Annual Report - Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar

Annual Report
2015
Your path to pro bono
mentor
volunteer
community
justice
1
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Esther F. Lardent, Esq.
As we were putting the finishing touches on this annual report, we heard the
sad news of the passing of Esther F. Lardent, Esq., the founder of the Volunteer
Lawyers Project in 1977 and its first Executive Director. She went on to found
the Pro Bono Institute at Georgetown University in 1996. We dedicate our
2015 annual report in her memory, given that her life was dedicated to bringing
legal assistance to low-income clients who would otherwise be on their own.
In 2014, Esther was honored with the VLP’s Founder’s Award. In her recorded
acceptance, she said that founding VLP was one of the best experiences of her
life, by creating a vision for a new generation of pro bono.
As VLP board member Stuart Rossman said, “In reality, however, it was
Esther’s special commitment, passion and talent that birthed the organization
and fueled this revolutionary development. It is we who all owe Esther a
tremendous debt of gratitude for helping make VLP a unique Boston resource
and a model for the delivery of legal services that is nationally admired and
followed.”
At VLP, we know we are making a difference. We hear about it from clients
and pro bono attorneys who help them navigate civil matters through the
courts, bringing a resolution and respite in their lives.
It could be a discharged debt, a settled guardianship of a disabled adult,
payment of wages and overtime, an averted eviction, a finalized divorce,
a bankruptcy and a fresh start.
Attorneys at all career stages take cases, serve as Lawyers for the Day, staff
legal clinics, mentor and train less experienced attorneys. They are associates,
retired judges, law firm partners, in-house counsel, retired attorneys, solo
practitioners, VLP staff attorneys and paralegals.
Law students and graduates awaiting bar results get an up-close view of
clients’ cases and the courts—beyond textbooks, lectures and webinars.
This remarkable collective effort harks back to Esther Lardent, the recipient
of countless awards including The National Legal Aid and Defender Association
(NLADA) Champion of Justice Award in the fall of 2015. Her energy and
innovation are the reasons we are here today, setting the legal community on
the path to pro bono. We honor her legacy through the stories that follow.
Joanna Allison, Esq., Acting Executive Director, VLP
Joseph M. Kaigler, Sr., Esq., Chair, Board of Directors, VLP
MAKING A
2
DIFFERENCE
Supporting the Family
The Family Rights Lawyer
Judith had never meandered through the Boston Common and Public
Amber and Judith talked about the
journey that led to that day. Judith
has three children: a son in middle
school and twin daughters in
elementary school.
Amber: Do you remember when we
first met?
Judith: Oh yes. We met in the VLP office.
It was a comfortable conversation. You
explained all the steps about how things
were going to go. It was the start of our
journey together.
Amber: I like that! It’s true. We were
on a journey. The first step was child
support. Next was separating the
marital assets. It wasn’t easy. We had
to subpoena your husband’s work
records for proof of income.
Judith: He did not want to share that
information. Discussing finances was an
issue in the marriage. I worked part-time
and cared for the kids.
Amber: Before going to court, we
focused on getting those financial
statements. You had a challenge—
understanding how to set up a budget,
what you could and could not afford
and working through substantial debt
for past-due utility bills.
Judith: It was so hard to face. You helped
me see the big picture, not just the forms.
Amber: There were a lot of legal forms
and deadlines. We were starting to see
the picture of how you were going to live
an independent life. Once child support
was settled, we had to look into your
share of the accrued balance in his 401k.
Judith: I knew about it, but without
your help, I wouldn’t have known
I was entitled to it or how to access it.
PHOTO BY J.
Garden. Until the day she and her VLP attorney had a little time before
meeting Judith’s then-husband at Downtown Crossing to complete
divorce paperwork for the court. It was June, and pro bono attorney
Amber Beaverson, a lawyer in Boston by way of Wyoming, joined her
client for the walk. Being from St. Maarten, Judith loves flowers. The route
through Boston Common and the Public Garden was the way to go.
Amber Beaverson and Judith
Amber: I subpoenaed to get the records
from the 401k administrator. That’s
really hard to do without a lawyer.
We filed a Qualified Domestic Relations
Order (QDRO) with help from Ed Berger,
a volunteer with Senior Partners for
Justice at VLP, so that cash would be
available to you for what you needed.
The judge decided the distribution.
Your husband signed the settlement
agreement.
Judith: You were awesome. You kept me
encouraged and showed me that it was
not the end of the world. I really valued
your support.
Amber: In a divorce case, there is a lot
of waiting in court. We talked. I watched
you change from someone who didn’t
understand finances at all to someone
who is now managing your household.
You faced all the challenges with
resilience and courage.
Judith: Oh!
Amber: You kept at it.
Judith: It was overwhelming at times.
I had so much on my mind. You put
everything in slow motion and went stepby-step. I have a new job and can keep
the kids in an excellent school system.
Amber: See! That’s amazing. Little steps
on our journey toward a big solution.
It was important for your husband
to understand the process. We were
putting parenting time and division
of assets in place.
Judith: He came to trust you.
Amber: You are two people who
managed the process well.
SUPPORT
“ Itatwastimes.overwhelming
I had so much
on my mind. You put
everything in slow
motion and went
step-by-step. I have a
new job and can keep
the kids in an excellent
school system.
“jj”
– VLP client Judith
a lawyer,
“ Without
it’s difficult to wend
through the court
system on one’s own.
And the courts don’t
necessarily help. I think
every attorney should do
pro bono. It has helped
me grow, learn and gain
confidence.
“jj”
– Amber Beaverson,
VLP pro bono attorney
STEP-BY-STEP
3
Saving a Home
The Staff Attorney
grateful that you helped me save my
“ I’llhome.alwaysThebeexperience
helped me get back on my feet.
