VLJ is pleased to announce Wendy Feldman, Vice-President, Corporate Counsel at Prudential Insurance Company of America, as February’s Volunteer of the Month.
In the past three years, Wendy has volunteered in many of VLJ’s legal clinics (including expungement, divorce, and bankruptcy), but where she has arguably had the most significant impact is with VLJ’s tenancy clinic. In Essex County, there are approximately 40,000 eviction complaints filed each year. The vast majority of tenants are unrepresented in court or unaware of their rights. Wendy knows that the system is not set up to give unrepresented tenants a fair shot and so she dedicates her time to providing advice to pro se tenants and even representing clients pro bono. Most recently, Wendy helped a client, “Angela,” who had been in her apartment for several years but was facing eviction after losing her job and falling behind on her rent. Wendy successfully negotiated a manageable payment plan for Angela and she was able to remain in her home. Angela reached out to Wendy after the case concluded, telling her that she even started decorating her apartment—thanks to Wendy’s advocacy, she was finally feeling secure and stable enough to make it a home.
While Wendy knows that she is helping Prudential achieve its corporate goals in her job as Corporate Counsel, she explains that with pro bono work, she gets to see the immediate impact of her legal work. “In a big corporation, it’s very hard to see your impact immediately. [With my pro bono work], people are crying when they come in, but not crying when they leave. You are giving them hope that things might get better, they can get back on their feet, they can stay in their apartment…when people leave [the clinic] and they are smiling, relieved. It’s really an amazing feeling.”
Wendy works in privacy and cybersecurity law, advising Prudential’s business and corporate functions on data privacy and data security compliance. She also co-chairs Prudential’s LCBE Pro Bono Committee, which is responsible for managing the pro bono activities of all members of the Law, Compliance, Business Ethics, and External Affairs practice groups. Outside of volunteering with VLJ, Wendy is also involved with the Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest New Jersey, serving on a committee that focuses on allocating funds to projects in the Negev region of Israel. Most recently, she has been working on designing and building a therapeutic petting zoo for an elementary school in Israel. She also serves as an appointed member of the Board of the Association of Corporate Counsel of New Jersey (ACCNJ).