News & Updates
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).
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.
For our August 2024 Defender of Justice, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice is thrilled to spotlight Margo Katz Rosenberg, a staff attorney whose dedication and passion are inspirational. Margo's journey with VLJ began in October 2021 as a volunteer attorney, and recognizing her immense potential and commitment, she quickly transitioned to a staff attorney role in the Tenancy Program in January 2022. Almost three years later, her impact continues to grow. As she aptly puts it, "Time flies when you're having fun!"
As a new mother and after a high-risk pregnancy, “Dalia” needed to stay home to care for her newborn and herself. Unfortunately, not long after her child was born, Dalia was served with a collection complaint seeking over $2500. Although Dalia’s spouse worked, with only one income in home, they were unable to pay this debt, meaning a likely judgment and further collection action, compounding an already difficult time for Dalia.
Dalia came to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice seeking help.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s July 2024 Volunteer of the Month is a familiar face, both in the Veterans Legal Program and as our December 2018 Volunteer of the Month. Celebrating a volunteer whose dedication to serving veterans sets a high bar, VLJ recognizes Matt Jokajtys as this month’s Volunteer of the Month.
For the final installment of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s Summer 2024 intern spotlight series, we are thrilled to welcome Debora Perez to the team. Bringing excitement and energy with her, Debora will support VLJ’s Divorce Program, New Jersey Human Trafficking Survivors Legal Assistance Program, and Tenancy Program. A rising 3L at Cardozo School of Law, Debora earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami.
Continuing with our Summer 2024 new intern spotlight series, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice is elated to welcome Caroline Sigler. Caroline completed her undergraduate studies at Hunter College and is now pursuing her law degree at Rutgers Law School-Newark (class of 2026). During her summer internship Caroline is supporting VLJ’s Debt Relief Legal Program and Veterans Legal Program.
As summer kicks off, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) spotlights our three Summer 2024 interns. First up, Yuki Kyu. Yuki brings a unique blend of passion, experience, and creativity to VLJ’s Children’s Representation Program, ReLeSe (Reentry Legal Services) Program, and South Ward Promise Neighborhood Program.
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.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice is thrilled to spotlight Gavin Pereira as our June 2024 Volunteer of the Month. Gavin, Corporate Counsel at Audible, plays a pivotal role in supporting the company's rapidly evolving content initiatives. As part of the Content Legal team, Gavin’s responsibilities include advising on a variety of content issues, structuring and negotiating acquisition and development agreements, and collaborating with cross-department stakeholders such as creative, business affairs, production, marketing, and PR.
At Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), stories of resilience, compassion, and commitment to justice abound. So much so VLJ never hesitates to share the voices and experiences that encompass the transformative power of pro bono. For VLJ’s June 2024 Defender of Justice, we pull the curtain back to spotlight one staff member who helps bring those stories to you: Eric W. Hughes.
Isaac* and his family faced uncertainty when their landlord attempted to evict them from their long-time home located in a three-unit building. Throughout their tenancy, the landlord would sporadically send them notices of nonrenewal, telling the family their lease would not be renewed because it is an owner-occupied property, yet the landlord continued to accept the family’s rent payments. Continuing the trend, the landlord sent a notice of nonrenewal urging the family to move out of their long-time home so the rent for the unit could be increased. After the landlord filed an eviction complaint against Isaac and his family—despite them not owing any outstanding money—Isaac turned to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice for help.
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.
On April 18, 2024, for Financial Institution Pro Bono Day, volunteers from Duane Morris LLP and TD Bank joined Volunteer Lawyers for Justice for an e-filing criminal record expungement clinic. Not only was it a great day to harness the power of pro bono, it was a great day for a client of VLJ’s ReLeSe (Reentry Legal Services) Program who successfully e-filed their expungement petition thanks to volunteers Jennifer Polovetsky and Lynne Evans from Duane Morris and Lisa DeLessio and Peter Pai from TD Bank.
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.
For Volunteer Lawyers for Justice’s April 2024 Defender of Justice, dedication, compassion, and empathy are as much a part of her job as helping clients, supporting programmatic efforts, and ensuring access to justice are. This month, VLJ celebrates Jill Heredia Lopera.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice congratulates Tracey Salmon-Smith, a VLJ board trustee, and Leonard V. Jones, a member of VLJ’s Generation Now Committee, for being honored by the Garden State Bar Association.
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.
“Emelina”* and her daughter “Kristiana”* live in Newark’s South Ward. At age five, Kristiana was diagnosed with diabetes, yet was determined to not let that hold her back. Like many her age, Kristiana enrolled in kindergarten to begin her journey from K to 12.
Of course, to succeed in school, Kristiana would need medical support. Through advocating for Kristiana, Emelina had the school district agree to some of the medical recommendations from Kristiana’s doctor, but the school district would not comply with all the recommendations.
