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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice provides free civil legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney.

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s volunteers help us ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty.

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Access to justice takes time, talent, and resources. Your support makes Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s work possible.

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Rooted in the belief that justice is a right, not a privilege, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) envisions a New Jersey where people experiencing poverty have equal access to justice. Partnering with volunteers, we deliver free civil legal help that protects rights, expands opportunity, drives economic mobility, and strengthens communities.

In 2025, VLJ handled 2,062 cases, reaching 4,943 individuals, including 1,807 children. This record-breaking level of service was made possible by 24 experienced staff members and 633 committed attorney and non-attorney volunteers, who donated more than 6,700 hours of service valued at $2.2 million.

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Celebrate VLJ's 25th Anniversary

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How We Do Justice Matters - Educating and Empowering

Being sued is scary, and trying to navigate an unfamiliar system in a language other than your primary one doesn’t help. At Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), ensuring access to justice isn’t only about resolving legal issues, it’s about meeting clients where they are while providing legal help that educates and empowers.

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Welcomes Lowenstein Sandler Partner Peter Slocum to its Board of Trustees

NEWARK, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) announces the appointment of Peter Slocum, a partner at Lowenstein Sandler LLP, to our Board of Trustees. Slocum has an extensive litigation background with a tenure in state government including as First Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Jersey—the second-ranking lawyer in the state—where he was a principal legal advisor to both the Governor and the Attorney General.

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VLJ's June 2026 Volunteer of the Month: Brooke A. Gillar

Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) celebrates Brooke A. Gillar as our June 2026 Volunteer of the Month. Brooke is a partner in the Transactions and Advisory Group at Lowenstein Sandler LLP, where her practice focuses on strategic and financing transactions, and she is a graduate of Rutgers University and Seton Hall University School of Law. Despite her demanding corporate practice, she never misses an opportunity to harness the power of pro bono.

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Pro Bono: From Passion to Practice - Read VLJ’s Blog

Pro Bono: From Passion to Practice Blog
Corporate Social Responsibility in Action: BASF’s Commitment to Veterans and Access to Justice

A company’s strength is often measured by its global reach, but true impact can be felt much closer to home in the communities where its employees live and work. For BASF Corporation’s Legal Department, which is led out of Florham Park, New Jersey, corporate social responsibility is not an abstract concept; it is an ingrained resolve to strengthening communities by giving back.

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How Law Firms and In-House Legal Teams Can Use Pro Bono Work to Drive Business Value

By partnering with Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) over the past 25 years, VLJ’s law firm and in-house partners have achieved so much on behalf of our pro bono clients, helping to level the playing field and create equal access to justice. With only 2.8 legal aid lawyers for every 10,000 individuals experiencing poverty, pro bono help is desperately needed and VLJ is so grateful for the private bar’s assistance in meeting this need.

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25 Years of Service. 25 Hours of Pro Bono. 1 Mission: Ensure Access to Justice. Take VLJ’s Anniversary Volunteer Pledge.

With 2026 in full swing, all of us at Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) are reflecting on the incredible past year of pro bono made possible by our community of volunteer attorneys. While the new year means another year of ensuring access to justice, it also marks a milestone in VLJ’s history: our 25th anniversary, and as with any VLJ celebration, you’re invited!

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thank you to our Generous Supporters

Volunteer Lawyers for Justice thanks the firms, companies, and organizations that provide financial support to our programs. You make our work possible!