sharing a story about a 5-year-old client, Sandra said that she asked the little girl to draw a picture of her family.

“That was at her father’s house,” Sandra explained. “All I had was the yellow legal pad. She drew the picture. Then I asked her again at her mother’s house to repeat this exercise. This time she lost her patience. ‘Lined paper is not for drawing, next time bring drawing paper,’ the child admonished. Clearly, I still have things to learn,” she laughed.

“I am glad to be the voice of these children,” Sandra added. “I feel like I empower them during these difficult proceedings.”

Sandra’s dedication to the issues faced by indigent and low income clients certainly has not impaired her sense of humor. When asked about pets or outside interests, she replied:

“No cats. No Dogs. I had two goldfish (Dominick and Yuppie). I was not good at looking after them and they died. I thought that I needed to change the water often, but I shouldn’t have. [Lesson learned.] I am still distraught. I moan the loss of Yuppie more so because I strongly believe that goldfish looked forward to me coming home.”

This humorous and humble solo practitioner was born in Jamaica but spent much of her youth in Rochester, completing her undergraduate studies at St. John Fisher and her law degree at SUNY Buffalo Law School. Admitted to the bar in 1997, she spent more than a decade in Paris but is delighted to be back in Rochester. Sandra enjoys jogging, bicycling, and outdoor activities, when the weather is warm.

Written by Nora A. Jones

$25 a week for new Syracuse Law Grad

That’s what Seymour Weinstein was earning in 1952 when he started to practice law in Rochester. Now he makes even less, since he joined the New York Courts Attorney Emeritus Program, volunteering predominantly at Volunteer Legal Services Project since retiring from Weinstein & Randisi.
Weinstein served in the U.S. Navy right out of high school, earning his undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester before going to law school at Syracuse University School of Law. After a year of experience at a Rochester firm, Weinstein partnered with Leonard Maas in 1953 and opened the law practice that evolved through several name changes to Weinstein & Randisi LLP at Linden Oaks.

Throughout his career, Weinstein handled all kinds of cases but he ultimately focused on wills, trusts and estate planning.

“VLSP staff and clients appreciate Mr. Weinstein’s vast knowledge of these subject areas, along with his exceptionally pleasant demeanor,” noted Ann Williams, VLSP attorney in charge of Health Law, which includes wills, standby guardianships, and other end-of-life-matters.

Talking about the large under-privileged population in the area, Weinstein explained: “Most inner city residents don’t have wills. The last parent dies and the adult children are interested in saving the home.”

The problem is, the home’s value may be diminished by declining property values in the neighborhood. Between unpaid mortgage and property taxes, it may not be worth saving the property.

With years of experience, Weinstein knows how to advise clients for the best result.

Written by Nora A. Jones

Where does an unrepresented litigant go for help?

Since 2013, Rochester’s Hall of Justice has been home to the Seventh Judicial District Help Center – the perfect place for pro se litigants to get guidance. 

In 2014, the Seventh Judicial District Help Center served 1,951 unrepresented litigants, according to Scott MacPherson, VLSP attorney currently overseeing the Help Center.

That’s about double the traffic the Center had in 2013. It represents a pretty busy year when you also consider that the Help Center is only open 22 hours a week, with hours 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and afternoon hours 1:00-4:00 Monday through Thursday.

“I have been very impressed with every volunteer’s willingness to take on questions that may be outside of their legal expertise and comfort zone,” MacPherson said.

“One interesting call from an unrepresented litigant is especially noteworthy,” he continued. “The client was trying to research court cases on a specific topic and asked about one particular court opinion they had trouble understanding. The volunteer who answered the call was the Hon. Patricia Marks, and it happened to be an opinion she wrote. She was able to refer the caller to other pertinent research that would clarify the decision.”

Attorneys, paralegals, and law students are welcome to volunteer. There are 1.5 hour afternoon shifts and 2.0 hour morning shifts. Give Scott a call (585) 295-5712 or email at smacpherson@vlsprochester.org.

