It takes a village...

Campaign for Justice Cabinet hard at work to meet $280,000 goal

Seated, from left: Dan O’Brien, Thomas Durkin, T. Andrew Brown, Megan Dorritie, and Franz Wright. Standing: David Tennant, Sheila Gaddis, Brittany Belknap, Carolyn Nussbaum, Maureen Mulholland, Barbara LaVerdi, Bill Lowe, Aileen Shinaman, Michael Schnittman, Frank Novak, Lori O’Brien, Steve Tranelli, Kelly Ross Brown, and Bryan Babcock.

The morning this photo was taken, about a dozen CFJ Cabinet members were missing or left early. See what I mean about a village? The saying, “it takes a village to raise a child” reflects the beliefs of some African tribes.

The CFJ Cabinet includes many experienced and loyal volunteers who have been helping Volunteer Legal Services Project, Rochester Legal Aid Society, and Legal Assistance of Western New York raise funds to meet critical legal needs of the underserved Rochester community for over 30 years. And their commitment to legal justice helps these agencies meet about 20% of the legal needs of the city’s population who live in poverty.

The CFJ Cabinet are in effect the caregivers who are ensuring equal justice in matters of housing, child custody, consumer fraud, etc. that threaten the safety and security of many underserved folks.

Since this photo was taken in November, this year’s campaign was launched and pledges totaling $180,395 have been tallied just a few days shy of Christmas.

With a little over $180k committed, the remaining balance drops to five digits as volunteers continue to spread the word about the campaign’s importance in our community.

The Law Firm Challenge is off to a great start with 51 attorneys under age 40 contributing so far. Early in the new year, we will learn more about the firms and attorneys who make up the younger tiers of the legal community.

Written by Nora A. Jones