News & Updates
TAKING CASES AND CHANGING LIVES IN A TIME OF CRISIS: TRAININGS FOR PRO BONO ATTORNEYS
Are you an attorney in NJ? Join VLJ for our June 2020: Lunch & Learn CLE Series. Fee waived for attorneys who agree to take a pro bono case with VLJ. To learn more about each training and to register, click HERE.
Join VLJ at our inaugural, online spring fundraiser, Three Cheers for Justice, Wednesday, May 27th @ 7 pm! Learn more and purchase your ticket HERE.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice is thrilled to honor George Holland as its May Volunteer of the Month. George has been a devoted volunteer with VLJ’s Children’s Representation Program since November 2015.
George’s commitment to advocating for the rights of disabled children dates back to when he first started practicing law in 1996. George has his own successful law firm, the Law Offices of George M. Holland, which primarily involves special education litigation with local school districts. He also provides advice and advocacy in dealing with special education and related services, issues involving placements and programs as well as working with consultants and experts. In addition, George handles litigation with state agencies, such as the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Children’s System of Care, as well as the preparation and filing of guardianship applications.
George first learned about VLJ five years ago from his friends at the Education Law Center. He immediately signed up to become a volunteer with VLJ. Since then, he has provided pro bono legal representation to ten clients in their special education matters.
George is steadfastly committed to pro bono work and wholeheartedly believes in the importance of giving back. “I feel very fortunate to be able to assist and make a difference in the lives of disabled students and their families. Through my work with the VLJ, I am trying to help the many students and families who could use my services, but are unable to afford to pay the hourly rate that a private attorney, such as myself, would charge,” notes George.
George recalls one recent pro bono case with VLJ where he advocated on behalf of a single mother whose disabled child had been terminated from his private school for disabled students. The district abruptly stopped paying for the private school claiming that the child was no longer domiciled within the district and disregarded the parent’s procedural rights to contest this determination. The child had been home for months without any education or even the ability to socialize with peers. In a very short amount of time, George was able to successfully get him back into that school so that he could continue his education.
Reflecting on his work with VLJ, George remarks: “I have found VLJ to take a very ‘hands on' approach. They thoroughly interview prospective pro bono clients to ensure that their disputes actually merit having an attorney. Moreover, they remain involved in the cases. They have even assisted with communicating with clients who do not speak English as a first language while a case was pending.”
George is such a passionate advocate for low-income parents of children with disabilities. Not only does George take on cases for full-representation, but he is also always available to mentor other less experienced attorneys. George also gets out in front of emerging legal issues and he has stepped up even more in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, affirmatively reaching out to VLJ to offer his assistance.
VLJ is honored to recognize George as its May Volunteer of the Month.
VLJ is pleased to celebrate Michael Golden, Assistant VP and Senior Legal Counsel at AT&T, as the April Volunteer of the Month.
Michael is a long-standing volunteer with VLJ’s Consumer Law Clinic. He was encouraged to participate back in 2013 through AT&T’s pro bono program and has been consistently volunteering ever since. Michael has attended over 60 Consumer Law Clinics over the past seven years.
VLJ is pleased to announce Mark Heinzelmann as the March Volunteer of the Month.
Mark started volunteering at VLJ’s Tenancy Clinic soon after starting as an associate in the environmental group at Lowenstein Sandler. Although the clinic is designed to give limited advice to some of Essex County’s most vulnerable tenants, attorneys can choose to stay with a case afterwards. Mark has made that decision on multiple occasions, proving his dedication to legal justice. The results for VLJ clients on cases he’s worked have been overwhelmingly positive.
VLJ is pleased to announce Wendy Feldman, Vice-President, Corporate Counsel at Prudential Insurance Company of America, as February’s Volunteer of the Month.
In the past three years, Wendy has volunteered in many of VLJ’s legal clinics (including expungement, divorce, and bankruptcy), but where she has arguably had the most significant impact is with VLJ’s tenancy clinic.
VLJ is honored to announce Nathan Howe as its January 2020 Volunteer of the Month. Nathan is an associate with McCarter & English, LLP where he assists clients in energy regulatory and transactional matters, as well as complex environmental and commercial litigation. Nathan has volunteered with VLJ for three years, becoming one of VLJ’s expungement clinic’s most committed and frequent volunteers.
Michael B. Jordan was at the CityPlex 12 in Newark Tuesday night for the premiere of his latest film, “Just Mercy,” and he brought the cast of the movie, teachers, students, and community organizers with him.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is honored to recognize Janet (Jan) Nagotko as our December Volunteer of the Month. Jan has consistently volunteered with VLJ for over two years, quickly becoming one of the most dedicated attorneys at VLJ’s Divorce Clinics. She has helped nearly 50 clients thus far.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is pleased to announce it has received a grant from the Investors Foundation to support the New Jersey Trafficking Victims' Legal Assistance Program (Trafficking Program).
The Trafficking Program began in 2015 to provide an array of legal services to victims of human trafficking, including the criminal record clearing of arrests and convictions that resulted from having been trafficked. Despite great strides made in addressing this crisis, survivors continue to face significant barriers as they attempt to rebuild their lives post-trafficking.
This month, VLJ is excited to honor Veterans Legal Program volunteer Karyllan Dodson Mack. Karyllan is Assistant General Counsel in the Environmental Practice Group at BASF Corporation and has volunteered with VLJ since 2016. She began working with VLJ at the Veterans Legal Wellness Clinic, a walk-in program at the East Orange VA Hospital to assess veterans’ pressing legal needs. Karyllan was immediately a standout volunteer and said she was “excited to be a part of a program to help our veterans.”
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is honored to recognize Nora Wolf as our October Volunteer of the Month. Nora has volunteered with VLJ for three years, becoming one of the most committed pro bono attorneys for VLJ’s Human Trafficking Victims’ Legal Assistance Program. She has successfully resolved outstanding warrants, dismissed municipal matters, and petitioned for vacatur and expungement relief for survivors under NJ’s Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection, and Treatment Act.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is pleased to announce it has received a significant grant from the PSEG Foundation to support the Veterans Legal Program at VLJ. The Veterans Legal Program began in 2014 to assist with legal issues that veterans frequently face. The Veterans Legal Program includes the PSEG Veterans Legal Clinic, a free monthly legal clinic held in downtown Newark, where veterans have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with volunteer attorneys and paralegals from PSEG, Gibbons, and McCarter & English. Currently, volunteers provide veterans with legal advice and assistance drafting letters and legal pleadings, and there are plans to expand the clinic to serve more veterans in the coming year. VLJ also partners with veteran’s service providers across the state, including the East Orange VA Hospital, GI Go Fund, and VAST, to provide seamless service to veterans in need of services. In 2018, VLJ assisted 181 veterans through the Veterans Legal Program.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice is thrilled to honor Michael Poreda as its September Volunteer of the Month. Michael has been volunteering with VLJ’s Children’s Representation Program since June 2018.
Michael recently merged his own practice with the law firm Wronko Loewen Benucci in Somerville. He handles a variety of matters, but focuses on education and employment law.
