20 YEARS OF 2 0 2 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE
20 YEARS OF "TAKING 0 2 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 Sabrina Ambrose, Administrative Assistant Erin Berman, Staff Attorney Alexandra Bravo, Staff Attorney Nina DePalma, Staff Attorney Kim Garcia, Legal Assistant Katiana Guerrier, Legal Assistant Adelina Herrarte, Senior Staff Attorney Eric W. Hughes, Bershad Communications Manager Eilleen Ingram Willis, Managing Attorney Anne Kassalow, Staff Attorney Margo Katz Rosenberg, Staff Attorney Cathy Keenan, Executive Director Jessica Kitson, Director of Legal Advocacy Jaclyn Kramer, Development Director Tracy Nelson, Director of Finance Allison Nolan, Senior Staff Attorney Carmen Obando, Legal Assistant Abigail Oliver, Legal Assistant Diana Onuschak, Director of Administration and Community Engagement Karen Robinson, Managing Attorney Jeff Stephens, Staff Attorney VLJ STAFF
ENSURING JUSTICE
CATHY KEENAN Executive Director
TRICIA O’REILLY Chair, VLJ Board of Trustees
0 3 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1
A client recently described receiving legal services from VLJ feeling as if a 1,000 pound weight had been lifted off her back Most of us can probably relate to that feeling of stress, especially with the toll of COVID 19. However, the gravity of having to fight against an eviction or get your child the educational services she needs without the help of a lawyer is another level of pressure altogether Easing that kind of burden is what inspired many of VLJ’s staff and volunteers to engage in this work in the first place, and it is what has kept some of them involved for decades. We are so grateful for the opportunity to lead VLJ at this 20-year milestone; not only can we reflect on the organization’s remarkable history, but we also get to look ahead towards a bright future VLJ has grown from an office with one staff person and a great idea to partner with volunteers to expand legal services for people in need, to an award winning statewide pro bono leader. Our success is thanks to the dedication of a tremendous team of staff, trustees, volunteers, and donors, who come together every day to fulfill VLJ’s mission, which was updated in the fall to: To ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty This ambitious mission statement does not merely set out to provide free legal services, but strives to ensure justice is accessible to all. It also emphasizes that poverty can and should be transitory and that socioeconomic status should not limit one ’ s access to justice At VLJ, we know that our work has a profound impact on individuals, families, and communities, part of which you can see from our 2021 numbers We assisted 1,563 clients, which impacted 3,363 people, including 1,240 children. 498 volunteers donated more than $3.3 million in services! We recorded legal victories in court, expanded laws and rules benefitting our client community, and trained and supported a panel of talented volunteers We also helped our clients get relief from the 1,000 pound weight of facing their legal battles alone. We hope that this annual report inspires you and that you will join us in ensuring equal access to justice for people experiencing poverty in the year ahead.
Ned met with a team of volunteers from Prudential who determined that he was a good candidate for bankruptcy. VLJ placed Ned’s case with Guillermo Gonzalez at Scura, Wigfield, Heyer & Stevens for full representation. Ned recently received a full discharge of his debts, but the impact of his case was bigger than the financial freedom from his bankruptcy.
Providing families with a fresh financial start through debt relief and bankruptcy has been a primary practice area for VLJ since 2001. As families grapple with the economic fallout of the COVID 19 pandemic, we anticipate demand for debt relief services to increase dramatically. As shown by “Ned’s” story, these legal services offer a vital lifeline. At the outset of the pandemic, Ned was laid off from his job as a legal courier. Ned’s sole source of income became unemployment, which did not cover his living expenses. Ned, who was 61 years old, actively searched for a new job, but was unsuccessful. By the middle of 2021, he was so anxious about his finances that his therapist referred him to VLJ.
WHEN MY WORLD FELL APART OVERNIGHT, VLJ PUT IT BACK TOGETHER
0 4 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 DEBT RELIEF LEGAL PROGRAM
Looking to create a more just legal system, Governor Murphy launched an ambitious pilot program in 2021 to provide low income tenants facing eviction in Atlantic City, East Orange, and Trenton with access to free legal counsel. VLJ is proud to be a legal services provider for the pilot in East Orange, where we are helping to level the playing field for tenants in housing court.
