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

Paying it forward where it is needed most...

Most of us reading this rarely worry about how to get somewhere. Our transportation options are reliable day to day, and we may grumble about the cost of parking but it doesn’t keep us from eating dinner.

There are many in the Rochester area who don’t have a reliable vehicle, can’t afford $8 a pop in the Civic Center garage, or may not even have money for a bus pass.
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BING! Light bulb moment!

Barbara Anne Zinker was talking with her friend Sheila Gaddis about how many visits to Family Court it takes to resolve custody issues. Earlier in 2016, Zinker, a retired City of Rochester employee (1973-2013) was supporting a friend through a child custody matter and made several observations about the Hall of Justice. ​

She recognized that the cost of parking was steep, but in talking to Sheila learned that many VLSP clients use public transportation.

VLSP staff members Danielle Sharp and Scott MacPherson joined the conversation and through their collaboration a transportation program was started in conjunction with the Seventh Judicial District Help Center.

A willingness to donate $250 coupled with a bright idea launched a program that has been in place since last July. 

“In these first months, at least one person per week visiting the Help Center has used a bus pass,” Barbara noted in a recent conversation. “There may be a seasonal increase as winter arrives. And even helping one person a week is rewarding.”

Retired from a life-time of civil service, Barbara feels blessed to be able to help others and sets a great example for how someone not even involved in the day-to-day legal community can make a difference with even a small donation.

Barbara noted that copy expenses can also be a factor for someone involved in the civil legal services. Maybe there should be a parking fund for special vouchers. Maybe….

Just an observant citizen, speaking up and stepping up where there is a need.

Written by Nora A. Jones

"Change can be a good thing" say Campaign for Justice fundraisers

The 2016 Campaign for Justice had $70,030 in pledges by the end of the day November 16 – the first day of the phone-a-thon effort by approximately 50 volunteers in about 50 different locations.

That’s what changed: LOCATION. It used to be that volunteers gathered at one location after work to use a bank of telephones to call potential donors, working from stacks of printed donor cards. This year calls were made by volunteers all day and evening, from whatever phone was handiest, while volunteers used an online database of potential donor names. Reams of paper were spared and the effort surpassed the 2015 first-day tally of $69,148.

Legal Assistance of Western New York (LawNY) put together a team to focus on the one thousand plus attorneys who have never donated to the Campaign for Justice, so they were willing to gather for a lunch hour photo in the Telesca Center for Justice with LawNY Executive Director Ken Perri participating via video conference from the Geneva office.

In the photo, LawNY’s Marlene Attardo and Robin Marable use cell phones to demonstrate calling efforts while Harter Secrest & Emery LLP attorney and LawNY Board Member Iskra Bonanno (center) joins the effort. Far right is Lori O’Brien, LawNY managing attorney. Contributing to the $280,000 campaign goal, several of those “cold calls” resulted in donations.

When the Campaign for Justice started in 1986, I personally was working on a Wang system at Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Co. at 50 E. Broad St., and talk of the paperless office was a pipe dream. Personal computers were making their way into more and more businesses, but we had not yet come to rely on cell phones, or e-mail, or handheld devices. We did not know what an electronic tablet was.

So that very first Campaign for Justice fundraiser relied on paper files, and paper donor cards created from that accumulation of data that we so freely call a database today. Our file cabinets and file folders held the recorded information we manually looked up.

We’ve come a long way in 30 years, with the 2016 Campaign for Justice eliminating reams of paper allowing volunteers to work from and update a special donor database. And, if you are pulling names and phone numbers from cyberspace via electronic device, you can probably be anywhere to make and receive phone calls.

Using the CFJ online database of names and phone numbers saved an initial printing of some 2500 pledge cards/donor sheets. Those paper sheets needed to be sorted, alphabetized, updated, and handled by multiple people over the course of the campaign.

“We still believe in the value of the personal outreach. It is a once-a-year opportunity to help level the playing field where low income residents need guidance on debt, foreclosure, custody, tenant evictions, unemployment insurance, and similar daily-living concerns,” VLSP Executive Director Sheila Gaddis noted.