Last summer, Joseph Dudek, a student at Columbia Law School, used his strong organizational skills to establish a set of forms in Google Docs and provided access to the documents via Google Drive from any computer connected to the internet. Materials were assembled into the chronology of a case (filing complaint, answering complaint, pretrial motions, etc.) and physical copies are also available in racks behind the Help Center desk.

In addition, Dudek helped clients during his VLSP internship, noting how it expanded his knowledge of New York law.

“Every client question tended to involve some segment of New York law regarding marriage, renting, or procedure – the stuff I had not been exposed to at Columbia,” he noted.

By Nora A. Jones.

DAPA, DACA, and high school Spanish

Undocumented immigrants can likely benefit from all three of the above-noted programs.

DAPA (deferred action for parents of Americans and lawful permanent residents) and an expanded DACA (deferred action for childhood arrivals) are the acronyms for two immigration initiatives announced last November by President Obama. Although a district court ruling has stayed implementation, hundreds of local migrant workers are curious about eligibility for these programs which could offer quasi-legal status and work permits to many currently undocumented immigrants.

A series of workshops sponsored by the Legal Aid Society of Rochester is underway, with volunteers from other agencies helping to assess the regional need.

Nishant Srivastava, a student intern at Volunteer Legal Services Project, joined VLSP attorney Vasanthi Pillai at a Saturday workshop in Sodus in February, using his knowledge of high school Spanish to help immigrants fill out a screening questionnaire used as a basic litmus test of eligibility for DAPA or DACA.

Walter Ruehle, LAS director of immigration, indicated there were about 90 people at that first workshop and maybe 70 at the one held in Elba a week later.

“Many of the immigrants I met in Sodus were Spanish-speaking farm workers with various levels of English language skills,” Nishant said. “My Spanish vocabulary may be a bit rusty, but I was able to understand and communicate much better than if I’d taken Latin.”

If the court-imposed temporary injunction is lifted and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services starts accepting applications for DAPA and expanded DACA, Ruehle and Pillai anticipate a strong need for volunteer attorneys. Their assessment from three regional workshops so far indicates many potential applicants will need some assistance, and of those applicants, the majority will be Spanish-speaking laborers with dreams of staying in the U.S.

Sheila Gaddis, VLSP Executive Director, anticipates strong support for this effort from Rochester attorneys.

By Nora A. Jones

Putting the Pedal to the Metal

What if you could get your law degree faster? And in the process, what if you also racked up 500 hours of practical experience while helping to fill the need for pro bono legal services in the state of New York?

That is the winning combination offered to third year law students interested in the Pro Bono Scholars Program introduced by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman approximately a year ago. The PBSP allows students in their final year of law school to devote their last semester to performing pro bono service for the poor through an approved externship program and students accepted into the program will be eligible to sit for the February bar exam – in the middle of their final year of study. That means admission to practice can likely be within weeks of law school graduation.

Oh, to be a 1L and have that option to consider! But that’s only in New York.

The PBSP is the first of its kind in the country, with the fundamental goal to reinforce the legal
profession’s commitment to a culture of service while generating countless hours of pro bono work on behalf of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

Anyone who has been looking for a legal position in recent years knows what the competition is like and understands the need to have as much experience as possible on their resume. The Pro Bono Scholars Program builds upon New York’s 50-hour pro bono bar admission requirement. Pro Bono Scholars will easily meet this requirement with their 12 weeks of full time service.

By Nora A. Jones

The professional rewards of helping others

Diana Clarkson has been volunteering at VLSP’s Family Law Clinic since she was admitted to the bar six years ago.

“What I like most about practicing law is the interaction with other people,” she explained when talking about her involvement in this year’s Campaign for Justice. “Whether it’s working with a client to find the most efficient solution to whatever problem they are currently facing, or negotiating a transaction with opposing counsel, learning to work with different types of people in both collaborative and hostile situations is what I like most.”

“Working with clients at VLSP is an entirely different type of interaction, mainly because it is so personal,” she noted, contrasting her pro bono efforts to her role as a tax associate at Harter Secrest & Emery. “VLSP provided my first opportunity to develop my skills interacting with clients and it is an excellent reminder of the importance of personal face-to-face contact.”

