August is Black Business Month! VOLS is proud to share and celebrate the success of Black small business owners supported by the VOLS Microenterprise Project (MEP). This month we caught up with VOLS MEP client Ezekiel Woods, the owner and chef of Brighteye and Shilling, a catering company based in Brooklyn, and spoke with Nick Aquino, a Staff Attorney who works closely with our small business owners.
We are approaching the fall season with a busy calendar. I’m pleased to share with you a preview of some of the ways we will be engaging with the community next month: VOLS Senior Law Project is partnering with pro bono volunteers from Bank of America, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, and O’Melveny & Myers LLP on a September 11 Wills Clinic. The VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Law Project will be providing in-person family law support to incarcerated mothers and parents at Taconic and Bedford Hills Correctional Facilities alongside pro bono attorneys from Bloomberg LP, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen LLP. Through our continued partnership with Trinity Commons, VOLS Immigration Project will resume monthly screening clinics for newly arrived immigrant families.
Our team has been closely following the launch of the administration’s new parole-in-place program, announced earlier in June. On August 19, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting applications for Keeping Families Together, a program for certain spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens that allows them to apply for lawful permanent resident status without having to leave the U.S. and risking separation from their families. This week, Judge J. Campbell Barker issued an administrative stay, temporarily blocking the program for at least 14 days. The stay prevents USCIS from adjudicating applications, however they will continue to accept new applications from eligible individuals. Applications approved prior to the administrative stay will not be affected. On September 4, VOLS IP will hold a webinar to discuss the status of the program and provide useful information for individuals preparing to submit applications (information on how to join below). VOLS will continue to monitor the program and support our clients in navigating this process.
Best,
Abja Midha | She/Her
Executive Director, Volunteers of Legal Service
Clients Success Stories
VOLS MEP client Ezekiel Woods is the owner and chef of Brighteye and Shilling, a catering business specializing in authentic Carribean cuisine and custom cakes for weddings, special events and celebrations. A passionate cook from a young age, Ezekiel gained professional experience as a pastry chef before starting his dream business in Brooklyn. VOLS MEP provided critical support in forming the business, so Ezekiel could focus on building his incredible menu. Curry Goat, Beef Oxtail, and Fish Cakes are only some of what he has to offer.
Get To Know Our Team!
Welcome to our new spotlight series, where we’ll hear from a member of the VOLS team. This month, we spoke with Nick Aquino, Staff Attorney for the VOLS Microenterprise Project.
How does VOLS support small business owners in NYC?
VOLS staff and our network of volunteer attorneys act as trusted advisors to directly answer legal questions and brainstorm individualized solutions for our small business clients, which is a personal touch sometimes hard to find in high volume free legal services. The project supports small business owners by providing free high quality legal services and sharing legal knowledge through educational workshops. We partner with pro bono volunteers from law firms and companies, which enables us to serve significantly more New Yorkers. Additionally, we engage with diverse communities around NYC through our partnerships with community-based organizations.
Why is it important to provide free high quality transactional legal services to small business owners? Starting a small business or nonprofit can produce a unique source of intergenerational and community wealth, but entrepreneurs don’t face an even playing field. Instead, it’s the privileged with access to capital and other resources, such as legal expertise, that have a clear leg up in starting and maintaining a business. In democratizing access to transactional legal services, we are working to correct this imbalance by managing legal risks and lowering the costs of doing business for our clients.
Is there an experience and/or client that you found particularly memorable?
A memorable experience for me was our participation in the May NYC Small Business Expo organized by the Department of Small Business Services alongside community partner Black Entrepreneurs NYC. There we, along with over a dozen volunteer attorneys from Cooley LLP, DLA Piper, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen LLP, Linklaters and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, provided well over a hundred consultations for entrepreneurs seeking assistance with intellectual property and entity formation.
Tell us about yourself. What does your ideal weekend in NYC look like?
Most of my weekends revolve around food! If I’m not grilling during the summer, I like to take my dog to some of the pizza spots in my neighborhood (Bushwick) that have outdoor patios to enjoy a meal outside. In the winter, I love taking a trip to Flushing and trying the different hot pot places to warm up with some spicy food!
VOLS and Linklaters LLP Successfully End Discriminatory Practice in Article 17-A Guardianship Applications
We are proud to announce that VOLS Senior Law Project, in collaboration with pro bono partner Linklaters LLP, has successfully challenged unlawful and discriminatory practices in Queens County’s Article 17-A Guardianship procedures. As a result, immigrant families will no longer face an unnecessary barrier when seeking to lawfully care for their adult disabled children. Read the full press release.
In the Community
Abja Midha, VOLS Executive Director, was invited to speak with eight summer fellows hosted by pro bono partner Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP. The fellows joined the firm through the firm’s sponsorship of The TEAK Fellowship Program, SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity), and the New York City Bar Association Diversity Fellowship Program.
IP Director Keighly Rector recently served as a guest teacher at Legal Outreach’s Summer Law Institute, held at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law. There, they introduced immigration law and conducted a mock asylum hearing for aspiring high school students interested in pursuing legal careers.
Project Updates
Last month VOLS Benefits Law Project (BLP) held a legal clinic with attorneys from King & Spalding, Wells Fargo, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP at Hamilton-Madison House KV NORC SSP to help older adults assess their eligibility and apply for benefits under the NYC Rent Freeze Program.
VOLS Microenterprise Project (MEP) offered legal education programming to partner organizations, this month conducting a presentation on the Corporate Transparency Act attended by more than 50 staff members of the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS).
VOLS Senior Law Project (SLP) held legal clinics and educational programs for older adults with community partners Covello Older Adult Program, Franciscan Community Center, Greenwich House’s Our Lady of Pompeii and Independence Plaza Older Adult Center, RiseBoro, Riverstone Senior Life Services, SAGE, and Universal Settlement.
VOLS Immigration Project (IP) supported community, school and organizational partners through a range of educational presentations and workshops. On September 4, VOLS IP will hold a webinar to discuss the administration’s new parole-in-place process for noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens. VOLS IP will offer an overview of the new parole-in-place guidelines, eligibility criteria, and important considerations. Register for the webinar here.
VOLS x TCS New York City Marathon
Only 66 days to go until #TeamVOLS takes on the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon! As an official charity partner, Team VOLS is running to help close the access to justice gap for New Yorkers in need of civil legal services. Visit our fundraising page to meet our team and make a gift.
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