News & Updates
As summer kicks into high gear, VLJ shines a spotlight on our four Summer 2023 interns. First up, VLJ is thrilled to introduce Elena Schwartz who is interning with VLJ’s ReLeSe Program and Veterans Legal Program. Elena received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and she is a rising 2L at Brooklyn Law School.
“Ensuring access to justice is showing up,” whether that is at the courthouse or on the neighborhood block. For VLJ’s June 2023 Defender of Justice, “showing up” is his “just getting started.” For this month’s Defender of Justice, VLJ recognizes and honors the commitment, compassion, and dedication of Jeff Stephens.
Jeff is a senior staff attorney in VLJ’s Tenancy Program and also oversees VLJ’s quarterly Estate Planning Clinic and co-leads VLJ’s internship efforts. Jeff received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and political science at Hunter College and his Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law-Newark.
For this month's inaugural VLJ “Supporter of the Month” series, we are delighted to recognize the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) Foundation whose generous funding has made a significant impact on VLJ’s Divorce Program and its clients.
There is a saying that veterans are generally the first to volunteer, so much like the veterans VLJ serves, our June 2023 Volunteer of the Month was one of the first volunteers when VLJ launched its Veterans Legal Wellness Clinic in 2017. For her compassionate dedication to serving those who served, VLJ honors Cristina Baragona, Esq. as this month’s Volunteer of the Month.
Cristina is currently Assistant General Counsel–Compliance, Employment, and Privacy at BASF. Prior to joining BASF, Cristina was an associate at Lowenstein Sandler. At BASF, Cristina is responsible for employment law and supporting HR and managers with matters ranging from recruitment, onboarding, employee issues, through retirement and resignations. In short, Cristina often sees the lifespan of one’s employment journey at BASF. Cristina received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from Lehigh University and her Juris Doctor from Seton Hall Law.
Not too many volunteers are “Have bar license, will travel,” but for VLJ’s May 2023 Volunteer of the Month, that’s the spirit of how she ensures access to justice, whether it’s from her home in New Jersey, corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania, or global headquarters in Germany. This month, VLJ honors Board Trustee and Secretary Jennifer Prioleau, Esq. as our Volunteer of the Month.
Jennifer serves on the executive leadership team of B. Braun Medical Inc. as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer & Corporate Secretary, where her primary responsibility is to lead all legal, compliance and governance functions. Jennifer earned a bachelor of arts from Tufts University in International Relations & Russian and a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law.
On Wednesday, May 17, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) was presented with a NJ Freedom Award for its work ensuring access to justice for survivors of human trafficking in New Jersey. The awards were presented by the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking (NJCAHT) at its annual New Jersey Freedom Gala. At the Gala, which was held at the Bridgewater Manor, NJCAHT awarded several recipients with its NJ Freedom Award, an award that recognizes the compassion, courage, impact and reach of individuals and organizations to prevent human trafficking in New Jersey and help those affected by it.
Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is pleased to announce that Joe Giovannoli of Waldwick, NJ and Tracey Salmon-Smith of Manalapan, NJ recently joined its Board of Trustees at the beginning of the year. Joe is the Founder and CEO of 9Sail, a lead generation and search engine optimization firm with a focus on the legal industry based in Fairfield, NJ. Tracey Salmon-Smith is a partner at international law firm Faegre Drinker in the business litigation practice group.
While the saying “April showers bring May flowers” exists, there is no rain on our parade as we recognize and celebrate VLJ’s April 2023 Volunteer of the Month, Megan Williams. Megan is an associate at Lowenstein Sandler who joined the firm in January 2021. Megan was no stranger to Lowenstein as she was a summer associate during law school. Megan graduated with a B.A. cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh, and received her Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where she was the managing editor of the German Law Journal.
“If we want a beloved community, we must stand for justice.” – bell hooks
That quote from author, cultural critic, and professor bell hooks is an apt summary of one of VLJ’s many “whys” to our work. It acknowledges that “community” and “justice” must always go in the same sentence, hand in hand. This quote is not just philosophical at VLJ, it takes corporeal form and is embodied by our staff. Indeed, for VLJ’s April 2023 Defender of Justice, this quote encompasses the passion, commitment, and unwavering zeal for the communities we serve. It is then we honor, cheerlead, and champion our newest Defender of Justice, Eilleen Ingram-Willis.
With VLJ since November 2021, Eilleen is a managing attorney where she leads VLJ’s South Ward Promise Neighborhood (SWPN) and Human Trafficking Programs. Eilleen completed undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania, and she received her Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School-Newark.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice staff member Jessica Kitson (Director of Legal Advocacy) and Board Trustee Jessica Hodkinson (Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Panasonic Corporation of North America) had their article, The Power of Pro Bono Partnerships, published in the New Jersey State Bar Association’s New Jersey Lawyer April 2023 edition.