Written by Nora A. Jones

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

Entrepreneurs find funding through KIVA Zip - Character over credit: assessing your trust network as a measure of creditworthiness

What if you could get a business loan based on a good idea – no credit score, no collateral? Kiva Zip crowdfunded loans do just that, with no interest and no fees.

KIVA is an online platform where people post business ideas with hopes for funding from people across the world. The site caters to budding entrepreneurs and provides business loans from $25 to $10,000 – generally repayable in 24-36 months.

Rochester joined dozens of other cities involved with KIVA by loaning $100,000 via the Rochester Economic Development Corporation (REDCO) matching loan fund to kick start the local micro-lending program and appointing Bradley Willows as Rochester’s full-time Kiva program director.

VLSP staff attorney Vasanthi Pillai runs VLSP’s micro-entrepreneur program which offers free legal assistance to eligible low income entrepreneurs who are starting businesses in Rochester. An issue faced by many low income entrepreneurs is funding.

“It is discouraging when you have supported an entrepreneur with all the legal essentials, but the business start-up is put on hold due to lack of funding,” explained Pillai.

That’s why when she heard about the KIVA program, she reached out to explore how both programs could collaborate.

“The city was in need of Trustees for their new KIVA program,” Pillai explained. “Trustees publicly endorse entrepreneur borrowers whom they believe in, and support them in the loan application process. A Trustee endorsement is a prerequisite to the KIVA loan approval.”

“The goal of both programs is to stimulate job creation and economic growth, so it made sense for VLSP to partner with the city and serve as a Trustee. This allows VLSP to refer and endorse eligible clients who are accepted into the VLSP micro-entrepreneur program and who are found to be suitable KIVA borrowers,” she added.

​In 2015, over 39,000 people provided a combined $4.7 million in loans to 811 small-business owners through Kiva program. Applicants who receive funding must begin paying back the lenders the following month, and KIVA Zip reports 90% success rate of borrowers reaching their goal.

Locally, interested clients can contact Vasanthi Pillai at vpillai@vlsprochester.org or Bradley Willows at Bradley.Willows@cityofrochester.gov.

Written by Nora A. Jones

Pro Bono Spotlight: Meet the new VLSP Pro Bono Coordinator

Check out yesterday's Pro Bono Spotlight article in the The Daily Record and welcome Danielle Nelson, VLSP's new Pro Bono Coordinator!​

Danielle O. Nelson

Court Help Center sees every form of legal need

Often desperate for help when they arrive at the Seventh Judicial District Court Help Center on the 5th floor of Rochester’s Hall of Justice, many find a bit of hope through attorney volunteers. The seemingly insurmountable problems weighing down area residents when they arrive at the Court Help Center include:

• Two sisters, mourning the loss of their mother, are trying to find out how to access mom’s bank account to pay bills associated with her home. They have no idea how to begin the probate​
• A woman is seeking an uncontested divorce since her husband refuses to appear in court, but they don’t agree on the divorce terms. She is afraid of her husband and anxious to terminate​
• A man discovers he is locked out of his apartment and all his personal property has been moved to the curb. Some of it is missing and he doesn’t know what to do.

Two sisters, mourning the loss of their mother, are trying to find out how to access mom’s bank account to pay bills associated with her home. They have no idea how to begin the probate​
​Two sisters, mourning the loss of their mother, are trying to find out how to access mom’s bank account to pay bills associated with her home. They have no idea how to begin the probate​
All of these people are unfamiliar with the legal system and cannot afford to hire an attorney. You can see their frustration and feel their fear. Some of them may have limited reading and/or computer skills.

Some may have language barriers. All are at the mercy of others to find pathways to resolve their
individual situation.

“While we don’t give people legal advice at the Help Center, we can be a collaborator in how to solve
their problem, Gail Norris (University of Rochester) shared when asked about her service at the Help Center. “Often the unrepresented litigants leave with a couple of options regarding whom to call or what papers and next steps are needed.”