You were thorough, committed and compassionate.
“jj”
– VLP client board member Lee Duncan
Lee Duncan and Hsindy Chen
Hsindy Chen joined VLP as a
staff attorney in 2009 in the areas
of bankruptcy, consumer and
unemployment. Within the year,
she was assigned a Chapter 13
case, her first. She and Lee Duncan
recalled their collective experience.
Lee is now a client member of the
VLP board.
Hsindy: We’ve known each other more
than five years. Do you remember that
first conversation?
Lee: I was trying to get a loan
modification for my condo and it
looked like it wasn’t going to happen.
A counselor at Nuestra Comunidad
(a community development organization) recommended that I get legal
advice for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
To save my home. I called intake. You
invited me in. You asked me a whole
bunch of questions. A first step was
to get three years of tax returns.
Hsindy: Right. That wasn’t easy.
Lee: You took time and I was impressed.
When I first walked in, I was terrified
and wondered, Is this going to
work out?
Hsindy: I was fairly new at VLP, and
you know what? I was terrified, too.
It was my first Chapter 13. I had done
Chapter 7s, which are much simpler.
4
The stakes were high in your
case. You could potentially
lose your home. I’m glad you
felt comfortable because this
was new ground for me.
Your counselor was a
strong advocate for you.
We had a meshing of two
organizations working
together to keep you in your home.
We filed your Chapter 13 one day
before the auction of your condo was
scheduled in the summer of 2010.
Lee: The auctioneer was ready. Then
I learned that the foreclosure was
stayed and the auction was off. That
same day, I got the loan modification.
Hsindy: It was the perfect timing
of events.
Lee: It was a relief, but I had to start
over. Now it was my responsibility
to catch up with the condo fees.
Hsindy: That was a tough economy
in 2010, in the midst of the home
mortgage crisis. VLP had many
foreclosure cases. We met with the
management company about allowing
you to make up the arrears when you
fell behind on your payments. It was
clear that they valued having you in
the building. You showed how you
would make it work. We negotiated
a payment plan to avert eviction.
Lee: I’ll always be grateful that
you helped me save my home.
The experience helped me get back
on my feet. You were thorough,
committed and compassionate.
You were reassuring and always cool.
Hsindy: Even if I wasn’t feeling it!
A Chapter 13 is complicated. That calm
demeanor had to do with the faith
I had in you. Even when there were
motions from the trustee to dismiss
the bankruptcy, I knew you would face
the obstacles and pull through.
Your case is one of the rarities.
Most Chapter 13s are dismissed. You
kept your commitment to a five-year
payment plan. The order has been
discharged. I’m really proud of you.
Lee: Thank you. VLP lawyers are
dedicated to helping people who are
struggling.
Hsindy: There was a separate, but
related matter. A creditor was sending
you letters trying to collect during the
bankruptcy. They are not supposed to
do that. You had the right to pursue
an action against them. We filed an
adversary proceeding in bankruptcy
court and sued for statutory damages.
Our attorney/client discussions
led to a really favorable settlement.
You knew what was fair and said,
‘we shouldn’t accept that.’
Lee: This experience has made me
stronger. If you put your mind to it,
you can accomplish anything.
Hsindy: As of January 2016, you are
a client member of the VLP board.
You are on such a great trajectory.
Lee: Oh, I am proud of that. I’ve been
to one meeting. The board members
are an impressive group. I am looking
forward to accomplishing the board’s
mission around implementing new
policies and diversity.
Hsindy: You have the perspective of
a client and we are lucky to have you
on the board. Your contributions will
be valued.
COMPASSION
Fair Debt Collection Lawyer for the Day
The Retired Judge and The Solo Practitioner
The Hon. Raymond Dougan (Retired) served as an Associate Justice of the
Boston Municipal Court from 1991-2014. He was also First Justice of the
Central Division of the BMC from 2009-2014. He now volunteers as an
Access to Justice Fellow* at the Fair Debt Collection Lawyer for the Day, a
joint effort of the Volunteer Lawyers Project/Senior Partners for Justice and
the National Consumer Law Center, providing legal assistance to low-income,
unrepresented defendants in debt collection cases.
Attorney Thomas Beauvais is a dedicated VLP Lawyer for the Day, working
closely with Judge Dougan, in addition to his solo consumer protection
practice. He was honored with the VLP’s Denis Maguire Pro Bono Award
in 2013.
At Small Claims Sessions, Judge
Raymond Dougan (Retired) scans the
benches outside the courtroom. Pro se
litigants of all ages have appeared for
court dates. They hold blue collection
letters from creditors and other
paperwork as they wait for their cases
to be called. The scene is similar in
courts across the Commonwealth.
Several clients approach the
volunteers for help.
Judge Dougan and Thomas Beauvais,
a consumer protection attorney and
long-time VLP volunteer, look over
the paperwork and determine the
defense. They confer with defendants,
familiarize them with the process, set
expectations and explain options.
They are grateful for the
representation. They were expecting
to appear on their own, with little
expectation that they would be heard.
They have no idea their volunteer
lawyer is a retired judge.
Typically, there is a pattern: Creditors
suing to collect outstanding balances,
mostly on credit cards, before the
statute of limitations expires.
Judge Dougan and Attorney
Beauvais trace the history of the loan.
When did it originate? Who bought
it from whom? What is the chain
of ownership? Is the demand for
payment valid?
Often, they find that there are
multiple intermediaries between
the creditor and the debt buyer.
The sequence of transactions is not
documented and does not prove
which entity actually owns the debt.
