VLJ recently invited three new staff attorneys to join our Tenancy Team, thanks to the generosity of the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. These new staff attorneys will be on the front lines combating the impending eviction crisis in New Jersey. We also welcome Sabrina Ambrose, our new Administrative Assistant, who will be vital to VLJ's ability to provide legal support to low-income New Jerseyans. Welcome to the team, Zainab Awelenje, Nina DePalma, Jeff Stephens, and Sabrina Ambrose!
December 2020 Volunteer of the Month: Sydney Darling
VLJ is pleased to honor Sydney J. Darling, a partner at the Newark-based law firm of Walsh Pizzi O’Reilly Falanga, as December 2020’s Volunteer of the Month. At Walsh, Sydney works primarily for lenders, corporations, and other business and institutional clients, but she finds satisfying balance when offering her pro bono services to individual clients who could not otherwise afford counsel.
Should NJ eviction records be kept private if a tenant wasn't evicted? Housing experts say yes
New Jersey Braces for Rent Due When Health Emergency Ends
The first of the month means rent is due, but thousands of residents are still struggling to pay their bills. Under a state moratorium on evictions during the COVID-19 public-health crisis, renters can’t be kicked out of their homes, even if they miss a payment. But what happens when that rule expires? Will families find help if landlords don’t follow the rules?
On Giving Tuesday, Don’t Forget Your Own Neighbors
Landlords aren’t getting the money they need. The eviction cases they file are likely to number in the hundreds of thousands, advocates predict. Think about the human toll of evicting that many people, all at once.
“It’s going to be a disaster, quite honestly,” says [Cathy] Keenan of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice.
November 2020 Volunteer of the Month: Michael Kondria
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is proud to feature Michael Kondria as its November Volunteer of the Month. Michael is Assistant Counsel-Environmental at PSEG Services Corporation (PSEG) where he practices environmental law and focuses on environmental health and safety matters arising from federal, state and local laws and regulations.
As Housing Crisis Looms, a Call to Action for NJ’s Legal Community
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Supports New Jersey Tenants During COVID-19 Housing Crisis
Cathy Keenan, Executive Director of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), joined TAPintoTV’s Brian Brodeur to discuss the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund's Housing Stability Project Grant.
Keenan described the work of the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF), which was established after the COVID-19 pandemic, and which has raised over $37 million from over 60,000 donors to address the economic and human crisis that New Jersey has experienced.
New Jersey State Bar Association Honors Gibbons Director Michael Griffinger with Lifetime Pro Bono Achievement Award
Michael R. Griffinger, a Director in the Commercial & Criminal Litigation Department at Gibbons P.C., has been honored with a Lifetime Pro Bono Achievement Award from the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) Pro Bono Committee. Honorees, including Mr. Griffinger, were celebrated during a virtual ceremony on October 27.
Housing and Community Development Network of NJ Enlisted to Provide Help as Housing Crisis Deepens
The Housing Stability Project Grant from the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF), will allow the network to provide residents with access to housing counseling and legal assistance if needed. The network partners with organizations, such as Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, which provides comprehensive legal services to economically-disadvantaged adults, children and families in the state.
Bar Report - State Bar Pro Bono Awards to Honor Practitioners and Firm
New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund’s Housing Stability Project to assist renters facing eviction as a result of the COVID-19 crisis
October 2020 Volunteer of the Month: Jason Camilo
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice is pleased to recognize Jason Scott Camilo as October’s Volunteer of the Month. Jason is the founder of the Law Offices of Jason Scott Camilo, LLC, a law practice focusing on immigration and nationality law. For Jason, pro bono work is part and parcel of his work as an attorney, simply explaining, “everyone deserves decent legal representation. As an attorney, doing pro bono work is one of the ways we can ‘stand up.’”
In Memory of Mark Daniel
This week VLJ lost a true champion of pro bono work. Mark Daniel, former VLJ Trustee, donor, and volunteer, died on September 29, 2020. He leaves behind not only a loving family, but also a true legacy in the New Jersey and national pro bono community for his tireless dedication to serving the unmet legal needs of our most vulnerable neighbors. VLJ had a long-standing partnership with Mark, a visionary leader who understood the transformative power of pro bono work.
September 2020 Volunteer of the Month: Eric Weinstock
VLJ is pleased to recognize Eric Weinstock from Lowenstein Sandler LLP as our September Volunteer of the Month. Eric is Senior Counsel whose practice focuses on counseling clients in the development and implementation of their estate plans, including tax and non-tax issues. Additionally, he counsels fiduciaries in the administration of estates and trusts, and works with clients on the formation and management of charitable organizations.
$2.3M Going to N.J. Tenants Facing Eviction, but Advocates Fear it Won’t Stop Housing Crisis
The Housing Stability Grant, which will come from the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, a non-profit organization created to help residents feeling the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, will be allocated for the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey (HCDNNJ) and the Volunteer Lawyers for Justice.
$2.35 Million Grant for Lawyers and Counselors Who Help Tenants Facing Eviction
The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF), a non-profit organization created to address the health and economic crisis in New Jersey caused by the coronavirus pandemic, is providing $2.35 million for critically needed free legal and counseling services to thousands of people and families facing eviction.
New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund Pours $2.35M Stop Tenant Eviction
"With the grant, VLJ will have the equivalent of five staff attorneys dedicated to eviction defense work," said Cathy Keenan, the executive director of VLJ. "With a crisis of this magnitude looming, NJ will need the talents and expertise of legal services attorneys and pro bono attorneys from across the state to assist tenants. It is a real call to action for the private bar."
Facing ‘Tsunami’ of Evictions, Renters to Get More Legal Help
In an attempt to ease the backlog of cases, courts in a couple of counties have been holding online settlement conferences in which landlords and tenants attempt to reach agreement on rent arrears, said Keenan of VLJ. She said the court system is planning to hold the conferences in every county in New Jersey.
“The vast majority of tenants never have a lawyer in these cases, so they don’t know what their rights are,” Keenan said. As a result, renters sometimes have defenses that they didn’t know they had or have grounds for buying more time to move out or to repay arrears.