In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the VOLS Unemployed Workers Project relaunched a hotline for New Yorkers struggling to access unemployment insurance benefits, working with law firm partners like Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Attorneys, including Deniz Gurbuz of Paul Weiss were instrumental in quickly responding to and assisting over 400 callers.
Deniz is a corporate associate at Paul Weiss, and chair of the VOLS Pro Bono Advocates Council, a new VOLS initiative which brings together emerging private bar leaders who have a shared commitment to pro bono legal services. VOLS recently spoke with Deniz about her pro bono practice, how pro bono has impacted her legal career, and the importance of service during such difficult times.
What interested you in volunteering with unemployment insurance claimants?
My interest in unemployment insurance work stemmed from a desire to provide direct representation to clients most in need of assistance. From my time at NYU, I was aware that VOLS operated a terrific unemployment insurance project, and when the opportunity arose to participate as an attorney at Paul, Weiss, I jumped at the chance. I cannot stress enough how important it is to help people going through breaks in employment—even for those just temporarily out of work, the financial toll can be significant, and as a lawyer, I found it incredibly rewarding to do my part in helping individuals in a meaningful way.
My involvement grew significantly as a result of the tremendous increase in unemployment insurance claims at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As claims grew into the millions each week, VOLS reached out to partner firms, and we at Paul, Weiss were thrilled to assist. The firm had already established a number of COVID-19-specific programs, including one focused on unemployment, so it was a perfect match. And given my prior experience, I was happy to play a leading role in working with VOLS to re-establish a hotline for the many, many claimants seeking help during those dire times. It was so hard for all of us to maintain our connections as a community, and working one-on-one with thousands of fellow New Yorkers to ensure the State provided them the benefits to which they were entitled was just a small way to do our part.
How has your experience as an attorney been enriched by volunteering?
Working on behalf of individual claimants has very direct and immediate consequences for the clients, and it’s a responsibility that is weighty but also fulfilling. Knowing that a client who might otherwise have been unable to put food on the table for their children can do so makes a world of difference and helps keep me mindful of the ways that our work as a legal community shape and affect the lives of all New Yorkers.
If you had a colleague who was on the fence about volunteering, how would you engage them to pursue volunteering with VOLS?
I would highlight to that colleague how very gratifying my experience with VOLS has been, and how there are opportunities at every level to work with the organization. From pitching in for a few hours on a short training and client assistance program to engaging in far-reaching litigation on behalf of many clients, there really is something for everyone at this terrific organization.