FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2026
Eric W. Hughes
Director of Communications
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
(973) 233-5724
ehughes@vljnj.org
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Awarded $135,000 Grant from the PSEG Foundation
NEWARK, NJ — Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is proud to announce it has been awarded a $135,000 grant from the PSEG Foundation. $85,000 of the funding will support VLJ’s Veterans Legal Program (VLP), with the remaining $50,000 supporting VLJ’s other legal programs, ensuring more neighbors in New Jersey have access to the civil legal services necessary to achieve stability and economic mobility.
PSEG’s partnership with VLJ runs deep: 12 years ago, PSEG provided the start-up support for the VLP, seeing the program grow into a statewide effort holistically serving those who served. Today, the VLP leverages a network of prominent corporate and law firm partners, including PSEG, McCarter & English, LLP, FBT Gibbons LLP, BASF, Panasonic Corporation of North America, and Prudential Financial. Since its inception, in-house PSEG attorneys and legal staff on the PSEG Pro Bono Committee have contributed hundreds of hours of pro bono legal services to the VLP.
“The PSEG Foundation is proud to support Volunteer Lawyers for Justice in expanding access to critical legal services for New Jersey families, and in particular our veterans,” said Calvin R. Ledford Jr., president of the PSEG Foundation and director of PSEG Corporate Social Responsibility. “As costs continue to rise, legal fees can be an overwhelming burden for individuals and families. The expansion of VLJ’s much-needed work and impact also relies on dedicated volunteers, which is why we’re continuing to mobilize PSEG attorneys and staff to lend their expertise to ensuring justice and protecting the rights of New Jersey residents.”
“The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is justice,” shared Cathy Keenan, Executive Director of VLJ, quoting acclaimed public interest lawyer Bryan Stevenson. “In a legal system built by and for lawyers, those without legal representation face the system alone, often with avoidable, disastrous consequences. This generous grant from the PSEG Foundation allows us to ensure more people don’t have to. By addressing the root legal causes of instability, we are moving our neighbors from crisis to opportunity.”
The $135,000 grant will bolster the comprehensive service model VLJ uses across the organization, powered by legal clinics and direct representation, to address matters ranging from child support modification, criminal record clearing, debt relief, divorce, driver’s license restoration, to eviction defense and more for children, families, survivors of human trafficking, and veterans. Further, this grant will create opportunities for PSEG attorneys and staff to contribute their skills through hands-on volunteerism in the communities where they live and work.
In New Jersey, where the true poverty rate is estimated at 33.3% (over 2.9 million people), civil legal services remain a necessary yet underfunded human service. VLJ’s partnership with PSEG and the PSEG Foundation reinforces a shared commitment to disrupting poverty while making the Garden State a better place to call home.
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About the PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation (501(c)(3)), the philanthropic arm of Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), prioritizes investments in promoting environmental sustainability, social justice, and equity and economic empowerment. Headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, PSEG is a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future.
About Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ)
Based in Newark, NJ, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is an award-winning organization that partners with volunteers to deliver free civil legal help that protects rights, expands opportunity, drives economic mobility, and strengthens communities. Guided by the principle that justice is a right, not a privilege, VLJ envisions a New Jersey where people experiencing poverty have equal access to the legal system.
In 2025, VLJ handled 2,062 cases, reaching 4,943 individuals, including 1,807 children. This record-breaking level of service was made possible by 24 experienced staff members and 600 committed attorney and non-attorney volunteers, who donated more than 6,700 hours of service valued at over $2.1 million. Connect with VLJ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.