Having hundreds of thousands of people lose their housing during a global pandemic and spreading the virus exponentially. Thankfully, New Jersey had unsung heroes on the frontlines who fought tirelessly to keep families safe and in their homes. At VLJ, that work was led by our Tenancy Program team.
Thanks to visionary funding by the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, the David Tepper Charitable Foundation, Prudential Financial, Inc., and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), VLJ expanded the Tenancy Program from 1 to 5 lawyers Due to tremendous advocacy efforts by those lawyers and others, major protections were put into place during the heart of the COVID 19 pandemic, staving off the eviction crisis feared across the state and nation. In 2021, Tenancy Program staff and volunteers helped 583 tenants, benefiting 1,700 people when including the members of their households— helping 5 times as many people as in 2020! Not surprisingly, as eviction moratoriums ended in December 2021, demand for eviction protection legal services has increased dramatically. Undoubtedly, there is much work to be done to protect tenants in New Jersey, but rest assured with the incredible team of VLJ staff, volunteers, community partners, and funders, the Tenancy Program is increasing access to justice for tenants and fighting to make New Jersey a more equitable place to live.
What is worse than a global pandemic?
0 5 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 KEEPING PEOPLE HEALTHY AND HOUSED AT HOME
VLJ TAPPED AS PARTNER IN ACCESS TO COUNSEL PILOT PROGRAM
The “V” in VLJ is how we fulfill our mission: we rely on volunteers to represent clients, lead trainings, mentor and recruit colleagues, and donate their time and talent. No volunteer has embraced all of these roles more than Geoffrey Rosamond ("Geoff"), a litigation partner with McCarter & English.
Always looking for innovative ways to help more clients, shortly after New Jersey adopted a law to vacate records for human trafficking survivors, Geoff came forward to help Geoff co counseled with VLJ on the very first vacatur case in New Jersey, paving the way for the creation of VLJ’s Trafficking Program and opening doors for countless survivors of human trafficking. Geoff is moved by clients’ stories, saying, “Everyone raises their hands to take a case after they hear what these survivors have been through.” Geoff is still very active in both programs today.
Geoff began volunteering with VLJ in the early 2000s and was pivotal to the launch of VLJ’s reentry legal program, ReLeSe. Having previously supervised expungement work at his firm and as a former prosecutor, Geoff was well versed in record clearing relief and immediately started training VLJ staff and volunteers handling individual cases. Due in large part to Geoff’s dedication, ReLeSe has grown into a statewide reentry leader
0 6 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 PUTTING THE “V” IN VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE
In 2017, Geoff joined VLJ’s Board of Trustees and continues to lead by example, also helping to secure financial support for VLJ’s programming. Pro bono work has had such a profound impact on Geoff that he talks to every candidate interviewing at McCarter & English about volunteerism, and trains and mentors new volunteers
Having volunteered nearly 200 hours in 2021 alone, it’s hard to imagine that Geoff has much free time, but when he does, it centers around his family, especially his wife and two children. While pro bono work has had a profound impact on Geoff, Geoff has also had a profound impact on VLJ. "Whether it’s a lateral partner or an associate, I talk to every job candidate about our relationship to VLJ and the firm’s commitment to pro bono. It’s part of our culture, who we are as a firm."
VLJ’s New Jersey Trafficking Victims Legal Assistance Program (Trafficking Program) began in 2015 and provides critical legal help to survivors of human trafficking. In the seven years since the Trafficking Program began, the program has expanded to provide holistic legal services to survivors, including vacatur and expungement of criminal records, family law, immigration, public benefits, municipal court matters, driver’s license restoration, and victim witness advocacy.
"I feel like I can live again and I was able to find myself. I felt heard and cared for, for the first time. It was the hardest point of my life and they helped me out of it. They gave me hope to live again."
0 7 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 RESTORING HOPE
Notably, the Trafficking Program team also fights to address systemic issues impacting survivors of human trafficking. Case in point, in 2021, Jessica Kitson, VLJ’s Director of Legal Advocacy, worked with legislators and anti trafficking advocates to draft a bill expanding vacatur access in New Jersey. VLJ worked throughout the year to ensure the bill’s passage, which was signed into law by Governor Murphy in January 2022. The Trafficking Program team is now working on implementation of the new law and continues to restore hope to our survivor clients.
