VLJ In the News

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

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Prudential Financial Receives the Bernard A. Kuttner Pro Bono Service Award from the Essex County Bar Association

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Prudential Financial Receives the Bernard A. Kuttner Pro Bono Service Award from the Essex County Bar Association

NEWARK, NJ – Prudential Financial has been named the recipient of the Bernard A. Kuttner Pro Bono Service Award by the Essex County Bar Association. The award is a distinguished honor bestowed upon individuals, law firms, legal departments, and institutions within the legal profession for their outstanding contributions to providing volunteer legal services in Essex County. Since 2010, Prudential’s Law, Compliance, Business Ethics and External Affairs (LCBE) Voluntary Pro Bono Committee has been committed to helping some of the most vulnerable populations in the state, especially in the Essex County, NJ area, where the company has been headquartered for 148 years.

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American College of Bankruptcy Foundation Awards $12,500 Grant to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice to Support Its Debt Relief Legal Program

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American College of Bankruptcy Foundation Awards $12,500 Grant to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice to Support Its Debt Relief Legal Program

Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), a nonprofit civil legal services organization based in Newark, New Jersey, is thrilled to announce the receipt of a $12,500 grant from the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation (ACBF) to further support VLJ's Debt Relief Legal Program (DRLP). Originally serving Essex County and Newark, the DRLP expanded statewide in response to the unmet civil legal needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This expansion, aided by the ACBF grant, includes virtual legal help across New Jersey on bankruptcy, ensuring geography is not a barrier to justice.  

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Receives $1,000,000 Gift to Launch Endowment to Ensure Access to Justice

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Receives $1,000,000 Gift to Launch Endowment to Ensure Access to Justice

Newark, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is ecstatic to announce that David J. Bershad and Mindy A. Cohen have pledged a $1,000,000 gift in support of its mission to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty. David and Mindy’s generous contribution will enable VLJ to create an endowment, which will ensure the longevity of the organization and the sustainability of its finances in the wake of unforeseen circumstances.

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A Look Back, A Step Forward

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Dear Friends,

As we usher in a new year, I find myself reflecting on the challenges and triumphs of 2023. While our clients faced hurdles from increased living costs, changes to judicial processes, and delays by government agencies, our staff, volunteers, and donors stood up for justice. I am grateful to share some of the remarkable strides we made together last year.

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PSEG Foundation recently continued its support of VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program with a renewed grant of $85,000

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PSEG Foundation recently continued its support of VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program with a renewed grant of $85,000

Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) announces with deep gratitude that the PSEG Foundation recently continued its support of VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program with a renewed grant of $85,000. VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program helps veterans in New Jersey with certain civil legal issues, including criminal record expungement, driver’s license restoration, bankruptcy, consumer debt defense, eviction defense, child support modification, and estate planning.

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New Jersey Office of the Public Defender Sues New Jersey State Police

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New Jersey Office of the Public Defender Sues New Jersey State Police

The New Jersey Office of the Public Defender today announced that it filed a class action lawsuit against the New Jersey State Police to require it to stop unlawfully disclosing the criminal records of tens of thousands of individuals in violation of their court-ordered expungements. New Jersey has been on the forefront of expanding opportunities for people to expunge their criminal records, and the courts have ordered the records of thousands of New Jerseyans expunged. Once an expungement is granted, the New Jersey State Police is charged with removing such offenses from background checks. But the State Police’s extreme delays in processing expungement orders and sealing individuals’ criminal records is frustrating the law’s goals of allowing reformed and rehabilitated New Jerseyans to be freed from the collateral consequences of their past lives.

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Honors Verizon, Reed Smith LLP, and Paul J. Fishman

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Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Honors Verizon, Reed Smith LLP, and Paul J. Fishman

Continuing the trend of celebrating community, justice, and the power of pro bono, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) celebrated its annual Arts & Eats for Justice Gala on Tuesday, October 3 at Nanina’s in the Park. The Arts & Eats for Justice Gala is VLJ’s largest celebratory event that raises much-needed funds to continue providing free civil legal services while also honoring those whose time and talent raise the bar on ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty. For this year’s gala, VLJ honored Verizon (Partner in Justice Award), Reed Smith LLP (Beacon of Justice Award), and Paul J. Fishman (Champion of Justice Award). As a result of the generous and robust support of this year’s gala, VLJ raised over $625,000.

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VLJ’s Alexandra Bravo Selected as One of the New Jersey Law Journal’s 2023 Diverse Attorneys of the Year

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VLJ’s Alexandra Bravo Selected as One of the New Jersey Law Journal’s 2023 Diverse Attorneys of the Year

Volunteer Lawyers for Justice is proud and honored to announce our very own Alexandra Bravo, a staff attorney leading VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program, was recently selected as one of the New Jersey Law Journal’s 2023 Diverse Attorneys of the Year.

The New Jersey Law Journal’s Diverse Attorneys of the Year honors diverse attorneys in New Jersey making an impact at a law firm, courtroom, in-house legal department, government agency or public interest organization. Further, the Diverse Attorneys of the Year recognizes the impact these attorneys have on the profession in all its forms, whether it is resolving a significant case or transaction, leading a department through a difficult stretch, or helping change policy. The New Jersey Law Journal sought to highlight the honorees’ accomplishments over the past two years, with demonstrable excellence and accomplishment during that time frame being key to a strong nomination. The New Jersey Law Journal, in their email to Alexandra announcing her selection as one of its Diverse Attorneys of the Year, said, "We received a number of impressive nominations. The recognition is well earned."

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NJ’s courts and the unfulfilled promise of eviction reform

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NJ’s courts and the unfulfilled promise of eviction reform

On Sept. 1, the New Jersey judiciary walked back its effort to reform the eviction process, increasing the already uneven odds against tenants.

Every day, landlords and their lawyers file eviction complaints that do not comply with the law. They fail to provide proper notice, demand illegal rent and fees, and claim as arrears rent that has already been paid. Moreover, the rent they seek is often for property that is dilapidated, leaky, and infested. Most tenants have nowhere to go when rents are high and conditions are appalling; the rental market is the tightest it’s been in years.

Access the entire opinion piece on NJ.com