Brendon Fleming, about five years into his legal career and newly returned to Rochester, chimed in with a similar view. “My most rewarding cases have been those where I can help an individual, group, or organization fix an otherwise intractable problem. CFJ and the organizations it supports helps Rochester-area residents receive problem-solving legal services. A case that is a routine matter for an attorney could be life-defining for the client.”

“Access to justice is a critical issue for many Rochester-area residents, and these organizations [VLSP, LawNY, and Legal Aid Society] help fill the justice gap for those who cannot afford counsel,” Fleming continued. “Our firm [Ward Greenberg] is a big supporter of pro bono work. I maintain an active pro bono practice focused on civil rights and constitutional litigation.”

“I love helping people in a time of need and personal turmoil,” added Christian Valentino, another attorney involved in the Law Firm Challenge portion of the Campaign for Justice. “I am a firm believer that every individual in our country should have access to our country’s legal system.”

Written by Nora A. Jones

Bragging rights and other motivators

“I think it was a mix of both the competitive nature of the challenge as well as the clarity that it provided to the Campaign for Justice that motivated so many new attorneys to donate this year,” Hanok George, employment litigator at Littler Mendelson PC said.

Jimmy Paulino, Goldberg Segalla litigator, who was also a key player in the recent Law Firm Challenge component of the Campaign for Justice, added: “While folks were interested in the possibility of ‘bragging rights’ and the event at Cure, almost everyone had already donated before we finalized the details, so I know it was not their motivation.”

Paulino should know. He was instrumental in getting AppealTech as a sponsor for the Law Firm Challenge Recognition Social at Cure – where more than 50 young donors gathered to celebrate a terrific campaign.

“This inaugural philanthropic competition was a great success by all measurements,” acknowledged VLSP Executive Director Sheila Gaddis. “I asked Jeremy [Cooney] to help increase participation by the ‘under-40’ attorneys, and he delivered.”

By the numbers, the Law Firm Challenge:

· raised more than $10,000 towards the $250,000 campaign goal
· engaged over 100 new young donors to the campaign
· 80% of the gifts from attorneys under age 40 were new this year
· all within a 3-week deadline to keep the energy high

A special “hats off” to the firms that reached 100% participation from their under-40-attorneys, and a most grateful thank you to all participating law firms and government offices.


Written by Nora A. Jones

Dedicated volunteers work on telephone fundraising

With a Campaign for Justice goal of $275,000, a variety of tactics are used to raise funds for
programs at the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, Legal Assistance of Western New York and Volunteer Legal Services Project.

Phone calls to attorneys -- from attorneys -- has been a traditional approach to kick-start the annual fundraiser that typically runs November-March.

Using a studio at WXXI on the morning of December 4, local attorneys secured over $17,000 in pledges in the span of 3 hours.

VLSP Board President M. Aileen Shinaman (general counsel at University of Rochester) reminded herself to tally the pledges she secured as she set an example for the dedicated Campaign for Justice volunteers.

In a little over one hour, she had $1,000, and was awaiting several call-backs.

Other phone-line volunteers included past VLSP President Frank Novak (Harter Secrest & Emery), VLSP board members Anthony Piazza (Hiscock & Barclay), Fernando Santiago (Santiago Burger Annechino), Maureen Mulholland (Monro Muffler Brake), and Tom Richards (former Rochester mayor).

“There’s a bit of trepidation in making the calls,” joked Santiago, “but it’s a lot of fun and for such a great cause.”

Scott Forsyth (Forsyth & Forsyth), Phil Spellane (Harris Beach), Mike Schnittman (retired, Lacy Katzen) and Katherine McGuire (Woods Oviatt) were also on the early morning shift, with Legal Aid Society president and CEO Carla Palumbo on hand to answer questions for volunteers.

“From the perspective of a legal service provider, I am so grateful that this community ‘gets it.’ The need for civil legal representation continues to grow,” Palumbo stated. “At the end of the day, these are the funds that allow us to represent the people we do.”

The campaign continues through March 31, 2015. Donations can be made online at www.vlsprochester.org/campaign-for-justice.html

-Written by Nora A. Jones