“Sofia” VLJ
Trafficking Program Client
Human trafficking can happen anywhere, to anyone. It occurs across industries, impacting all races, ethnicities, gender identities, and nationalities. It happens in every county in New Jersey, often in places you would least suspect it. For survivors, the pain and trauma of human trafficking can last well after they have escaped their trafficker
Maureen, Michael, and Susan saw that the local legal services offices were overwhelmed with requests for help and recognized the untapped resource of the private bar A pro bono program would scratch an additional itch: lawyers wanted to volunteer to help clients experiencing poverty. They wanted to get court experience. But they also wanted mentorship, training, and ongoing support to take cases outside their practice area. Thus, VLJ was born.
-Susan Feeney, Of Counsel McCarter & English
0 8 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 FOUNDERS SPOTLIGHT
One of VLJ’s greatest strengths has been the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the community—just look at VLJ’s response to the financial crisis of 2008, the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, and the COVID 19 pandemic We all owe a debt of gratitude to these founding members for their vision, perseverance, and grit to grow the organization into the statewide pro bono leader that it is today. They are the personification of VLJ’s mission statement of ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty.
Several of VLJ’s founders met recently to reflect upon VLJ’s 20-year history. Lori Borgen (Seton Hall Law School), Susan Feeney (McCarter & English), Michael Griffinger (Gibbons, P C ), Karen Sacks (VLJ’s founding Executive Director), and Maureen Winograd took a lively virtual trip down memory lane to discuss VLJ’s origins and offer thoughts for the future. Michael was quick to credit Maureen (then the Executive Director of the Essex County Bar Association) with formulating the idea of establishing VLJ.
The visionaries were in the right place at the right time. They assembled a “ pro bono task force” and hired Karen Sacks to spend a year creating the program model and raise funds to launch the program When these founders launched VLJ in January 2001, with Karen serving as founding Executive Director, the program started holding legal trainings, recruiting volunteers, and placing pro bono cases They had just held their first divorce clinic when the 9/11 attacks occurred.
"There was no structure in place for pro bono work. Lawyers very much wanted to get involved and do something, and we were the only structure that existed.”
REFLECTING ON 20 YEARS
growth
“Whenever there is a disaster, a need, an economic crisis, or issues in the courts, VLJ has been at the forefront of dealing with those things.”
Karen reflected that VLJ’s response to the tragedy of 9/11 sparked the organization’s
“We rise to whatever challenge the community is facing. It goes back to VLJ’s origins after 9/11; we mobilize and we respond.”
Karen encourages us all to get behind giving second chances. She sees that with a clean record, clients move from unemployed to employed, from financially dependent to independent, from being transient to putting down roots. The changes are transformative.
When Karen isn’t ensuring justice for her neighbors, she is a mom to two sons and enjoys taking them to activities, parks, and museums. She is a new homeowner and is enjoying making it a home. If the above weren’t enough for Karen to pass the “cool vibe” check, she also loves all things Halloween.
For VLJ, our history is more than dates and figures, it is our people be it staff, volunteers, supporters, or clients. While VLJ has changed a lot over the past two decades, we are very
KarenRobinson,ManagingAttorney
fortunate to have a few remaining staff members from our earlier years. One of the staff members who is not only a living, breathing testament to our work, but also a history maker in her own right, is Karen Robinson
Karen foun needs of the reentry community. Karen said, “It is a tremendou given someone the confidence to begin applying for jobs Even n employment or a promotion because of a record expungement.”
0 9 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 JUSTICE CALLED, KAREN ROBINSON ANSWERED
Today, Karen is a leading legal expert on reentry services in New Jersey VLJ’s Executive Director, Cathy Keenan, remarked, “Karen’s passion for VLJ’s mission is palpable and contagious. She is a tenacious advocate for marginalized communities here in New Jersey, and VLJ is lucky to have had her as our colleague and friend for over a dozen years. ”
Believing that legal advocacy is a collaborative avenue to rectifying racial, social, and economic justice, Karen always knew she wanted to be a public interest lawyer. Having joined the ranks of social justice warriors and pro bono professionals, Karen turned her belief into action, spending her entire legal career thus far at VLJ Karen first worked as a summer intern while at Seton Hall Law School and joined VLJ as a staff attorney shortly after her graduation. Thirteen years later, Karen is a managing attorney at VLJ, overseeing the reentry legal services program, ReLeSe, advocating for human trafficking survivors through the Trafficking Program, and supervising staff.