In accordance with consumer
protection law, for the claim to be
valid, it is incumbent upon the debt
buyer to present a bill of sale showing
it owns the account.
One morning in Cambridge District
Court, a debt buyer’s attorney was
there to collect a $745.00 credit
card balance, including the original
purchases, fees and interest. Days
after the defendant had last made
an on-time payment, he was injured
working on a construction site.
Still limping, he hadn’t worked in a
year-and-a-half, nor made additional
payments.
In the hearing before the clerkmagistrate, Attorney Beauvais argued
that nothing in the demand letter
proved the debt buyer owned this
debt. Furthermore, accounting for
purchases and payments previously
credited, the amount in arrears was
more like $50.00. The defendant,
David, could not be more relieved.
Should the court find in his favor,
that would be his obligation to bring
the account current.
Raymond Dougan and Thomas Beauvais
GUIDANCE
The Law Student—Bilal Siddiqi,
3rd year, New England Law |
Boston, is a committed VLP
volunteer. Between classes, he
has participated in the Lawyer
for the Day program, conducting
interviews to verify clients’
eligibility for VLP representation.
“I love doing pro bono with
VLP. I get exposure to different
practices, the experience of going
to court and the opportunity
to work with accomplished
attorneys. Intake is sensitive.
There are questions about
finances, family and health
that clients are reluctant to
answer. I am learning how to
overcome their hesitation and
reinforce the benefits they gain
from representation.”
– Bilal Siddiqi
*Access to Justice Fellows are senior or retired attorneys who commit to a year-long, intensive
pro bono project with a legal aid or another nonprofit organization. The Fellows program is an
initiative of the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission and the Lawyers Clearinghouse.
5
Housing Court Lawyer for the Day
The Staff Attorney. The Volunteers. Collaboration.
Milton Wong
Jasmine Jean-Louis, David Rome assess case
FIELDING QUESTIONS
Every Thursday morning, Housing
Court at the Edward W. Brooke
Courthouse is busy. Hundreds
appear to resolve their cases.
Most of the landlords have lawyers.
Typically, the tenants are without
representation.
Volunteers assist clients
Irina Vaglica
6
At two tables situated outside the
courtrooms, staff and volunteers
from VLP, the Boston Bar Association,
Greater Boston Legal Services and
Harvard Law School stand ready to
help. A metal cart is handy, stocked
with assorted forms that must be
completed in connection with motions,
hearings and trials. Volunteers field
questions from worried pro se clients
who see the sign and crowd the table.
VLP staff attorney Milton Wong
keeps it moving. Volunteer attorney
Sharon Jones is there, as she has
been for years, consulting the docket
and guiding tenants and low-income
landlords on what to expect.
Volunteers Jasmine Jean-Louis,
David Rome and Irina Vaglica are
there, assessing the issues that come
ASSESSING ISSUES
before them. Some clients—like the
brothers whose landlord has yet to
return their security deposit—connect
with David, who walks them through
how to file the matter in small
claims court.
This is Jasmine’s second time at
Lawyer for the Day. She attended
Milton’s housing training session, and
now was shadowing VLP attorneys
at housing court, seeing how they
work out a solution. It’s all about
gaining experience. Jasmine recently
passed the bar after attending Suffolk
Law School’s Evening Division, while
working full time as a paralegal at a
Boston law firm.
Irina is a regular volunteer, focused
on taking on any of the more than
100 trials and motion hearings on
the docket every housing court
session. There is John, who has an
eviction notice. The truck is coming
in 48 hours to cart his belongings to
a storage facility. He owes his landlord
$600.00. She and David Rome take
time with John, and look for ways to
forestall eviction.
Training and Mentoring Across the Board
Effectively advocating for clients means staying current
on ever-changing law, regulations and procedures.
Family Law Training Participants
Cindy Palmquist
It is also imperative to be up on
local practices, court staff, judges,
and opposing counsel —knowledge
gained only through experience.
Or through the guidance of a
knowledgeable mentor.
VLP provides comprehensive
training programs—including
orientation for new volunteers—
and sessions focusing on:
• family law
• guardianship
• landlord/tenant matters
• unemployment insurance
• wage and hour claims
• bankruptcy
• consumer debt
• foreclosure prevention
• other practice areas
Cindy Palmquist, VLP’s Legal
Director and Family Law Unit
Supervising Attorney, regularly runs
a family law training series, drawing
a full conference room of volunteers.
Sessions cover the routine, such as the
cycle of deadlines, and the complex,
such as where to find fair market value
information for assets requested on
forms for Probate and Family Court.
Steve Churchill, founding partner of
Boston firm Fair Work, P.C., presented
training on the basics of wage and
hour law, designed for attorneys of all
experience levels. Attendees who had
taken on or were considering cases
in this area gained an understanding
of key issues surrounding employee
classification (and misclassification),
non-payment of wages, overtime,
minimum wage, breaks, tips and
retaliation.
It was an ideal forum for VLP panel
members to raise a range of questions:
Who is entitled to tips? What about
employees paid as a percentage of
profit instead of salary? Who is the
employer, the company or the staffing
agency?
New lawyers and lawyers new to
a practice area handle VLP pro bono
cases. A corporate lawyer may take a
divorce case. An intellectual property
lawyer may volunteer for an eviction
case. When there are questions about
direction or strategy, VLP’s expert
legal staff and experienced attorneys
from Senior Partners for Justice are
available for discussion. Clients are
the beneficiaries.
Training and mentoring programs
at VLP foster cross-pollination
for all to learn, sharpen skills and
grow. Any volunteer will tell you how
rewarding it is.