“I have been an in-house lawyer practicing business law for more than 15 years, so I am rusty on legal issues these unrepresented litigants face. But I know how to network and use resources to find out answers. And I feel that doing so fulfills my ethical obligation to provide legal support for those who need it but can’t afford it,” Norris added.

The Help Center is open 22 hours a week. There are 2-hour morning shifts to fill five days a week, and 1.5-hour afternoon shifts Monday-Thursday, plus a 3-hour window on Friday afternoons at the Rundel Building of the Rochester Central Library.

“A VLSP staff member, or court staff will be present during the volunteer’s shift, so all volunteers can feel confident that they have resources to help the unrepresented litigants,” noted Scott MacPherson, VLSP staff attorney who oversees the Court Help Center. Scott can be reached at 585-295- 5712 or smacpherson@vlsprochester.org.

Sanjeev Devabhakthuni (Barclay Damon) typically takes two shifts per month. “I am reminded after every shift at the Court Help Center how important it is to provide access to our legal system to those who cannot afford it,” Devabhakthuni said.

The blink of an eye

That’s how VLSP attorney Karen Chung might describe the 12-week period UB Law student/ Pro
Bono Scholar Steven Maffucci spent at VLSP getting hands-on practical experience while he completed his JD. She loved having his help, it just ended too quickly.

Steven’s perception of those same 12-weeks might be described as eye-opening – as he learned
about the need for volunteer attorneys to help under-served clients in Rochester and Buffalo. Of his
own experiences, he shared a story about a client having nightmarish problems with the IRS over
penalties for early withdrawal of retirement funds – which he only withdrew because he was laid off of work and battling cancer.

“I saw how someone who is essentially doing everything right can, in the blink of an eye, be
faced with legal problems that just aren’t going to disappear,” Steven said.

The Wednesday on-campus class that Steven and seven other Pro Bono Scholars attended this
semester augmented their practical experience as they shared stories each week about various client issues.

“All eight of us were in different placements, some handling immigration or domestic violence,
others working with housing and family law issues,” Steven added. “We talked about how to approach clients with difficult news, and how to simply listen to clients.”

Asked about advice he might offer an aspiring law student, Steven quickly endorsed the Pro
Bono Scholars program by saying: “I’d tell them to jump on it. The Pro Bono Scholars experience gets you fully immersed in the real world.”

Closing the gap... volunteers needed

Closing the Gap is a partnership between the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY), Legal Assistance of Western New York (LawNY), Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County, Inc. (VLSP) and Pro Bono Net with the goal of closing the urban/rural gap in legal services in northeastern and western upstate New York using innovative technology and cross program collaborations. The first Rochester area attorney volunteers were trained earlier this month, earning free CLE credits through VLSP in exchange for taking a rural client assignment via webcam.

This program is focused on consumer debt and eviction cases, so in addition to logistics/computer
training, the pro bono attorneys receive training and support materials in these substantive areas.
The volunteer attorney can work from their home or office – wherever they have a computer with
internet access, a webcam and microphone. The video chat feature – they tell me it’s easy.

Because some of the cases require urgent attention (emergency evictions), it is helpful for a volunteer attorney to sign up for particular days to be on call.

The attorney will communicate via webcam with the client who will have a computer connection at one of the LawNY outlying offices (Bath, Elmira, Geneva, Ithaca, Jamestown or Olean).

To volunteer for this exciting new Closing the Gap opportunity, contact Scott MacPherson at VLSP:
smacpherson@vlsprochester.org.

Written by Nora A. Jones

Savage inequalities: landlord v. tenant

For me, the clipart above is iconic for someone who seems to hold all the power.
In the landlord-tenant relationship, that is often the landlord, and most clearly so when a petition for non-payment and petition to recover possession of real property is involved (a/k/a/ eviction notice). The landlord’s decision to put someone out on the street in 72 hours is often a last resort due to the financial stress of a non-paying tenant. The tenant generally is already feeling vulnerable because of loss of job or illness that he/she has no concept of how to negotiate for more time or partial payments. The already stressed tenant has another probable disadvantage: the landlord often has an attorney and the tenant does not.