2008 1 0 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 2001 20 YEARS OF 2002
VLJ starts the Children's Representation Program to help families with education matters
2003
2007 With then Newark mayor Cory Booker, VLJ launches its reentry legal program called ReLeSe 2009 In partnership with Merck, VLJ starts the Bankruptcy Program
VLJ is incorporated and receives federal 501 (c)(3) status 2010 In response to the financial crisis, VLJ begins consumer law programming, now called the Debt Relief Legal Program In partnership with the Essex County Bar Association, VLJ launches the 9/11 Task Force and World Trade Center Program, working to place victims and their families with pro bono attorneys for legal representation
2012 VLJ launches the Disaster Legal Response Program in response to Superstorm Sandy
September VLJ launches its first program and clinic, the Divorce Program
January 2 Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) becomes a subcommittee of the Legal Services Foundation of Essex County, with founding Executive Director, Karen Sacks
2018 VLJ joins a coalition of 20 + community organizations and schools to launch the South Ward Promise Neighborhood Program, designed to offer cradle through college to career services to families with children in Newark's South Ward
2020 VLJ's Board approves a new 3 year strategic plan
Along with Panasonic and BASF, VLJ introduces the Veterans Legal Wellness Clinic at the East Orange VA Medical Center VLJ welcomes Cathy Keenan as its second Executive Director
In partnership with Lowenstein Sandler and Prudential, VLJ introduces the Tenancy Program to assist Essex County residents facing eviction
2019 Executive Director Cathy Keenan speaks alongside other social justice advocates, including Bryan Stevenson, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at a screening of Just Mercy in Newark hosted by actor Michael B. Jordan
2018 VLJ is awarded the 2018 Jefferson Medallion, the official award of the United States Senate and considered America's highest honor for public service and volunteerism
2021 VLJ turns 20 and has 21 staff members!
2017 2015
VLJ co counsels the first vacatur case in NJ with McCarter & English for a survivor of human trafficking
VLJ receives a favorable opinion from the New Jersey Supreme Court, expanding the conflicts rules for pro bono attorneys in bankruptcy cases
2017 1 1 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 22014 014
In partnership with PSEG, VLJ launches the Veterans Legal Program
1 2 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 ADVANCING SOCIAL, RACIAL, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE VLJ’s volunteers are a vital force for ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty. In 2021, our volunteers provided innovative legal help to clients, while much of the state remained locked down. We are grateful to the 498 volunteers who donated their time and expertise in 2021, and we give special recognition to the volunteers below who reported 25 or more hours of service Stephanie D. Ashley Lowenstein Sandler LLP Alba V. Aviles Fisher & Phillips, LLP Peter Balsamo Peter Balsamo, Attorney at Law Franklin Barbosa, Jr. Schenck, Price, Smith & King LLP Anthony Bartell McCarter & English, LLP Zachary L. Berliner Lowenstein Sandler LLP Lisa Bonsall McCarter & English, LLP Lenore Boyarin Sussan, Greenwald & Wesler Jillian Bray Wonder William D. Brown, Jr. McCarter & English, LLP Deirdre E. Burke McCarter & English, LLP Johanna Burke Law Office of Johanna G. Burke Sheila E. Calello McCarter & English, LLP Eric Chafetz Lowenstein Sandler LLP Marjorie Chertok Losurdo Foods, Inc Aya Cieslak Tochigi Wolf Greenfield & Sacks Diane Claussen Lowenstein Sandler LLP Anna L. Cocuzzo Merck & Co , Inc Michael A. Conforti Gibbons P C Genna A. Conti Gibbons P C Raymond Cooper Lowenstein Sandler LLP Nicole Corona McCarter & English, LLP Daniel D. D'Alessandro McCarter & English, LLP Sneha Desai BASF Corporation Joseph DiPasquale Fox Rothschild LLP Thomas F. Doherty McCarter & English, LLP Jack Feinstein Jack C. Feinstein, Attorney at Law Norma Francullo Law Office of Norma Francullo, LLC Denise Verzella Manes & Weinberg, LLC Daniela Geraldo Lowenstein Sandler LLP David R. Giles Law Offices of David Giles John F. Glass Gibbons P