SHARPEN SKILLS
The Newly-admitted Attorney —Iliana Diaz attended Family Law 102. After a long career
as a legal assistant with a boutique intellectual property firm while raising her family, she
went to law school. It was always in the back of her mind. She graduated from the evening
division of New England Law | Boston while continuing her day job, and was admitted to the
bar in November 2015. Now she is a new VLP volunteer.
“I’ve been to a few training classes and they are indispensable. They pack so much into a
couple of hours. This is such an amazing organization. Clients get personal attention and
attorneys from all levels of their careers participate. At Suffolk Family Law Clinic, a new
practitioner like me has the opportunity to shadow an experienced attorney and see how to
manage a difficult situation.” – Iliana Diaz
Iliana Diaz
7
Innovation is Time-honored at the
Volunteer Lawyers Project
When Esther Lardent founded VLP at the Boston Bar
Association in 1977, she envisioned a large-scale initiative and
garnered the support of the legal community, who after all,
would be the “V” of the VLP. She pulled it off.
Innovation has been an underpinning ever since—for both
programs and technology—with accolades to prove it.
Here is the tally for 2015:
SPJ volunteer Herbert Hershfang gives pointers on a case
„P
ro Bono Innovation Fund grant
from The Legal Services Corporation
(LSC), the country’s largest funder of
legal aid — for a streamlined online
intake, assessment and referral of
bankruptcy cases. In conjunction,
VLP runs on-site bankruptcy clinics,
walking clients through the process
of securing credit reports and other
documents.
„ Launched pilot appellate pro bono
project in collaboration with law
firm Mintz Levin, Access to Justice
Commission and Court Service
Center. It was so effective in helping
clients through the complicated
appeals process, including a case
before the Supreme Judicial Court,
that the pilot is now a permanent
VLP Clinic.
„T
echnology Initiative Grant from
LSC for the development of pro
bono applications for mobile
devices, for instance, checklists for
settlement. This is an encore to the
2011 grant for the development
of massprobono.org, a website for
matching volunteers with pro bono
opportunities.
Senior Partners for Justice
Immediately following his term as Associate Justice of Massachusetts
Probate and Family Court, Judge Edward M. Ginsburg connected with
VLP to launch Senior Partners for Justice (SPJ) in 2002.
Its innovation: tap senior practicing
attorneys, plus retired lawyers and
judges, to represent indigent clients,
particularly in family law and probate
matters—divorce, paternity, child
support, custody and guardianship.
It has since expanded to other types
of cases. The volunteers also mentor
newer lawyers, lead training sessions
and manage court-based programs.
SPJ has played a key role in the
implementation of Limited Assistance
Representation (LAR) throughout
Massachusetts after the Supreme
Judicial Court allowed self-represented
litigants to obtain pro bono legal
assistance for a time-limited, specific
8
matter before the court. Early on,
Judge Ginsburg established the LAR
Courtroom Lawyer for the Day in
Suffolk Probate and Family Court.
In other initiatives, SPJ attorneys
collaborated with the Probate and
Family Court to develop and run
Settlement and Early Resolution
Volunteers (SERV), a family law
conciliation project, and separately,
a statewide project where volunteers
help the court monitor guardianships
of incapacitated adults.
SPJ is a model for similar emeritus
pro bono programs, like Access to
Justice Fellows.
Judge Edward M. Ginsburg
FAMILY LAW
PROBATE MATTERS
The Honorees
Edward Burns, Esq. and
Judge Edward M. Ginsburg
GIDEON’S TRUMPET AWARD
The Gideon’s Trumpet Award,
established in 2003, honors
outstanding pro bono work by a
member of the SPJ panel. It is named
for Gideon’s Trumpet, the book by
Anthony Lewis, covering defendants’
right to counsel in criminal cases
regardless of ability to pay. The award
recognizes volunteers who provide
similar access to justice in civil matters.
Edward Burns, Esq., was last year’s
recipient. He has been a weekly
fixture at the Boston Municipal Court
project almost since its inception. He
is a champion of low-income Davids
facing Goliaths—the debt buyers and
creditors who are usually represented.
When creditors overreach, he reels
them in, advocating for his clients to
ensure fair consideration and decisions.
A former Assistant District Attorney,
he has had a solo litigation practice.
He also is a commercial steamboat
captain. In 1983, the mayor and
Boston City Council proclaimed him
the Official Boston Harbor Historian.
DENIS MAGUIRE PRO BONO AWARD
The Denis Maguire Pro Bono Award
is named for the second chair of VLP’s
Steering Committee. Jessica Doucette,
Esq., a VLP volunteer since 2010,
primarily in family and guardianship,
was last year’s recipient. After
guardianship laws changed in 2009,
Probate and Family Courts reached
out to VLP for help for unrepresented
litigants. Guardianship clinics were
established in Suffolk and Middlesex
counties, but Norfolk county was
not covered until Jessica made it
happen. Ever since, she has sustained
The Honorable Raymond G. Dougan, Jr.
The Yvette C. Mendez Award was
established in memory of Attorney
Mendez, a woman of color, who
worked to expand access to justice
as a VLP board member. It recognizes
the Norfolk Guardianship Clinic as a
volunteer lawyer and administrator. By
taking a leadership role in the Norfolk
Guardianship Clinic, VLP has expanded
the reach of its court-based services.
After graduating from Bryant
University with a degree in business
administration, she began her legal
career as a paralegal, eventually
earning a paralegal certificate at
Northeastern University. She then
earned her J.D. from Suffolk Law
School and has a solo practice
focusing on family law mediation
and guardianship. She is also a
licensed real estate broker and serves
on the Board of the Massachusetts
Guardianship Association.
an attorney in the Greater Boston
area who has made an unusual
contribution to equal access to justice
either by expanding the availability
of pro bono legal services or by
providing extensive and substantial
pro bono services to an individual
or group.