That’s where the Tenant Town Court Program, staffed by attorneys volunteering their evening hours, can help tip the balance. An advocate for the tenant can suggest an extension of time both for back-payments and evacuation date. Giving someone 10 days to find a new place is always better than 3 days.

Attorneys at the Appellate Division, Fourth Department have been helping with these types of situations in Irondequoit Town Court since January 4, 2016. Maureen Gilroy says the experience has been rewarding.

“I cannot emphasize enough the amount of gratitude the tenants have expressed basically to just have someone on their side and to talk to.”

Gilroy negotiated almost four weeks for a tenant to find alternate housing, and Libbie DiMarco reviewed another tenant’s situation, negotiating with the landlord’s attorney for a reduction in back-owed rent and three weeks to find a new place.

“The tenant had no local family, she was originally from out-of-state,” DiMarco noted, acknowledging how harsh a 3-day eviction might have been.

Linda Kostin, Lisa Paine , Alan Ross, Michael Tuohey, Adam Oshrin, Brittany Jones, Craig Peterson, Kristin Dawson Henderson, Joseph Dinolfo, Christopher Larrabee and others have been attending Irondequoit’s Tenant Town Court sessions, helping more than two dozen tenants negotiate a more tolerable outcome than what they faced coming into court that evening.

This program is funded by a generous grant from The New York Bar Foundation.
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Written by Nora A. Jones

500 hours of pro bono = 12 credit hours for UB 3L

New York State is the first and only state that allows and encourages law students to swap classroom work for full-time public service at a time when underserved clients out-number the number of pro bono hours local attorneys have available to offer.

Steven Maffucci is finishing his third year at the SUNY Buffalo School of Law by working 12 full-time weeks at Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County, Inc. With a 3-credit class on campus one afternoon a week, he will complete his third year while most classmates are still in the classroom and anticipating taking the bar exam.

He’s one of eight UB Law students selected for the Pro Bono Scholars Program which was just introduced in 2014 by then-Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, and allows 3L students to take the February bar exam.
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A Rochester native, Maffucci has both civilian work experience and four years of military service under his belt, so he especially feels ready to “get to work.”

Working under the supervision of VLSP Staff Attorney Mary Beth Conway, Maffucci has shadowed other attorneys during two Family Law Custody Clinics held at the VLSP offices, and had similar experiences in the Irondequoit Tenant Town Court Program on two occasions.

"I’ve also been able to help out by calling several clients facing a denial of unemployment benefits to learn details after the initial intake. I’ve also participated in client interviews involving child protective services issues, name change, identity theft, and mortgage foreclosure.”

He has also helped staff attorneys with research projects ranging from immigration and naturalization issues to unemployment to family law.
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And that’s just been in his first four weeks!

Written by Nora A. Jones

With CFJ at $284,435, there is much to $mile about

The Justice Society Donor Reception provided a special opportunity to acknowledge the “exeeded goal” status of the 2015 Campaign for Justice. With a $280,000 fundraising goal to support programs at three legal service agencies – Volunteer Legal Services Project, Inc., Rochester Legal Aid Society, and LawNY – the individual “high givers” ($350+) accounted for $116,000 or nearly 40% of the dollars pledged.

Law firm pledges, in-house council contributions, pledges from a dozen or more vendors, and numerous individual donors of smaller amounts comprised the balance of the $284,435 recorded for this year’s campaign.

About 86% of campaign pledges have been paid, but the remaining $40k needs to be collected to officially wrap up the Campaign for Justice by March 31.

Campaign co-chairs Frank Novak, William Q. Lowe, and Arline Santiago all expressed their relief and gratitude at this year’s campaign success.

​“Setting a $280,000 goal did make me nervous,” admitted Frank Novak, grinning broadly at the March 10th reception held at the Memorial Art Gallery.

