VOLS Monthly Newsletter

Meaningful Collaboration

In the first two months of 2025, VOLS held 15 legal clinics across our projects. Amidst much uncertainty in the world, VOLS is focused on remaining a consistent resource for our clients. We’re also embracing the impact that comes from our commitment to providing New York’s communities with free, accessible legal services.

This week, our Senior Law Project celebrated the success of the New York City Council’s initiative last October, which provided free life planning services to eligible older New Yorkers. As part of the initiative, our team assisted participants with their wills and advanced directives alongside pro bono volunteers from Davis Polk & Wardwell and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. These types of collaborations are critically important to making sure all New Yorkers have access to justice for their civil legal needs. We hope to see more of them in 2025.

Best, 

Abja Midha | She/Her
Executive Director, Volunteers of Legal Service

Credit: Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit

Celebrating Black History Month

VOLS is proud to co-host with pro bono partner A&O Shearman a conversation tonight with Justin Hansford, Professor of Law and Executive Director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard Law. This Black History Month also is a great opportunity to reflect on our one-year anniversary of an innovative legal services partnership with the city’s Black Entrepreneurs NYC initiative. We can report that this project already has supported several hundred Black and underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs to thrive. 

We’re Hiring

Join our team and help close the access to justice gap for low-income New Yorkers. The following positions are currently open: 

VOLS New York, Together 2025 Gala

Sponsorships and tickets are now available for the VOLS New York, Together 2025 Gala on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Visit volsprobono.org/GALA2025 for more information.


Get To Know Our Team

As part of the VOLS Spotlight Series, we spoke with Olivia “Liv” Pickard, Staff Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow for the VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Law Project.  

How does IMLP help mothers in and recently released from prison and jail understand and enforce their family law rights?  
Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated parents face significant family law challenges, particularly those who were the primary caretakers. Incarcerated people have little to no access to civil legal assistance and few opportunities to seek legal advice. We find that, amongst all the challenges of life in prison and jail, people’s kids are always top of mind. Many incarcerated parents have the legal right to visitation but spend years without visits from their children. Many have legal custody (the right to make decisions regarding their children’s upbringing), but are not receiving updates, including any school or medical records. Perhaps most distressing, many have children in foster care, or are at risk of foster care placement, and fear losing their parental rights permanently. In these situations, legal assistance from an IMLP attorney or pro bono volunteer can be a profound help. 

How does IMLP collaborate with pro bono and community partners to support clients and their families?  
IMLP hosts monthly family law clinics at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, Taconic Correctional Facility, and bi-monthly clinics at Rose M. Singer Center at Rikers Island. We pair pro bono volunteer attorneys to speak with anyone with family law questions. Our volunteer attorneys may have no family law experience at all before joining our project at a legal clinic, so mentorship is a big part of what we do. Our community partnerships are critical to ensuring that word gets out about our services within prisons and jails, particularly the non-profit organizations Hour Children and Osborne Association, the leading providers of services to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in New York State.  

Is there an experience and/or client that you found particularly memorable?    
I recently assisted a client with a parole hearing, and she got parole! She has young children who she is eager to get back to, and she’s done everything in her power to remain close to them during her incarceration, which is no easy task. This client has been with IMLP, and with me, for a significant time and through a variety of different family legal issues, so it’s particularly gratifying to witness her parole success and eventual release. Family law issues tend to be drawn-out and ever-changing, so it’s a nice change of pace to have a clear-cut win on this one.  

Tell us about yourself. What makes a “good weekend” for you?  
My life revolves around Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn these days. In the warmer months, I take my dog Dublin to off-leash hours so she can watch other dogs run around. On weekends, I volunteer with NYC Parks Gardeners to help maintain the garden beds in the park. There’s also a farmer’s market on Saturdays where I stock up on baked goods. Textbook on Dekalb always has really fun seasonal coffees. I’m so grateful for FGP and everyone who helps support and maintain it. Public and green spaces are so important! 


Project Updates

VOLS Benefits Law Project (BLP) helped New Yorkers learn about and access public benefits that help meet their legal needs. This month, BLP held a legal clinic with attorneys from Con Edison at Goddard Riverside West Side NORC to help older adults assess their eligibility and apply for benefits under the NYC Rent Freeze Program. BLP also conducted a presentation on good cause eviction law for the NYC Bar Association’s Legal Problems of the Aging Committee and presented on fair housing laws to staff at the Jericho Project.

VOLS Immigration Project (IP) supported immigrant young people and their families in navigating the changing immigration landscape. This month, we conducted screening clinics through our partnership with Trinity Commons, supported by pro bono volunteers from Cooley and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. VOLS IP also held a presentation focused on the intersection of trauma and advocacy to pro bono attorneys from Bloomberg and held a virtual training for pro bono attorneys exploring writs of mandamus as a strategic tool for clients whose cases are stalled in asylum backlogs or facing excessive adjudication delays.  

VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Law Project (IMLP) continued in-person prison clinics throughout the month, working with pro bono partners to hold our monthly clinic at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. Last month, we launched our in-person clinics at the Rose M. Singer Center at Rikers Island with a return visit scheduled in March. 

VOLS Microenterprise Project (MEP) worked with community and pro bono partners to provide transactional legal services for New York City’s entrepreneurs. VOLS MEP held an entity selection clinic for small business owners in collaboration with pro bono attorneys from Fried Frank and BE NYC.

VOLS MEP and pro bono partner Davis Polk & Wardwell recently assisted Sadik Topia, an immigrant and small business owner, in navigating complex legal challenges to obtain a new license to operate his newsstand after it was shut down the previous year. As of this month, thanks to free legal services from VOLS MEP and our pro bono partners, Mr. Topia is back in business!

VOLS Senior Law Project (SLP) supported older adults with their critical life planning needs. VOLS SLP held a legal clinic for older adults served through Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement joined by pro bono attorneys from Bloomberg and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. The team also held legal clinics and educational programs with community partners Greenwich House’s Our Lady of Pompeii and Independence Plaza Older Adult Center, SAGE and St. Margaret’s House. 


Recent Testimony

On Thursday, January 30, VOLS MEP testified before the New York City Council Committee on Small Business jointly with the Committee on Economic Development on legal and regulatory challenges facing small businesses. 


TD Five Boro Bike Tour

Join VOLS’ 2025 TD Five Boro Bike Tour team on Sunday, May 4, for an unforgettable ride to support access to justice! Visit our website to learn more and secure your spot.


Support Us While You Shop

Stock up on cards, gifts, and party invitations at Minted and save 20% with our exclusive discount code. Even better – Minted will donate 15% back to us with your purchase. It’s the perfect way to shop and give back at the same time. Use code: FUNDRAISEVOLS.

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