The Honorable Raymond G.
Dougan, Jr. (Retired) of the Boston
Municipal Court was the fourth and
most recent recipient of this award,
which is not conferred annually.
Judge Dougan is a graduate of
Tufts University and Boston University
School of Law. His long career in
the Massachusetts legal system
includes posts in the Massachusetts
Attorney General’s office as Assistant
Attorney General and Chief of the
Environmental Protection Division
from 1981-1990.
From 1991-2014 he served as
an Associate Justice of the Boston
Municipal Court and as First Justice
of the Central Division of the BMC.
Since his retirement, Judge Dougan
has been a constant presence with the
Volunteer Lawyers Project, establishing,
appearing and supervising Lawyer
for the Day programs across Greater
Boston district courts, providing legal
services for indigent defendants in
debt collection cases.
YVETTE C. MENDEZ AWARD
Jessica Doucette, Esq.
9
Income & Expenditures
Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
Grants and contracts
2,085,141.58
126,877.05
Miscellaneous income
143,947.16
Total Income
Carry forward
Cases Closed in 2015
Jan - Dec 15
Contributions
Interest
Client Services
7%
317.09
22%
2,356,282.88
350,569.00
4%
2,706,851.88
Expense
Lawyers
758,937.12
Paralegals
110,808.13
Interns
3%
323,583.94
Space
202,934.71
Fringe
343,359.70
2%
Telephone
13,901.89
Bankruptcy – 215
Supplies and printing
20,177.40
Postage and delivery
4,995.00
Consumer – 316
Equipment
25,127.46
Library
11,403.38
Train/recruit/retain panel
11,601.96
Staff and board training
2,385.00
Staff and board travel
8,321.80
Litigation
814.20
Insurance
14,077.15
Audit
11,707.50
Program services
80,843.90
Interpreting/translation
20,435.90
Subgrants
Total Expense
3% 3%
7%
11,833.00
Administration
Miscellaneous
23,904.78
431,235.96
2%
Income
Maintenance – 471
Individual Rights – 194
Employment – 249
Other – 156
Family Law – 1,422
Unemployment – 218
Guardianship – 443
Housing – 2,756
Wills – 100
TOTAL – 6,540
Funding What’s Important
86.2%
2,432,389.88
In 2015, participating attorneys donated
over 15,000 pro bono hours which we
conservatively value at $3,750,000
10
5%
42%
7.6%
Programming
Management
& General
6.2%
Fundraising
Our Partners
Patron
Brown Rudnick LLP
Benefactors
Anonymous
Anonymous
Conn Kavanaugh
Rosenthal Peisch &
Ford LLP
Goulston & Storrs PC
Locke Lord LLP
McGrath & Kane
WilmerHale
Wolf Greenfield &
Sacks PC
Supporters
Samuel Adams
Leland Adams, Jr.
Joanna Allison
Ferdinand Alvaro
Anderson &
Kreiger LLP
Kori Anderson-Deasy
Paulette Andrews
Vanessa Baldasaro
Mark Barenberg
Lynn Barenburg
Carol Barriger
Anna Bennett
Chris Bergen
Walter Bernheimer III
Michael Betcher
Stephanie Biggs
Peter Bilowz
Judith Blum
David Bohan
Janet Bostwick
Patrick Brady
Broderick Bancoft
Emily Brown
Caroline Brownworth
Robert Burdick, Jr.
Isabel Burney
Francis Chin
Christopher Clark
Susan Cohen
Tara Colby
Catherine Conneely
Judith & William Cowin
Jill Crockett
Andrea Curcio
Eric Davey
Tricia Deraska
Robert Diettrich
William Dillon
Laura DiNapoli
Ellen DiPaola
Thomas Draper
Lee Dunham
Marisella Escalante
Diane & Neil Exter
Peter Fellman
d’Andre Fernandez
Steven Fleming
Kimberly Fletcher
Elizabeth Foster-Nolan
Donald Freedman
Alexandra Furth
Monique Garrity
Alan Geismer
Zev Gewurtz
Edward Ginsburg
Give With Liberty
Employee Donations
Linda Goodenough
Goodwin Procter LLP
Michael Greco
Maryann Greismer
Susan GrondineDauwer
Jill Grossberg
Susan Grossberg
Marc Gudema
Mary Gunn
Matching Gifts & Promotions
Amazon Smile
Ameriprise Financial
BNY Mellon Community Partnership
Goulston & Storrs PC Jeans Day
Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co LLC
Liberty Mutual – Give with Liberty
Network for Good Giving Tuesday Matching Grant
State Street Foundation
Steffenson, Fleming & Associates LLC
Donna Hanlon
George & Carla Heaton
Erin Higgins
Ingrid & Michael
Hillinger
Jon Hirschtick
Leonard Ho
William Horne
Julian Houston
Jeffrey Hsi
Vivian Hsu
Kevin Hughes
John Hussey, Jr.
Linda Illig
Elaine Inker
Lisa Jacobson
Meerie Joung
Joseph Kaigler, Sr.
Catherine Kanyusik
Kates & Barlow PC
Joyce Kauffman
Nancy Kaufman
Patrick King
William Knowlton
Martha Koster
Ray Kwasnick
Kristoffer Lane
Donald Lassman
Michael Lecaroz
Mary Lee
Timothy Lee
Ted Lee, D.M.D.
Paul Levenson
Martin Levin
Heung Wing and
Jane Li
Alex MacDonald
David Mackey
Anthony Martin
Gordon Martin, Jr.