Written by Nora A. Jones

A perfect match - law student and client-in-need

When I was in law school (late 1970s), we had moot court and mock trials but the clients were fictional and we were solving staged problems. Today, many law students not only get to work on real client issues, they often gain one-on-one experience with clients in need of pro bono services.

Syracuse University law student Daniel Taroli is pictured here with Prof. Robert G. Nassau who supervises the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic at the law school. Taroli recently helped VLSP client Ms. W. resolve an income tax matter. In tax year 2013, Ms. W. ended up owing both federal ($4,500) and state ($500) income tax.

The IRS worked out a payment plan for Ms. W. to pay $58 a month, and the NYS Tax Department set up a $50-a-month installment plan. She was making payments faithfully, but on a fixed income of $1,260, she was losing traction with her other living expenses. Her case was referred to VLSP, and from there the law school tax clinic.

Taroli, a third-year law student particularly interested in tax, first determined that Ms. W.’s tax debts were correct. Then he assessed her financial resources.

With the authority of the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, Taroli was successful in getting Ms. W.’s federal debt status changed to “currently not collectible” based on her present income situation. Her student advocate also negotiated a reduced monthly payment to NY State, requiring only $25 a month instead of $50. Ms. W. is once again able to make her mortgage payments AND buy groceries.

“The clinic has been the most beneficial and rewarding experience I have had in law school,” Taroli acknowledged.

​Written by Nora A. Jones

February follies and fun facts

We start the month with a rodent trying to predict the weather. Of course, I am referring to Punxsutawney Phil, who gets his 15 minutes of fame every February 2 when this eighth or tenth generation woodchuck is pulled out of his burrow. Yes, groundhogs are also known as woodchucks, and young groundhogs may be called chucklings.

Regardless, in Rochester, NY we know February is still winter. Phil has nothing to do with it. We received some tangible proof yesterday with a 22” snowfall in some of the Rochester burbs and sidewalks impassable downtown.
​
But this year, February 2 marked a more significant event: The date the 2015 Campaign for Justice hit its $280,000 goal. These few days into February, the grand total pledged is $283,555. With another 6 weeks until the campaign ends, we can hope to see that total dollar pledge grow even more.

​For me, February 2 this year (and every year) is special because the duration of daylight finally reaches 10 hours again – a benchmark left behind in early November. There is too much darkness for three months and at last February starts to feel brighter. Add a few metric tons of snowflakes, and the brightness lasts beyond sunset. So let’s celebrate another CFJ goal met! And while doing so, let’s follow up with the last of the pledge requests we may have initiated, and get the campaign wrapped up by March 31 – when we can perhaps start thinking about the end of winter.

​Written by Nora A. Jones

"No Parties" said Lou on his way out...

As Lou Prieto wrapped up his duties at Legal Assistance of Western New York in December, he made it clear that he did not want any big retirement parties.

After 40 years of dedicated public service, that turned out to be a tall request just begging to be ignored, especially since The Telesca Center for Justice houses LawNY, The Legal Aid Society, Empire Justice, Volunteer Legal Services Project, and the Monroe County Bar Association.

“Lou asked us not to have an event like this,” explained LawNY Executive Director Ken Perri at the
gathering of more than 100 colleagues, friends, family, and former LawNY employees. “Since we chose to ignore that request, we’ll make this mostly a social evening, with just a short program.”

Current LawNY Managing Attorney Lori O’Brien was in contact with Lou’s wife (Sara Baughan) to make sure the guest of honor would be at the Memorial Art Gallery on the designated evening. As an added surprise,all three of Sara and Lou’s children flew from three different locations to be at the event.

“It is hard to believe Lou is retiring,” said VLSP Executive Director Sheila Gaddis. “He is the gold standard of our profession, an excellent attorney, and a caring individual who has dedicated his professional life to providing representation for the poor in our community. I wish him all the best in retirement and hope he thinks about ProBono from time to time.”

