Pro Bono Month Celebrations
Happy National Pro Bono Month, VOLS Community! VOLS is and has always been a Pro Bono First Organization. That means every VOLS project and initiative is designed to maximize support for our clients by incorporating pro bono volunteers from private law firms and companies. That’s how one VOLS attorney becomes many. Together, we serve more New Yorkers and tap into more resources for our clients than we could through our nonprofit staff alone.
These relationships represent the best our profession has to offer – combining resources, skills, and compassion to help our neighbors resolve their legal challenges. Our legal team spent the month partnering on legal education presentations and clinics. On October 28, we celebrated the VOLS 2025 Pro Bono Dean’s List in a joyful reception hosted by pro bono partner Debevoise & Plimpton LLP to honor this group of dedicated, exceptional pro bono champions.
Best,
Abja Midha | She/Her
Executive Director, Volunteers of Legal Service
Training Our Partners
VOLS BLP Director Jean Stevens conducted an UI Callback Clinic Deep Dive for attorneys at Fried Frank and a CLE on Rent Freeze Intake and Application for attorneys at Paul, Weiss.
VOLS MEP Staff Attorney Nick Aquino presented on “Advising the Modern Microentrepreneur: What Lawyers Need to Know in 2025” alongside Nadine Mompremier and Andrea Tan in an engaging program hosted by the Practising Law Institute (PLI). View the recording, now available on demand.
Executive Director Abja Midha co-chaired “Providing Trauma Informed Language Services 2025: Best Practices and Ethics” alongside Nicole Fidler and Hamra Ahmad, also hosted by the Practising Law Institute. The recording is available on demand.
VOLS IMLP Director Stephanie Taylor presented Introductory Family Law Training for 131 attorneys from 12 law firms, banks, and corporations. This training supports pro bono serving our incarcerated clients.
VOLS x TCS New York City Marathon
Team VOLS takes on the TCS NYC Marathon this Sunday, November 2! Join us in cheering on our incredible team as they run 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.
October Project Updates
VOLS Senior Law Project (SLP) held legal clinics and educational programs with community partners at Greenwich House’s Center on the Square, Encore, Hamilton-Madison House, Homecrest Bensonhurst Center and Sheepshead Bay Center, Kenmore Hall, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, Norfolk Senior Housing, SAGE, Village View, and VISIONS. VOLS SLP also held a future planning presentation at Emblem Health hosted by City Council Member Crystal Hudson and conducted a second future planning presentation at Council Member Hudson’s office.
VOLS Microenterprise Project (MEP) held a presentation on key legal and other considerations for small business owners in collaboration with Societe Generale, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Black Entrepreneurs NYC initiative. Participants received information on options for funding a business, marketing and fundraising, and the fundamentals of employment law.
VOLS Benefits Law Project (BLP) helped older adults assess their eligibility and apply for benefits under the NYC Rent Freeze Program. BLP held legal clinics at Knickerbocker Village alongside pro bono attorneys from Morrison Foerster and Wells Fargo and at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House with attorneys from Paul, Weiss and Thomson Reuters.
VOLS Immigration Project (IP) held screening clinics for immigrant youth alongside pro bono partners Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Bloomberg. The team also presented on Trauma Informed Legal Advocacy to 350 attorneys from Latham & Watkins and continued to hold weekly briefings on changing immigration law and policy for volunteer attorneys.
VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Law Project (IMLP) held a clinic at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility supported by pro bono attorneys from Fried Frank, and a legal clinic at Taconic Correctional Facility alongside attorneys from Bloomberg, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Freshfields, and Latham & Watkins. The team also created a new Name Change Guide for incarcerated clients.
Support Us While You Shop
Looking for holiday cards, back to school stationery, and essentials? Enjoy 20% off Minted’s stationery and gifts when you shop using our exclusive discount code and Minted will donate 10% back to us. Use code: FUNDRAISEVOLS
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.