Peter Marx
Kevin Mawe
Richard McCarthy
William McCarthy
Diane McDermott
Kathleen McGrath
Josephine McNeil
Howard Medwed
Alan Minuskin
Alejandra MirandaNaon
Donna Mizrahi
Thomas Monti
Joanne Moses
Sherry Mulloy
Yugo Nakai
Paul Newman
Alice Cole Oliff
Karen O’Malley
Daniel Ossoff
Cindy Palmquist
Michael Pappone
William Patton
David Pearson
Susan Pereira
Steven Perlmutter
Maribeth Perry
Jeffrey Petrucelly
Scott Pomfret
Sophie & Diane Poulos
James Prendergast
Karen Quandt
Lee Rabkin
Michael Rader
Kenneth Reich
Lynne Riley
Peter Robertson
Allan Rodgers
Catherine Rossi
Stuart Rossman
Vickie Rothbaum
James Rowan
Andrew Royce
Eric Rutt
Adam Ruttenberg
Mary Ryan
Harvey Salgo
Diana Santiago
Seyfarth Shaw
Charitable Foundation
Julie Shields
Barbara Siegel
Amy Siegel
Laura Siegel
Judith Siegel
Miles Siegel
Stephanie Singer
Stuart Smith
Maxwell Solet
Sharyn Sooho
Soros Fund Charitable
Foundation
Danielle Spang
Nicole St Pierre
Harold Stahler
Charles Steenburg
Jon Steffenson
Katherine Swartz
Robert Terry
Kate Thurman
Janet Tiampo
Katherine Triantafillou
Marian Tse
Roger Tung
Dolph Vanderpol
Christopher Vaughn
Albert Wallis
Kathy Weinman
Virginia Weisz
James Whitters, III
Martha Williams
William Wise
Tamara Wolfson
Lisa Wood
Emily Yu
Grants
American College of Bankruptcy
Boston Bar Foundation
Clark Smith Fund
Legal Services Corporation Field Grant
Legal Services Corporation Technology Initiative Grant
Legal Services Corporation Pro Bono Innovation Grant
Liberty Mutual Foundation
Mifflin Memorial Fund
11
VLP thanks the following attorneys
who donated their services in 2015
Rachelle Abrahami
Scott Adams
Leonard Adjetey
Jesse Alderman
Enjoli Alexander
Wendy Allis
Matthew Ambrose
Laila Ameri
Samuel Ames
Nima Amini
Kori Anderson-Deasy
Caryn Appelbaum
Mark Archer
Nick Armington
Geoffrey Atkins
Sandra Austin
Kristy Avino
Michael Avitzur
Mary Ayvazian
Sandra Badin
Tasha Bahal
David Baker
Adrienne Baker
Bill Baldiga
Steven Ballard
Matthew Barach
Megan Barriger
Kathryn Barry
Brian Bassett
Jessica Batsevitsky
Dick Bauer
Ann Baum
David Bean
Joshua Bearce
Thomas Beauvais
Amber Beaverson
Periangilly Beltre
Elaine Benkoski
Gretchen Bennett
Nicholas Bentley
12
Anne Berger
Christina Bergeron
Dina Kahriman Beric
Mark Berman
Neil Berman
Arlene Bernstein
Pavel Y. Bespalko
Stephanie Biggs
Peter Bilowz
Rachel Biscardi
Nicole Bluefort
Eric Blythe
Erin Boisvert
Elizabeth Bond
Alexandra Bonneau
Jesse Boodoo
Sarah Boonin
Ann Brennan
Monica Rosner Brettler
Alissa Brill
William Brisk
Michael Broderick
Emily Brown
Stephanie Bruce
Angelina Bruce-Flounory
Janet Brussard
Rob Buchholz
Karen Buckley
Andrew Bucklin
Lyzette Bullock
Robert Burdick
Edward Burns
Matthew Burrill
Jerald Burwick
Rachel Bussey
Julie Butner
Simon Caine
Crystalyn Calderon
Lisa Callahan
Julie Callahan
Danielle Callahan
Andrew Callahan
Christopher Candon
Ida Candreva
Brendan Carrington
Eda Carroll
Amanda Castro
Joshua Caswell
Rebecca Cazabon
Philip Chan
R. Benjamin Chapman
Portia Charles
Esther Cho
Chris Ciffrino
Miryam Cissero
Jennifer Clapp
Richard Clarey
Jeremy Coffey
Arielle Cohen
Matthew Cole
Stephen Connolly
Michael Cook
Chloe Coravos
David Coriell
Andrew Cornell
Mark Cotton
Benjamin Cox
Katherine Crossman
Michael Croteau
Josef Culik
Matthew Cummings
Tania Curley
Inna Dahlin
Patrick Daly
Milton D’andrea
Joshua Daniels
Brent Davis
Sally Noelle Davis
Vikas Dhar
Brenda Diana
Jennifer Dicarlo
Michael Diener
Christine Dieter
Eleanora Dilorenzo
Anna Dimaria
Richard Dinjian
Mary Donahue
Audrey Donovan
Caroline Donovan
Sean Doran
Jessica Doucette
Hon. Raymond Dougan (Ret.)