C Michelle L. Goldman Lowenstein Sandler LLP Kevin Golembiewski Disability Rights Florida Staci J. Greenwald Sussan, Greenwald & Wesler Andrew Grenell New Jersey Office of the Public Defender Aaron E. Haier Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Mark S. Heinzelmann Lowenstein Sandler LLP Christina Holder Lowenstein Sandler LLP George Holland Law Office of George M. Holland K. Terrell Hutchins Sony Matthew Jokajtys PSEG John C. Kelly McCarter & English, LLP Lisa Keshavarz Executive Office of Immigration Review Abdul Rehman Khan Seton Hall Law School Natalie J. Kraner Lowenstein Sandler LLP Stephen Kunen Palo Alto Networks Elizabeth Lawler Lowenstein Sandler LLP Debra Levin Bausch + Lomb Abigail Luhn Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Geoffrey Lynott McCarter & English, LLP Elizabeth Mancuso Herrick Feinstein LLP Greggory Marootian Attorney At Law Stacy Martinez
1 3 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 Steven R. Vanderlinden Aronsohn Weiner Salerno & Kaufman, P.C. Joseph C. Vila Anderson Kill P C Letitia Walker Merck & Co , Inc Meredith Walsh Prudential Financial, Inc. Robyn Wapner Law Office of Robyn Wapner LLC Kevin W. Weber Gibbons P C Eric D. Weinstock Lowenstein Sandler LLP Brent Weisenberg Lowenstein Sandler LLP Catherine Weiss Lowenstein Sandler LLP Laura Weiss Prudential Financial, Inc Danielle Weslock McCarter & English, LLP Thomas Wester Tango, Dickinson, Lorenzo, McDermott & McGee Nora E. Wolf Gibbons P.C. Yong Zhao Merck & Co. Catherine Reisman Reisman Carolla Gran & Zuba LLP Denise D. Rekem Parles Rekem LLP Carissa Rodrigue McCarter & English, LLP Geoffrey Rosamond McCarter & English, LLP Diane Russini Mary Saldanha Michael Savetsky Lowenstein Sandler LLP Daniel Schwartz McCarter & English, LLP Scott Sherman Minion & Sherman Meg Slachetka Lowenstein Sandler LLP Stacey Slater Pro Bono Strategies Michelle K. Smith McCarter & English, LLP Rebecca Spar Retired Michelle Stegmann Crum & Foster Joan Thomas Sussan, Greenwald & Wesler VLJ provides help through the following pro bono programs: Interested in volunteering with VLJ? Learn more and sign up at www.vljnj.org/become a pro-bono-volunteer. Joann Mazur Kielblock Prudential Financial, Inc. Jaclynn McDonnell Norgaard O'Boyle & Hannon Andrew Meltzer Sussan, Greenwald & Wesler Justin Mignogna Duane Morris LLP Veronica Montagna McCarter & English, LLP Katherine Moore Seton Hall Law School Teresa Moore Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP Michelle Movahed McCarter & English, LLP Richard Myslinski McCarter & English, LLP Daniel Nemet Nejat HBO David Opderbeck Seton Hall Law School Tonia Ouellette Klausner Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Julia Palermo Gibbons P.C. Mary Frances Palisano Gibbons P.C. Michael Poreda Katie Primatic The Volkov Law Group
Michael Hyun, PSEG Vice President of Procurement and Deputy General Counsel
“By empowering and investing in this community we are honored to serve and give back to those who have given us so much. Fostering social justice, equity and economic empowerment is critical to PSEG and the PSEG Foundation and we’re pleased to support the VLP in achieving these goals.”
SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED –PSEG VOLUNTEERS FOR VETERANS 1 4 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1
At a recent legal clinic a veteran, "Rob," returned to proudly show his driver’s license that PSEG lawyers helped him restore. Rob also shared that he had returned to school, completed his degree, and obtained employment. Because of PSEG and the PSEG Foundation’s investment in our community, over 1,400 veterans like Rob have been helped through the VLP.
“The PSEG Foundation is committed to helping build sustainable and thriving communities and as part of this work, we ’ re honored to support the Veterans Legal Program,” said PSEG Vice President of Procurement and Deputy General Counsel, Michael Hyun. The Foundation’s commitment to helping veterans has been remarkable, providing $675,000 in funding to the VLP over 7 years
Veterans tend to be the first people to offer help, but the last to seek it. In 2014, PSEG saw that dynamic and partnered with VLJ to create the Veterans Legal Program (VLP) dedicated to providing free legal services to New Jersey's veterans.