Louis Prieto is the son of Cuban immigrants. He grew up in a rough and tumble neighborhood in upper Manhattan’s West Harlem, worked his way through college and law school, starting his legal career defending criminals and proactively seeking sentencing alternatives via help from social agencies.

His years of experience in The Legal Aid Society’s civil division in Bronx County included grant proposal writing and community outreach, giving him a tremendous skill set by the time he reached Rochester in 1991 to work at MCLAC.

At the January 22 event, Perri noted, “Lou has broken into funding stream after funding stream, allowing the Rochester office to grow and expand its programs.”

U.S. Marine Reserve Officer and attorney Kevin Saunders talked about Lou’s success in getting funding and in-kind services for a remarkable first-ever Valor Day Rochester last June 13.

Lou’s dedication to veterans reaches far beyond his contributions to Valor Day, where approximately 200 active and reserve military personnel were served.

“He’s been in the trenches, providing legal services through the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester, with permanent office space in our facility,” said Jocene Henderson, director of operations at VOC.

The Veterans Outreach Center honored Prieto with a folded U.S. flag in a shadow box – the ultimate sign of respect.

Closer by the minute... 3% from goal

When I checked the VLSP website early yesterday morning, the Campaign for Justice tally indicated only a little over $10,000 was needed to reach this year’s $280,000 goal.

Then when I looked a couple hours later and again this morning… that figure shrunk to $8,400, bringing the 2015 Campaign even closer to the mark.

“The Campaign Cabinet set a high goal this year, and we are making great progress,” stated Frank
Novak, campaign co-chair alongside Arline Santiago and Bill Lowe. “Every year the legal community’s support for the CFJ makes me proud of Rochester. Many parts of the country do not support legal representation for the poor the way we do here.”

Novak also acknowledged the “civic-mindedness is not limited to the legal community. Buckingham Properties, Elite Reporting and many other companies have provided significant support to the effort.”

Of equally exciting news, payment for most (78%) of the pledges has already been received, with the Campaign running through March 31.

“I am very thankful for all the support the Campaign has received,” added Santiago, ESL general counsel (pictured below with VLSP Executive Director Sheila Gaddis).

Those who haven’t pledged yet: Please help us close the gap as soon as possible.

Written by Nora A. Jones

App Div 4th Dept. Attorneys Help with Eviction/Landlord Issues in Irondequoit

Penfield Town Justice James Mulley has encountered cases on his eviction dockets with outcomes which could have been markedly different had the tenants been represented by legal counsel.

This prompted Justice Mulley to contact VLSP for ways in which VLSP and the Appellate Division, Fourth Dept. could collaborate in providing free legal representation in some of the town courts.
Discussions with several of the town court justices culminated in the successful launch of the new Tenant Town and Village Court Program, a partnership between the attorneys of the Appellate Division and VLSP.

On January 4th, seven volunteer attorneys joined VLSP staff in the building you see below: Irondequoit Justice Court at 1300 Titus Avenue.

With the help of pro bono services, three tenants at the Irondequoit Town Court avoided immediate eviction on Monday, with negotiations buying them from 2 weeks to 2 months to work out payment and relocation.

VLSP staff attorney Karen Chung is heading up this project which will include additional town courts in the future. VLSP staff paralegal Pauline Smith ensured everyone needing help was assisted as people arrived at the town court.

Craig Peterson, Alan Ross, Lisa Paine, Joe Dinolfo, Brittany Jones and Chris Larrabee were among the volunteer attorneys on hand Monday evening, when winter temperatures finally took hold – an especially tough time of year to face eviction.

Of four eviction cases on the town court docket, three of the tenants were delighted to have attorney representation, while one declined assistance.

“The one-on-one client contact reminds me why I do what I do,” said Alan Ross, Deputy Clerk of the Appellate Division, Fourth Dept.

“It’s also great experience for younger attorneys who will be looking for new employment after a couple years at the court,” added Sheila Gaddis.

​By Nora A. Jones