Meredith Douglas
James Downes
Nicholas Drew
Jessica Dubin
Andrew Dulberg
Stuart Duncan Smith
Jason Dunn
Russell Dunning
Jennifer Durand
Sultan Durzi
Pauline Edmonds
Jessamyn Edra
Caitlin Egleson
Jasmine Elatab
Jennifer Elcock
Jinanne Elder
David Emer
Carol Ennis
Jennifer Fahey
Diana Fantasia
Alfred Farese
Shelah Feiss
Peter Fellman
Dahlia Fetouh
Susan Finegan
Justin Florence
Kathleen Ann Foley
Jennifer Fournier
Donald Fournier
Eric Fox
Kate Frame
Julie Franklin
Michael Franzoi
Donald Freedman
Eric French
Robert Friedman
Geoffrey Friedman
Daria Frost
Brendan Furey
Shira Furman
Karen Galat
Jesse Garfinkle
Tammie Garner
Adres Garron
Julie Gaudreau
James George
Wynn Gerhard
Lindsey Getz
Nashwa Gewaily
Emily Gianetta
Michael Giarrusso
Moya Gibson
Philip Gindi
Aaron Gingrande
Hon. Edward Ginsburg (Ret.)
Shanna Giora-Gorfajn
Koinonia Givens
Morton Glazer
Genevie Gold
David Goldman
Howard Goldstein
Linda Goodenough
Dan Goodrich
Raymond Grant
Kari-Ann Greene
Steven Greenzang
Michael Grem
Richard Gruenberger
Oriana Gucciardi
Steven Gurdin
Alisa Hacker
David Haffner
Elizabeth Hall
Anne Hancock
John Hanify
Julia Harmatz
Celia Harrison
Christopher Hart
Susan Hartnett
Meredith Havard
Dylan Hayre
Regina Healy
Calvin Heinle
Patricia Hennigan
Hon. Herbert Hershfang (Ret.)
Wendy Hickey
Ezekiel Hill
Michelle Hinkley
Robert Hobbs
Karen Hoffman
Alison Holdway
Matthew Holian
Alana Holly
Angela Holm
Steven Hoort
Joseph Horne
Robin Houston
Susan Howards
Phillip Howe
Matthew Hranitz
Scott Hubbell
Regina Hurley
Katherine Insogna
Sarah Ireland
Brett Jackson
Jonas Jacobson
Lisa Jacobson
Elena Jacque
Brendan Jarboe
Kristen Jiang
Sharon Jones
Lauren Jones
Maureen Jones Devine
Martsyl Joseph
Edward Joyce
Veronica Kane
Paula Kane
Jeanne Kantianis
Alexis Kaplan
Matthew Karambelas
Haskell Kassler
Aaron Katz
Joyce Kauffman
Noor Kazmi
Laurence Kelley
Heather Kelley
Justin Kelsey
Alycia Kennedy
Saira Khan
Susan Khurshudyan
William Kinder
Jennifer Kirby
Geoffrey Kirsch
Ilene Klein
J. Elliott Koch
Ted Koehler
Natalia Kolyada
Panagiotis Konstantilakis
Steven Kornstein
Katie Kosinski
Gazion Kotoni
Hannah Krispin
Ryan Krupp
Peri Kutchin
Brian Kydd
Candace Labbe
Esther Laine
Holly Laliberte
Joseph Lally
Karen Lane
Maude Laroche-St. Fleur
Donald Lassman
Emily Lau
James Lavelle
Peter Lawlor
Elizabeth Leonard
Laura Lerner
Michael Levesque
Charles Levin
Jacqueline Levy
Michelle Lewis
Jessica Libby
Etsy Lobovits
Cecelia Lockner
Patricia Logan
Patrick Long
Julie Lowre
Jessica Lu
Corrine Lusic
Michael MacDonald
Kyle MacDonald
Jenevieve Maerker
Sarah Malley
Regina Mandl
Paula Mangum
Jennifer Manning-Zoll
Elizabeth March
Robert Marchand
Karen Mariscal
Jonathan Marshall
Anthony Martin
Cynthia Martin
Michael Mattia
Holly Mayfield
John McBrine
Keith McCarthy
Daniel McCaughey
Bruce McElvenny
Cameron McGinn
Lisa McGovern
John McGowan
Brian McLaughlin
Elizabeth McMorrow
Ayanna McPhail
Jeremy Meisinger
David Menchaca
H. Luke Mitcheson
Donna Mizrahi
Joseph Molina Flynn
Rosanna Molinaro
Cassandra Montgomery
Stephen Mooney
William Moore
Evelyn Moreno Venables
Solen Moriarty
Gregory Morin
Caroline Morin
Matthew Morris
Madelyn Morris
Joanna Morris
John Morrissey
Joanne Moses
Patrick Mott
Kristofer Munroe
Justin Murphy
Julie Murphy
Robin Murphy
Sarah Murphy-Holroyd
Wendie Murstein
Lynne Myhre
Joshua Nadreau
Suma Nair
Yugo Nakai
13
(continued)
Rosalyn Nasdor
Yavor Nechev
Emily Nelson
Katherine Nemens
Katherine Newman
Kate Nicholson
Emma Nitzberg
Erik Nordahl
Igor Novikov
Irina Oberman Khagi
Nathalie O’Callaghan
Donald O’Clair
R. Daniel O’Connor
Nnena Odim
Elizabeth O’Flaherty
Andrew O’Laughlin
Francis Olivieri
Michael O’Neil
Judy O’Neil
Harriet Holzman Onello
Walter Oney
Andrew Ordyna
Barbara Oro
Allison Orpilla
Gail Otis
Frederick Ou
Darius Pakrooh
George Papachristos
Nina Parker
William Parks
Kimberly Parr
William Patton
Christopher Pavlow
Joshua Pemstein
Bryan Pennington
Melissa Peterson
Lee Peterson
Corinne Petraglia
Angela Phinney
A.W. Chip Phinney III
Gail Pierce-Ruscito
Nicholas Planty
Lisa Poblocki
14
Steven Pohl
Thomas Polito
John Polley
Stephen Provazza
Karen Quandt
Rosemary Purtell
Joseph Quinn
Michael Rader
Theresa Ramos
Jesse Redlener
Jacquelyn Redmond
Margaret Reilly
Elizabeth Reza
Hon. Susan Ricci (Ret.)