Many veterans have a difficult time returning to civilian life after the military; for many, the scars of service run deep. The VLP provides legal help in frequently encountered areas including housing, criminal record expungement, driver’s license restoration, child support modification, debt relief, and estate planning. Over the years, the VLP has been a stunning success, with PSEG’s legal department not only recruiting volunteers from McCarter & English and Gibbons, but paving the way for the expansion of the program to the East Orange VA Medical Center in 2017.
Remarkably, PSEG did not just come to the table with an idea and volunteers, but with the financial backing to launch a program that would gain traction.
1 5 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 DONORS & SUPPORTERS Karen B. Sacks Lifetime Giving Society David Bershad and Mindy Cohen** McCarter & English, LLP** Merck & Co.** New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund Tepper Foundation Amazon Cargo Force Panasonic Corporation of North America** Prudential Financial** PSEG Foundation** South Ward Promise Neighborhood* State of New Jersey VOCA Grant Program $100,000+ $50,000-$99,999 $25,000-$49,999 AT&T** BASF Corporation** Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP* Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher* The IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey** Lowenstein Sandler LLP** Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP Williams & Connolly LLP $10,000-$24,999 American College of Bankruptcy Foundation** Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C.** Dentons US LLP* Joseph DiPrima* Eisai* Gann Law Books* Gibbons P C Marguerite Greenfield Michael and Jane Griffinger** Jewish Women's Foundation of NJ Jones Day Kirkland & Ellis LLP** Morgan, Lewis & Bockius* Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP** Pfizer Seyfarth Shaw LLP Sidley Austin Turrell Fund Verizon Business Group Walsh Pizzi O'Reilly Falanga** Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP** Catherine Weiss* WilmerHale* Winston & Strawn LLP* $5,000-$9,999 AAML Foundation Baker Botts LLP Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC** Consilio, LLC* Covington & Burling LLP Donald Cussen** d'Arcambal Ousley & Cuyler Burk Day Pitney LLP Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Deloitte DLA Piper** doeLEGAL Epiq Fisher Phillips* Freshfields Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP Mala Ahuja Harker Hogan Lovells US, LLP Named in honor of our founding Executive Director, the society recognizes individual donors who have contributed a cumulative $10,000 or more to VLJ. Thank you for your generosity! David Bershad and Mindy Cohen Susan Bershad Donald Cussen Mark and Yvonne Daniel Joseph DiPrima Marguerite Greenfield Michael and Jane Griffinger Mala Ahuja Harker Mary Hartnett and Richard Cino Orin Kramer William Krovatin Howard and Peggy Menaker Edward and Pamela Moed Tricia and John O’Reilly April Pish Karen and Eric Sacks Erik Sandstedt Eric Schwimmer and Alyce Gottesman Catherine Weiss and Sam Huber
1 6 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 DONORS & SUPPORTERS CONTINUED $5,000-$9,999 cont. The Hyde & Watson Foundation Nicholas Insua* King & Spalding LLP** Leader Berkon Colao & Silverstein LLP** Littleton Park Joyce Ughetta & Kelly LLP** McGuireWoods LLP* MoloLamken NJM Insurance Group** Ogletree Deakins Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP Paul Hastings RBC Foundation RBC Wealth Management Reed Smith LLP* Karen and Eric Sacks Erik Sandstedt Eric Schwimmer and Alyce Gottesman** Stacey Slater Venable LLP Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz Wong Fleming $2,500-$4,999 Dell, Inc.* Fox Rothschild LLP Freedom Network HeplerBroom Matthew and Keri Holian Honeywell HP, Inc. Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC* Robert H Lynch, Jr Judith McCarthy* George McDonald Howard and Peggy Menaker** Tricia and John O'Reilly** Robinson Miller LLC* Jeffrey and Beth Shapiro* John and Elizabeth Wellschlager* Westbrook Foundation Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer* Wiley Rein LLP Alston & Bird Andrew and Froma Benerofe William and Bleema Bershad* Brach Eichler LLC Peter Chapman Colton Family Foundation* Columbia Bank Counsel Press Katherine Daniel Sneha and Anand Desai* Duane Morris LLP Marianne Espinosa* Sharon R. Flanagan Peter C. Harvey* Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company** Jessica Hodkinson* George M Holland* Mark D Hopson Paul E Kalb Cathy Keenan and John Larson* Kean Miller* Kraemer Burns P.A. William Krovatin* Jeffrey P. Kushan Adam Kushner* Marino, Tortorella & Boyle, P.C. Midway Investors LLC Connie O'Keefe O'Toole Scrivo, LLC Parker Analytics Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P C * Peapack-Gladstone Bank Price, Meese, Shulman & D'Arminio, PC Joshua Rabinowitz Richmond M. Rabinowitz* Paul Rowe Saiber LLC** Laura Schaffer David Schneider* Ronnie Stern* Kristin & Philip Taylor The Katherine Lindsay Howell Fund $1,000-$2,499 Consecutive Years of Giving * indicates 3-5 years ** indicates 6 or more years Veritext Stephen C. Weingarten* White & Williams $250-$999 Jennifer Adams ADP Norman Armstrong Colm Atkins Open Banks* Becker, Attorneys at Law* Marianne Benevenia* Brian N. Biglin* Lori Borgen E. Drew Britcher Sheila E. Calello Rose Cali Caitlin Petry Cascino* Suzanne Cerra Matthew Clements Joe Colao Cole Schotz P C Matthew Coleman Anne Collart* Kevin Collins* Cooperman Family Foundation Ryan Daniel* Kevin and Rita Danylchuk Nicholas DeFabrizio Allison S. Dunn Nancy Eberhardt Stephanie Feingold Wendy Feldman Paul Fishman Catherine Fitch Suzanne Flaton Origenes Dolores J Fliss Jaimi Gaffe Hon Rosemary Gambardella* Christine Gannon Melissa Geist* Dr. Roberta Goldberg Emily Goldberg** Carol Golden Linda Goldfarb Lawrence and Cynthia Goldman Brian William Greulich Guardian Guntin & Gust, Plc*
VLJ
1 7 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 Marc Haefner* Adam Hemlock Michael Patrick Hindley Ruby T Hope Paul Horan Jessica Horton Charlotte Howells* Douglas P. Jacobs* Stefan John* Johnson & Johnson Michelle Johnson Lewis Rabiya Kader* Harvey Kaish Bernard J Keenan* Daniel and Christine Keenan* Klapper Family Gift Fund Suzanne Klar and Marc Brummer** Tonia Klausner Jaclyn Kramer* Kenneth and Anne Kunzman Mary Ellen Lenahan Larry Lesnik* Debra E. Levin Jessica Limbacher* Wendy Llewellyn Langford Kelly Lloyd Lankford and Chessley Lankford* Abigail Luhn* Paul Michaels and Sandra Chamberlain Frank Molfetta* Daphne Morduchowitz* Ian Morrison Hon. Julien X. Neals Tracy & Jeff Nelson* NJPAC Nukk Freeman & Cerra, P.C. Edward O'Donnell Panasonic Legal Department Stephanie Parker Dianne Pecoraro Debra Perry Carol Quagliato* Kevin Reich Scott Reisch John and Karen Robinson* Maritza Rodriguez Geoffrey Rosamond* Lyn Rosensweig Mark Rubin* Kristine Ryan Timothy A. Ryan Louis Sapirman* Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP* Magda Schaler-Haynes Schwab Charitable Jeff and Madeline Simon Rukhsanah Singh Chris Sisco Skoloff & Wolfe P.C. Diane K. Smith Kaitlyn Stone** Sussan, Greenwald & Wesler Jennifer Swize Kevin Walsh* Kevin Weber* Lauren P Weiss Alvin Weiss* Karim Whitmire Amy M Williams Melissa Williams* David J. Wise Amy Woltman Yong Zhao* VLJ's committed and determined donors ensure that VLJ is able to provide essential legal help throughout New Jersey Free legal services are not free to coordinate and this group of supporters ensured that VLJ could train and support new volunteers, educate community members about their rights, and provide legal help to New Jerseyans who otherwise would not be able to afford an attorney. Thank you to all donors who support VLJ's mission to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty! MONTHLY DONORS Nestor Almeida Colm Atkins Open Banks Marianne Benevenia George Burroughs Matthew Coleman Michael DePalma Kalea Edmundo SueCarol Greene Buckner Jessica Hodkinson Cathy Keenan Debra Levin Jessica Limbacher Stella Lyubarsky Mary McManus McElroy Alice Mizsak Mary Pendergast Carol Quagliato Magda Schaler-Haynes Jeff Simon Carole White Connor The following donors committed $10+ a month, or $120+ a year, in 2021 towards our monthly giving campaign Monthly and annual gifts help set VLJ on a path of sustainability, meaning we can promise to be there for our neighbors who need legal help. Thank you!
