DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — This year, the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) honored 100 pro bono attorneys, legal assistants and students at its annual Volunteer Recognition Event. The organization also presented three special awards for pro bono service.

VLP volunteers provide represent low-income Brooklynites in family law, consumer bankruptcies and housing disputes; help the elderly through the Senior Legal Education and Assistance Program; and staff two successful programs for self-represented litigants: a Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office in Brooklyn Civil Court (CLARO), and the VLP Uncontested Divorce Clinic.

Lynn E. Judell, a litigation partner at Andrews Kurth LLP, received the 2007 Terri and Nick Letica Award for Outstanding Support of Pro Bono.

VLP Founding Member Terri Letica praised Judell’s longtime commitment to pro bono service. During her career, Judell has represented clients in ongoing deed scam litigation, family court custody and visitation disputes, and frequent counseling sessions at CLARO.

“It is not just what she does, it is how she does it,� Letica said. “With modesty and grace, she fulfills the mission of pro bono.�

The Christopher Slattery Young Professional Award was presented to new attorney Tryphena Y. Greene in recognition of her tireless work with one VLP client on a series of complicated family court cases.

The Christopher Slattery award was established in 2002 after VLP Board President James P. Slattery and his wife Linda Slattery lost their son Christopher on Sept. 11, 2001. In accepting the award, Greene thanked the Slattery family.

“My goal has always been to help those of limited financial means, and my relationship with the Volunteer Lawyers Project has allowed me to meet that goal on a continuous basis,� Greene said.

VLP Board Member Steven D. Cohn presented an award and a special citation from New York City Council Member David I. Weprin to the family of Barry S. Tivin. The New York City Council awarded a grant to the VLP in Tivin’s memory this year. Tivin, a past president of the Queens Bar Association, was a distinguished attorney and a strong supporter of pro bono service.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz congratulated the VLP and presented citations to the honorees. Also in attendance were City Council Member Darlene Mealy; Judge Elizabeth S. Stong of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District; and state Senator Martin Connor, a past recipient of the Letica Award.

Since it was founded in 1990, the Volunteer Lawyers Project has served more than 14,000 Brooklyn clients, through the efforts of hundreds of volunteer legal professionals.

— E.S. Brooklyn Daily Eagle

© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2007
All materials posted on BrooklynEagle.com are protected by United States copyright law.
Just a reminder, though -- It’s not considered polite to paste the entire story on your blog. Most blogs post a summary or the first paragraph,( 40 words) then post a link to the rest of the story. That helps increase click-throughs for everyone, and minimizes copyright issues. So please keep posting, but not the entire article. arturc at att.net

Main Office 718 422 7400