February News: Honoring Black History Month
This Black History Month opened on a tragic note, following the brutal murder of Tyre Nichols as one most recent reminder of our country’s institutional racism. We know that for Black clients and communities in New York City and throughout the country, justice and liberation are inextricably linked. We reaffirm VOLS’ commitment to closing the access to justice gap and, at the same time, are committed to celebrating Black history, influence, and joy. As lawyers, this begins with recognizing the work of Black lawyers, scholars, and activists, without whom justice would remain abstract. Thank you to these countless individuals – those known and those never acknowledged.
In Solidarity,
Abja Midha
Executive Director, Volunteers of Legal Service
VOLS Updates/Events:
Upcoming Event:
VOLS invites you to purchase tickets or become a sponsor of the VOLS 2023 New York, Together Gala! This engaging, celebratory cocktail-style reception raises critical funds for VOLS, so we can provide free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers and offer a supportive pro bono program that exponentially increases our impact.
Upcoming Event:
Are you interested in connecting with experts and learning about services available to older adults in the Bronx? VOLS Senior Law Project will be presenting at the Neighborhood SHOPP’s Caregivers Program’s Virtual Expo for Caregivers and the Community on March 13, 2023. Click here to register for this virtual event.
Collaboration & Partnership:
VOLS was pleased to participate in the Public Interest Pro Bono Association (PIPBA)’s recent Pro Bono Lab: Learning Collaboration and Partnership Forum, hosted by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. It was a great opportunity to collaborate with other legal services organizations and firms that care about pro bono. Thank you to PIPBA and Skadden for hosting!
Pro Bono Spotlight: Rita Celebrezze D’Souza
Updates from the VOLS Legal Team
As pandemic-related restrictions have lifted, the VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Law Project (IMLP) was able to return in person to Taconic Correctional Facility earlier this month. Joined by pro bono volunteers, the team met with 14 mothers/parents regarding their family law issues. IMLP can now return to the facility on a monthly basis to meet with new and existing clients. Thank you to the volunteers from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, American International Group (AIG), Societe Generale, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison for joining us in once again serving clients in-person, following the pandemic-era restrictions in prisons and jails.
This month, VOLS Senior Law Project (SLP) was delighted to conduct presentations for community partners, including the Catholic Charities St. Louis Older Adult Center Brooklyn. We also teamed up with the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA) and Presbyterian Senior Services (PSS) Life! University to kick off their Planning for Your Future webinar series. The SLP presented The Importance of Having a Power of Attorney as part of the series. A recording of this session can be found here. The team looks forward to being panelists on upcoming sessions in the series, including on 4/4 “When Do I Need an Elder Care Attorney?”; on 4/19 “Simple Wills and Dispositions of Remains”; and on 5/2 “How do I Choose an Elder Care Lawyer and What Can I Expect from my Lawyer?”
The VOLS Microenterprise Project (MEP), in partnership with the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park and the Multicultural High School, presented to monolingual Spanish-speaking families interested in starting their own businesses on the benefits and legal basics of worker cooperative ownership for immigrant entrepreneurs. Immigrant-led worker cooperatives are a powerful tool for empowering immigrant entrepreneurs and their communities to build generational wealth, and VOLS looks forward to continuing to work with community partners to inform entrepreneurs on this model of business ownership!
Also this month, VOLS MEP partnered with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP to provide a workshop Legal Basics Workshop for New Entrepreneurs at Jobs Plus in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Participants learned about the gig economy and legal considerations for freelancers and start-up businesses.
Client Story: Unemployed Workers Project
Pro bono volunteers Eli Jacobs and Chris Yeung, of Covington & Burling LLP, recently helped VOLS Unemployed Workers Project (UWP) client MM to win her benefits owed since September 2022. MM, a mother of a young child, had been looking for full time work but was erroneously determined to be “unavailable to work” by the New York State Department of Labor despite having a childcare arrangement with a family member. VOLS pro bono partner attorneys at Covington & Burling successfully argued that she was eligible for unemployment benefits, helping this family access much needed support.
Join the VOLS Community
- If you are affiliated with a VOLS partner law firm or company and would like to volunteer, please contact your company’s pro bono counsel.
- Make a donation to support VOLS’ free civil legal services: Click here to donate.
- Forward this page and ask your friends to sign up for the VOLS e-newsletter at www.volsprobono.org/join.