Bershad Fellowship is immensely grateful to David Bershad and Mindy Cohen for establishing the Bershad Communications Fellowship. With their generous support, VLJ was able to hire its first ever full time communications professional in 2021, allowing VLJ to expand its reach and assist more individuals.
Thank you!
Program 76% 1 8 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 FINANCIAL STATEMENT STEWARDING YOUR SUPPORT Management & Fundraising 24% Individuals 11% Government 10% Corporations & Law Firms 36% Foundations 43% EXPENSES REVENUE EXPENSES Program Management & Fundraising Total Expenses REVENUE Foundations Corporations & Law Firms Individuals Government Total Operating Revenue Donated Legal Services In-Kind Donations Increase in Net Assets Prior annual reports and financial statements are available on our website at www.vljnj.org/annual reports financials $1,447,675 $475,512 $1,923,188 $1,109,259 $994,617 $287,583 $253,872 $2,645,331 $3,300,000 $52,900 $680,748
PeterC.Harvey,Esq. PattersonBelknapWebb&TylerLLP JessicaHodkinson,Esq. PanasonicCorporationNorthAmerica MichaelHyun,Esq. PSEG NicholasM.Insua,Esq. ReedSmithLLP CathyKeenan VolunteerLawyersforJustice WilliamKrovatin,Esq. Merck&Co.,Inc. KellyLloydLankford,Esq. DentonsUSLLP JudithMcCarthy,Esq. CheshireLawGroup GeorgeMcDonald,Esq. CurtissWrightCorporation 1 9 | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 Tricia O’Reilly, Esq., Chair Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga, LLP Eric L. Schwimmer, Esq., Vice Chair Prudential Financial, Inc Howard Menaker, Esq., Treasurer Jennifer Prioleau, Esq., Secretary B. Braun Medical Inc. Matthew Clements Columbia Bank Angela Coxe, Esq. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Donald Cussen RBC Wealth Management Sneha Desai, Esq. BASF Corporation Wendy Feldman, Esq. Zoetis Mala A. Harker, Esq. Friedman Kaplan Seller & Adleman LLP SusanE.McGahan,Esq. AT&T MaritzaRodriguez,Esq. RodriguezLawFirm,LLC GeoffreyRosamond,Esq. McCarter&English,LLP ErikSandstedt,Esq. LasVegasSandsCorp. JeffreyM.Shapiro,Esq. LowensteinSandlerLLP KaitlynS.Stone,Esq. FaegreDrinkerBiddleReathLLP KevinWeber,Esq. GibbonsP.C. Emeritus Trustees DavidBershad MichaelR.Griffinger,Esq. GibbonsP.C. BrianN.Biglin,Esq.,Co Chair DuaneMorrisLLP CharlotteHowells,Esq.,Co-Chair GibbonsP.C. CaitlinCascino,Esq. WalshPizziO’ReillyFalangaLLP AaronCohen,Esq., Price,Meese,Shulman&D'Arminio,PC AbigailLuhn,Esq. FaegreDrinkerBiddle&ReathLLP AdamMorsy,Esq. Duval&StachenfeldLLP JarrettR.Schindler,Esq. LowensteinSandlerLLP BrandonL.Wolff,Esq. KaufmanDolowichVoluckLLP BOARD OF TRUSTEES GENERATION NOW COMMITTEE
20Annual 21Report 20 years of ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty P.O.Box32040 Newark,NJ07102 (973)645-1955 VLJ@VLJNJ.ORG WWW.VLJNJ.ORG @VLJNJ @VLJNJ @VolunteerLawyersforJustice “the opposite of poverty is not wealth. It's justice.” – Bryan Stevenson
