News & Updates
VLJ is pleased to celebrate Michael Golden, Assistant VP and Senior Legal Counsel at AT&T, as the April Volunteer of the Month.
Michael is a long-standing volunteer with VLJ’s Consumer Law Clinic. He was encouraged to participate back in 2013 through AT&T’s pro bono program and has been consistently volunteering ever since. Michael has attended over 60 Consumer Law Clinics over the past seven years.
Paralegals are an integral part of the practice of law. The American Bar Association recognizes that paralegals can enhance lawyers’ abilities to offer paid and pro bono services. That is also true of the role of paralegals as volunteers with VLJ, including longtime Consumer Law Clinic volunteer Maryann McGrath. Maryann is a paralegal at AT&T, currently focusing on domestic and international corporate governance. Maryann has volunteered with the Consumer Law Clinic every month for the past 5 years.
In an area of law dominated by creditors and debt collection agencies with years of experience in court procedures, it’s easy to see how not just clients but even attorneys unfamiliar with the litigation process might lack confidence. But as Richard Dennis can report, even the most basic advice and assistance can make an enormous difference for low-income debtors who feel confused and powerless. Richard worked for AT&T for 17 years, first handling corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions, and then working in the company’s global operations legal team. He is also a long-time volunteer at VLJ’s Consumer Law Clinic