Are you tired of seeing poverty in America? Are you fed up with the fact that poverty is considered a routine social ill? Something that has come to be expected and accepted. At VLJ, we are tired of seeing poverty and we are fed up with accommodating it, generation after generation, broken promise after broken promise.
Cathy Keenan, VLJ’s Executive Director, recently attended a talk by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and sociologist, Matthew Desmond, in advance of his new book, “Poverty, by America.” Desmond’s talk left Cathy energized and reinvigorated and now she has a call to action for the larger VLJ family.
Volunteers Lawyers for Justice was recently highlighted in a March 29, 2023, article from Psychology Today. The article discussed the criminals records-impact survivors of human trafficking face. Also featured in the article are VLJ volunteer Michelle Stegmann and the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) must be Irish, because we struck gold with our March 2023 Volunteer of the Month, Kerrie R. Heslin!
Kerrie is a Partner at Nukk-Freeman & Cerra, P.C., one of the largest labor and employment firms in the New York metropolitan area with offices on the nation’s east and west coasts. Devoting a majority of her practice to litigation and employment matters involving discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower claims, wage and hour and benefits issues on behalf of employers, Kerrie oversees the Firm’s litigation team of 18 attorneys. Kerrie received a Bachelor of Science in Finance/Marketing from Syracuse University, and she received her Juris Doctor from Seton Hall Law. Kerrie is licensed to practice law in New Jersey, and she is admitted before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Newark, NJ – Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is excited to announce that volunteer Catherine Fitch, a resident of Cranford, New Jersey, recently joined VLJ’s Board of Trustees. Catherine is currently Managing Counsel, Patents at Merck where she has been involved with Merck’s Pro Bono Program including volunteering with VLJ’s Divorce and Debt Relief legal clinics. Catherine received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Wesleyan University, and she received her Juris Doctor with high honors from Rutgers Law School-Newark. Catherine is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
February is the season for spreading love which is perfect timing to honor and celebrate Steven Kim, VLJ’s February 2023 Volunteer of the Month, who has a huge heart for pro bono and volunteering to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty. Steven is presently Vice President, Corporate Counsel at Prudential Financial where he has been for nearly six years. Steven holds a pharmacy degree from Rutgers College of Pharmacy, and he received his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law. Steven is barred in New York and holds an in-house license in New Jersey.
VLJ can’t properly ring in the new year without another installment of our Defender of Justice series. VLJ’s February 2023 Defender of Justice is a name and face many know and appreciate, and she is a tour de force for our veterans: Alexandra Bravo. Alexandra is a staff attorney who oversees VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program and handles issues relating to child support as they arise in other programs. Alexandra is no stranger to VLJ, having interned with the organization during law school (summer 2016) prior to joining as a staff attorney in October 2019. Alexandra received her bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University, graduating magna cum laude, and she graduated from Rutgers Law School-Newark in 2017.
It’s not always the case that someone knows they want to become an attorney so early, but fortunately for VLJ and the Newark community, our new AT&T Spring 2023 intern had that box checked years ago. VLJ warmly welcomes Adaneka Witter Judge, a 2L at Rutgers Law School-Newark, who will be spend her spring semester with VLJ supporting several programs, starting out with VLJ’s Divorce and Debt Relief Programs. In true Adaneka fashion, she hit the ground running, taking full advantage of interning in different practice areas.
FurtherJustice Foundation Awards $100,000 Legal Accelerator Grant to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice to Address Legal and Social Issues That Contribute to Housing Instability in Essex County
Newark, NJ – According to recent reports, Essex County leads New Jersey with the largest backlog of eviction filings (at more than 15,000). Exacerbating the backlog is a long-standing fact that New Jersey is one of the most expensive states in the U.S. for renters, with the fair market value of a two-bed apartment far exceeding most households’ ability to afford. This means more families in New Jersey, especially Essex County and Newark, are unable to afford safe, quality housing. Realizing that unconventional times call for unconventional measures, and to aid VLJ in its efforts to help more tenants in Essex County stay housed at home, FurtherJustice Foundation recently awarded a $100,000 Legal Accelerator Grant to VLJ’s Tenancy Program.
New year, new law school semester, which means a new intern! VLJ welcomes Elias Bull as an intern assigned to VLJ’s Tenancy Program. A graduate of Rutgers – New Brunswick (2016) with a BS in mechanical engineering, Elias is currently a 2L at Rutgers Law – Newark. Elias comes to VLJ hoping to gain experience on and insight into New Jersey’s eviction crisis as well as the many issues that tenants face, especially those that raise the risk of housing instability.
