2024 Recap

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American College of Bankruptcy Foundation Awards $12,500 Grant to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice to Help New Jerseyans Struggling with Debt

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American College of Bankruptcy Foundation Awards $12,500 Grant to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice to Help New Jerseyans Struggling with Debt

Newark, NJ – As economic challenges continue to strain families across New Jersey, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) remains committed to aiding residents facing significant financial challenges. Thanks to a recent grant award of $12,500 from the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation (Foundation), VLJ’s Debt Relief Legal Program (DRLP) will continue providing critical legal assistance to New Jerseyans experiencing poverty who are struggling with consumer debt issues, such as bankruptcy, medical bills, and lawsuits from creditors.

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Advocates Shine Light On Rash Of Deficient Evictions In NJ

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Advocates Shine Light On Rash Of Deficient Evictions In NJ

Dorian Bernard remembers his family's old apartment in Irvington, New Jersey, fondly.

The neighborhood was a quiet and close-knit one where he would frequently run into friends he knew from high school when he came back to visit. Growing up there with his brothers, he remembers awards and other keepsakes his mother and father used to display, giving it an atmosphere that was charming, though a little dated, according to Bernard.

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Endowment Campaign Reaches $500,000 Match Goal

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Endowment Campaign Reaches $500,000 Match Goal

Newark, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is thrilled to announce that it has successfully met the $500,000 match goal for its Legacy of Justice Endowment Campaign. This achievement was made possible through the generous support of 43 donors who collectively contributed $519,750 to the campaign, surpassing the match goal.

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Cathy Keenan Interviewed on Newark Today

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Cathy Keenan Interviewed on Newark Today

On November 21, 2024, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s (VLJ) Executive Director Cathy Keenan was interviewed by Michael Hill on Newark Today. During her interview, Cathy introduced VLJ to Newark Today listeners and the organization’s efforts to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty.

Coalition of Tenant Advocates Releases Report Exposing Significant Number of Unjustified Evictions in New Jersey

In a newly released report, Unjustified Residential Evictions in New Jersey, a coalition of tenant advocates including the Housing Justice Project of the Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall Law School, the Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest at Lowenstein Sandler, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, and the Housing Justice Program at Rutgers Law School, urges the New Jersey courts to improve their process for reviewing residential eviction complaints. The report is based on data collected and analyzed by the coalition that suggests that eviction judgments or defaults are entered against as many as 29,000 tenant families each year in cases where the court lacks jurisdiction.  

Amy Woltman, Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Retirement Strategies, at Prudential Financial, Joins Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Board of Trustees

Amy Woltman, Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Retirement Strategies, at Prudential Financial, Joins Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Board of Trustees

Newark, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) announces that Amy Woltman joined its Board of Trustees in September. Amy, Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Retirement Strategies, joined Prudential Financial in December 2013. She is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served four years as a 98G, Voice Interceptor (Arabic), including a six-month deployment to Kosovo. Amy also previously served as President of VETNET, Prudential’s business resource group focused on raising veterans’ issues as they relate to the workplace and representing Prudential within the veteran community.

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Hosts Annual Gala Honoring Preet Bharara, Catherine Weiss, and RBC Wealth Management

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Hosts Annual Gala Honoring Preet Bharara, Catherine Weiss, and RBC Wealth Management

Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) proudly hosted its annual Arts & Eats for Justice Gala on October 8, 2024, in a celebration of the organization’s commitment to ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty across New Jersey. The event, held at The Park Savoy Estate, was a resounding success, raising $750,000 in support of VLJ’s mission and programs.

PBI to Honor PSE&G, Gibbons P.C., McCarter & English, LLP, and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice with the 2024 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award

PBI to Honor PSE&G, Gibbons P.C., McCarter & English, LLP, and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice with the 2024 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award

Pro Bono Institute (PBI) is pleased to honor PSE&G – in partnership with Gibbons P.C., McCarter & English, LLP, and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) – with the 2024 CPBO Partner Award. PBI will present the award on Wednesday, October 9, at the PBI Annual Dinner at Gotham Hall in New York. 

Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Announces Officer Elections for its Board of Trustees

Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Announces Officer Elections for its Board of Trustees

NEWARK, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is proud to announce the election of two current trustees to the executive leadership team of its Board of Trustees: Sneha Desai as Vice Chair and Kaitlyn E. Stone as Secretary. The elections were made at VLJ’s May 21st board meeting.

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice's Jeff Stephens Interviewed by PIX11

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice's Jeff Stephens Interviewed by PIX11

Newark, NJ — In response to recent efforts by the State of New Jersey to provide medical debt relief and protections to its residents, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Jeff Stephens, Senior Staff Attorney and Program Lead for VLJ’s Debt Relief Legal Program, was interviewed on August 21 by PIX11 about the impact this relief has, especially for those communities most impacted by medical debt and those least likely to seek medical care because of the cost.