Brian Rice
Camala Richardson
Patricia Ridge
Lynne Riley
Michael Rispin
Tom Ritter
Elizabeth Ritvo
Lucinda Rivera
Anita Robboy
William Roberts
Timothy Robertson
Jon Rockwood
Joanne Romanow
Dennis Rooney
Richard Rose
Jessica Rosenfield
Bob Rosenthal
Douglas Rosner
Courtney Ross
Michael Rossi
Mark Rossi
Jonathon Roth
Victoria Rothbaum
Suzan Rothschild
Joshua Rovenger
Rebecca Royer
Cynthia Runge
Gail Ruscito
Martha Rush O’Mara
John Russell
Eric Rutt
Elizabeth Ryan
Lou Saban
Robert Sable
Christopher Saccardi
Soraya Sadeghi
Ryan Sakoda
Brian Salisbury
Jose Sanabria
Jaime Santos
David Schnock
David Schwartz
Jenna Scinicarello
Lisa Sears
Leah Segal
Carmel Shachar
Peter Shapland
Matthew Shea
Alison Sheehan
Julie Shields Callahan
Michelle Sideris
Karol Sierra-Yanez
Alison Silber
Jason Sinclair
Smita Singh
Anna Slyuzberg
Jonathan Small
Debra Smith
Elizabeth Smith
Daniel Solomon
Sarah Solomon
Deborah Sonnenschein
Sharyn Sooho
Danielle Spang
Victoria Spetter
Kerry Spindler
Chethan Srinivasa
Michael Stevens
Marybeth Stramaglia
Steven Striffler
Andrew Strumfels
Tamara Sturges
Glen Tagliamonte
Kiersten Taylor
Timothy Teehan
Monica Teixeira Da Sousa
Robert Thomas
Devon Thompson
Cody Thornton
Chetan Tiwari
Sharon L. Toffler
Karl Topor
Margaret Travers
Mathilda Tubbs-McGee
Claire Tutweiler
Jeffri Uber
Emily Unger
Irina Vaglica
William Valletta
Judith Vassilovski
Mark Viana
Anthony Visconti
Adrienne Walker
Robin Wallace
Christopher Walsh
Kevin Walsh
Leann Walsh
Heather Ward
Katherine Ward
Neil Warrenbrand
Philip Weber
Tim Weeks
Kate Welby
Amanda Whelan
Donald Whitmore
Betsy Whittey
Andrew Willems
Lisa Wilson
Jaime Winchenbach
Lawrence Wind
Ruthanne Withers
Ellen Wong
Rachael Wurtman
Charles Wyzanski
Marianna Yang
Sandy Yeung
Kevin Yurkerwich
Benjamin Zalman
Mary Zdanowicz
Catherine Zhang
David Zieja
Ajay Zutshi
Staff
Joanna Allison, Esq.
Acting Executive Director
Vanessa Baldasaro
Receptionist
Stephanie Biggs, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Hsindy Chen, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Eric Davey
Legal Assistant
D’Andre Fernandez, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Damaris Frias-Stone
Senior Legal Assistant
Brandon German
Pro Bono Grant Coordinator
Isabel Guerra
Sharon Hogan, MBA
Director of Finance and
Administration
Emily Jarrell, Esq.
Staff Attorney
George-Marie Jasmin
Bankruptcy/Consumer Paralegal
Thomas Monti, Esq.
HomeCorps Attorney
Cindy Palmquist, Esq.
Legal Director
Angelika Romero
Referral Paralegal
Barbara Siegel, Esq.
Acting Executive Director Joanna Allison and
volunteer Christopher Saccardi
Deputy Director
Milton Wong, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Pro Bono Paralegal
Board of Directors
Kori Anderson-Deasy, Esq.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Ms. Lynn Barenberg, LICSW
Raymond Kwasnick, Esq.
Vice Chair
Goulston & Storrs
Boston College Legal Assistance
Bureau
Mr. Timothy Lee
Andrew Cohn, Esq.
Richard McCarthy, Esq.
WilmerHale (Ret.)
Advocates Inc.
Locke Lord LLP
Michael Pappone, Esq.
Goodwin Procter LLP
Mr. David Pearson
Shawmut Education
Stuart Rossman, Esq.
National Consumer Law Center
Elaine Tung, Esq.
Mr. Lee Duncan
Kathleen McGrath, Esq.
Liberty Mutual
Treasurer
Law Office of Elaine Tung
Ms. Mary Frierson
Josephine McNeil, Esq.
Albert Wallis, Esq.
VA Healthcare
Raising Our Children’s Children
Ms. Fanny Johnson
Rosie’s Place
Joseph Kaigler, Sr., Esq.
Chair
Massachusetts Port Authority
CAN-DO, Citizens for Affordable
Housing in Newton Development
Organization, Inc.
David Mackey, Esq.
Anderson & Krieger LLP
Ms. Mary Moore
Brown Rudnick LLP
Mr. Cameron Wilder
Vinfen
Tamara Wolfson, Esq.
Anderson & Kreiger LLP
Survivors Inc.
15
A Resourceful Resource
Our staff is Small.
Our volunteers are Dedicated.
Our expertise is Extensive.
Our reach is Tremendous.
99 Chauncy Street
Suite 400
Boston, Massachusetts 02111
617-423-0648
617-423-0648, x139 for Deaf Callers
www.vlpnet.org