Barclay Damon attorneys staff Rundel Help Center

The Rundel Memorial Building of the Rochester Central Library at 115 South Ave. lends space to Volunteer Legal Services Project for a special program dubbed “Help Center Lawyers in the Library” which operates on Friday afternoons. This is similar to the Seventh Judicial District Help Center located in the Hall of Justice, but may provide resources to a wider range of people.

VLSP attorney Scott MacPherson is responsible for ensuring forms available at the Hall of Justice Help Center are also available at the library, and for making sure the Rundel Help Center is staffed on Fridays from 1:00-4:00, as well as overseeing the Court’s Help Center.

“For some individuals, the Central Library may seem more accessible than the Hall of Justice,” MacPherson explained. “It is an important community link where many people are already seeking information. Our office in the Rundel Building is easy to get to and familiar for many in the community, without the intensity of the Hall of Justice, which requires metal detector screening.”

The Library Resource Outreach Center helps make library patrons aware of the services available at the library, including hours for Help Center Lawyers in the Library and other programs offered by other social service providers.

Although the Rundel Help Center started offering services in October 2015, scheduling became a bit easier in recent weeks when attorneys from Barclay Damon committed to keeping that site staffed.

As part of the firm’s commitment to pro bono work, Barclay Damon agreed to send Rochester office attorneys to the library every Friday between 1 and 2:30pm. VLSP paralegal Danielle Sharp and/or MacPherson himself are often on hand to assist with whatever questions walk through the door.

Barclay Damon attorneys who have participated to date include: Brittany Aungier, Gabriel Bouvet-Boischair, Sanjeev Devabhakthuni, Edwin Larkin, Danielle Mettler-LaFier, Paul Sanders, Tara Sciortino, Robert Shaddock, Tom Walsh, Mark Whitford and summer associate, Kaylan Porter.

When asked about his commitment to the Help Center project, Sanders said: “First and foremost, it’s the right thing to do. We believe there is an ethical obligation to give back to the community and help those who may not have the resources to hire lawyers like us.”

“While we don’t give people legal advice at the Help Center, we can provide the tools and guidance necessary to help them resolve legal problems they were feeling hopeless about, or refer them to someone who can help them, ” said MacPherson.

“We only see about 15 individuals per month at Rundel due to the limited hours we are there,” MacPherson added. “But every week we help someone new. We are happy to know that word is getting out about our programs!”

Written by Nora A. Jones

How is your heart today?

Isn’t that what is really meant when someone asks “How are you today?” How are YOU?

So I ask you to take a moment and think about that. Are you happy, sad, grateful, overwhelmed? Don’t tell me what’s on your schedule or where you have to be in 10 minutes -- tell me how you feel.

Do you recognize the many advantages you have in your life that keep you from worrying about food, shelter, and clothing? Are you grateful that your life has provided a fulfilling career and opportunities to pursue travel, leisure, and entertainment?

Sometimes it is important to remind ourselves why we are doing what we are doing, and offer up a big dose of generosity to help our legal service providers do their best to ensure safety, shelter, and sustenance.

Here are three opportunities to fill your heart with gratitude:

1.  Pro Bono Ethics: Practical Problems is the name of an upcoming CLE presented by Megan K. Dorritie of Harter Secrest & Emery LLP. The 1.5 credit hours in Ethics and Professionalism includes a continental breakfast (8:00-8:30) followed by the 8:30-10:00 a.m. program at the Genesee Valley Club on November 17. Registration required by Nov. 11.

The CLE is offered in exchange for a valued donation (at the door) of $100 to the Campaign for Justice 2016. This one-time donation does not constitute a pledge to the Campaign, but would be a way to increase your contribution to the three legal service providers who benefit from the annual fundraiser.

Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County, Inc., the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, and Legal Assistance of Western New York (LawNY) count on the generosity of those who can help so those who need help may receive guidance in housing, consumer, and custody matters.

2.  Volunteer to make calls: Sign up to be among the first team of volunteers to use the electronic donor database for this year’s Campaign for Justice phone-a-thon. No more stacks of alphabetized papers to locate donor contact information. It’s all in the database, and you will electronically record your results.

If you’ve participated in prior CFJ phone-a-thon events, you are already familiar with the fantastic results achieved by volunteers reaching out to friends and colleagues seeking CFJ pledges.

The problem has become “timing.” When can you reach someone? Morning may be better than evening, or cell number may be more direct than office line. For 30 years volunteers have been using a list of attorneys printed out with contact information to contact colleagues and friends about contributing to the Campaign for Justice.

Starting November 16, volunteer callers will work with an electronic list of attorneys, allowing them the freedom to make calls any time of day from whatever location is convenient to seek pledges for this year’s Campaign for Justice.

The goal is $280,000, and past history shows that over 35% of that comes from individual donors, contacted by colleagues. Contact Sheila Gaddis at 585-295-5702 or sgaddis@vlsprochester.org to become one of this year’s CFJ volunteer-callers … and fit it into your schedule as available.

3.  Celebrate CFJ: The CFJ leadership is planning a kickoff celebration on Monday, November 14 at 6 p.m. at the Telesca Center for Justice, 5th floor. Yet another great way to confirm your commitment to the campaign and to rally enthusiasm among colleagues.

Typically the first call-night of the phone-a-thon includes a brief training about the Campaign for Justice, script suggestions for those new to making calls and the excitement and encouragement from other volunteer callers. Join this year’s Celebrate CFJ by signing up as a volunteer caller.

Written by Nora A. Jones

Megan K. Dorritie

Planning for end-of-life matters whether rich or poor

“Everyone should have a will, a health care proxy, and Power of Attorney in place as they get older,” advises David Ferris of Harter Secrest & Emery LLP in discussing the new HELP-U program launched by the firm and the University of Rochester General Counsel Office.

Volunteer Legal Services Project has offered Wills Clinics in the past, but the HELP-U commitment by two legal departments provides a strategy and resources that will reach more of the underserved older population by focusing on residents in Rochester Housing Authority buildings.

VLSP attorney Ann Williams helped to identify community needs, with the first two programs held at Hudson Ridge Towers and Danforth Towers.

The third clinic was held September 29th at Keeler Park Apartments with the return visit on October 13, 2016.

“When we [volunteer pro bono attorneys] meet with clients at their residence, we explain the purpose of a health care proxy and Power of Attorney, in addition to gathering facts for a Will,” Ferris said. “We need to establish trust and understand their family make up to carry out their wishes. We prepare the documents and go back to meet with the clients for review and signing.”

Jon O. Webster is the pro bono coordinator at Harter Secrest & Emery, and he is delighted to embrace this elder law outreach program.

“The overall firm survey results corresponded to VLSP’s identification of elder law as presenting a community opportunity for a pro bono wills clinic,” Webster explained. “We had partnered with Gail Norris at the University of Rochester the year she was Campaign for Justice Chair. We coordinated and presented an Ethics CLE in 2014 and plan to present their third Ethics CLE this fall for the 2016 Campaign for Justice.”

Aileen Shinaman and Mark Wright from the UR Office of Counsel have participated in the first two wills clinics. Norris is pleased to have another collaboration with Harter Secrest & Emery.

From HS&E, Andrew Anderson, Candance Curran Espinosa, Jeffrey Donigan, Amanda Dwyer, Lucrecia Knapp, and Glenn Schiek have joined Ferris and Webster at the clinics thus far.

​Written by Nora A. Jones