The Power of Pro Bono - Prudential Financial's American Bar Association 2024 Pro Bono Publico Award Video

The Power of Pro Bono - Prudential Financial's American Bar Association 2024 Pro Bono Publico Award Video

American Bar Association's 2024 Award Recipient video for Prudential Financial. Prudential received the ABA's 2024 Pro Bono Publico Award (Volunteer Lawyers for Justice nominated Prudential for the award).

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Celebrates Michael A. Conforti, Recipient of the 2024 Distinguished New Lawyer Award from the New Jersey State Bar Association

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Celebrates Michael A. Conforti, Recipient of the 2024 Distinguished New Lawyer Award from the New Jersey State Bar Association

Newark, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is proud to announce that Michael A. Conforti, an associate at Gibbons P.C. in the firm’s Business & Commercial Litigation Group and a dedicated volunteer with VLJ, has been honored with the 2024 Distinguished New Lawyer Award by the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA). This prestigious award recognizes the exceptional pro bono contributions and leadership of lawyers who have been in practice for 10 years or less.

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Prudential Financial Honored with the 2024 Pro Bono Publico Award by the American Bar Association

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Prudential Financial Honored with the 2024 Pro Bono Publico Award by the American Bar Association

NEWARK, NJ – Prudential Financial (Prudential) has been named a recipient of the American Bar Association’s 2024 Pro Bono Publico Award. The award “seeks to identify and honor individual lawyers and small and large law firms, government attorney offices, corporate law departments and other institutions in the legal profession that have enhanced the human dignity of others by improving or delivering volunteer legal services to our nation's poor and disadvantaged. These services are of critical importance to the increasing number of people in this country living in a state of poverty who need legal representation to improve their lives.” Prudential’s enthusiastic embrace of pro bono has set a “gold standard” for volunteerism and supporting communities that have been historically underrepresented and under-resourced, especially in Newark, New Jersey, where the company has been headquartered for nearly 150 years.

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Cathy Keenan, VLJ's Executive Director, Interviewed by Comcast Newsmakers

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Cathy Keenan, VLJ's Executive Director, Interviewed by Comcast Newsmakers

Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Executive Director Cathy Keenan talks with Comcast Newsmakers host Candace Kelley about mobilizing private practice attorneys from across New Jersey to volunteer to support vulnerable populations and people who really need to have their voice amplified or heard in the legal system. Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Executive Director Cathy Keenan talks with Comcast Newsmakers host Candace Kelley about mobilizing private practice attorneys from across New Jersey to volunteer to support vulnerable populations and people who really need to have their voice amplified or heard in the legal system.

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VLJ Celebrates National Volunteer Month 2024

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VLJ Celebrates National Volunteer Month 2024

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵!

At Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, volunteers are at the core of our mission to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty. They consistently and powerfully show up for our clients and communities, generously donating their time and talent to ensure justice is not limited to those who can afford it. While there are not enough days in National Volunteer Month to personally celebrate all our volunteers, VLJ is spotlighting a few who represent the incredible humans partnering with us to change lives.

Stacey Slater, President and Founder of Pro Bono Strategies, Joins Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Board of Trustees

Stacey Slater, President and Founder of Pro Bono Strategies, Joins Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Board of Trustees

Newark, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) announces that Stacey Slater joined its Board of Trustees in March. Stacey, President and Founder of Pro Bono Strategies, is an award-winning leader with over 20 years of experience using the power of pro bono to close the access to justice gap. Stacey’s leadership and experience helping to develop law firm pro bono programs will greatly benefit VLJ as the organization looks to innovatively ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty.

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Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, P.C. Named a 2024 NJBIZ Leaders in Law Pro Bono Honoree

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Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, P.C. Named a 2024 NJBIZ Leaders in Law Pro Bono Honoree

NEWARK, NJ – Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, P.C. (NFC), a leading employment law firm headquartered in New Jersey, has been recognized as a 2024 NJBIZ Leaders in Law-Pro Bono honoree. This prestigious accolade celebrates NFC's unwavering commitment to harnessing the power of pro bono to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty in New Jersey. A 100% women-owned firm, NFC has consistently demonstrated a deep-seated dedication to giving back to the community, and through their robust pro bono initiatives, NFC embodies the belief that access to justice is a right, not a privilege.

Daniel D'Alessandro, Partner at McCarter & English, LLP, Joins Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Board of Trustees

Daniel D'Alessandro, Partner at McCarter & English, LLP, Joins Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Board of Trustees

Newark, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) heartily announces that Daniel D'Alessandro (“Dan”) of Hoboken recently joined its Board of Trustees. Dan, a partner at McCarter & English, LLP, is a fervent and longstanding volunteer with VLJ whose substantial experience in complex contractual, financial, and regulatory matters will undeniably add to the expertise and strength of VLJ’s board.