Misbah Fatima, Esq.
“My earliest experience in seeking justice for those most vulnerable was at the dinner table, helping my non-English speaking immigrant parents navigate their existence in a completely foreign country. Motivated to bridge the gap created by language, race, gender, economic status, to name a few, I became the lawyer of my family. But I believe in giving back. Not everyone has someone to advocate for them who is easily available. Access to that person is the first step in access to justice.”
For Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, we found a “pot of justice gold” in the form of our March 2024 Volunteer of the Month, Misbah Fatima. Misbah is Director, Corporate Counsel within Prudential Financial’s Law, Compliance, Business Ethics and External Affairs department.
Misbah's journey into the legal profession began with a strong academic foundation, earning a B.A. in English and Jurisprudence, summa cum laude, from Montclair State University, followed by her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. Misbah’s dedication to the law extends beyond her day-to-day, serving as adjunct faculty at Montclair State University teaching courses in legal research and writing.
At Prudential, Misbah provides legal support for the Group Insurance's Absence Management product portfolio, including FMLA, ADA, Paid Family Leave, and Short-Term Disability products. Additionally, she offers legal analysis on open Group Life claims for Accidental Death and Dismemberment and assists in the legal review of Group Insurance sales-related agreements and documents. Misbah is also a member of Prudential’s Women Empowered Business Resource Group.
Prior to joining Prudential, Misbah served as a Deputy Attorney General for the Division of Child Protection and Permanency where she worked to protect children from abuse and neglect. Seeking to continue making a difference in the lives of families and children, Misbah found her calling at Prudential, where she connected with VLJ’s Tenancy Program. Since beginning her pro bono journey with VLJ, Misbah has generously volunteered nearly 47 hours—valued at $20,925.00—using her time and talent to keep families in Essex County safely and stably housed at home.
When asked about her experience volunteering with VLJ, Misbah emphasized the unwavering compassion and integrity in serving clients along with resources, training sessions, and mentorship opportunities that make harnessing the power of pro bono a seamless and fulfilling experience. Or, as Misbah puts it, “VLJ truly cares. It’s that simple. Despite the overwhelming amount of people VLJ comes across each and every day, everyone is treated with the same compassion and integrity they deserve. VLJ has taught me to slow down and listen. With that, I am able to understand client hardships more deeply and offer solutions that last past clinic hours.” For Misbah, every moment spent volunteering is memorable, especially when a client meeting ends with a heartfelt “Thank you.”
When it comes to ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty, there are many reasons why people undertake pro bono. Some do it for the Madden exemption. Some for the legal experience. Some because they’ve been doing it all along, as is the case for Misbah who believes pro bono is essential in bridging the access to justice gap, particularly for communities who may not have easy access to legal help: “My earliest experience in seeking justice for those most vulnerable was at the dinner table, helping my non-English speaking immigrant parents navigate their existence in a completely foreign country. Motivated to bridge the gap created by language, race, gender, economic status, to name a few, I became the lawyer of my family. But I believe in giving back. Not everyone has someone to advocate for them who is easily available. Access to that person is the first step in access to justice.”
Misbah's dedication to pro bono exemplifies the power of slowing down, listening with compassion, and moving forward in justice. As VLJ continues our efforts to ensure access to justice is for the many and not the few, we are profoundly grateful to have volunteers like Misbah who walk alongside us on the journey to a better tomorrow.
To Misbah, our March 2024 Volunteer of the Month, thank you!
Connect with Misbah on LinkedIn