After graduating from John F. Kennedy HS in the Bronx, Sergio joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, where he retired with over 32 years of service with the rank of Commander. During his time in the Coast Guard, Sergio held military, legal and law enforcement positions. Sergio has received awards for his service in numerous peacekeeping operations and served as a reservist during the Gulf War, was activated for service on September 11, 2001 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. In addition to managing the program, Kevin leads cases and advises employees and partners on their pro bono litigation and transactional work. Kevin oversees a wide range of matters, from special hearings in schools to litigation between family and housing courts. He advises non-profit organizations and micro-entrepreneurs. During his tenure, Kevin and the Public Service Project have received dozens of awards from municipal, state, and national organizations, including the American Bar Association and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association. Each year, the association is proud to present the President`s Pro Bono Service Awards. These awards recognize outstanding pro bono contributions made by individual lawyers, law students, law firms, business consultants and/or government agencies.

The award ceremony usually takes place on or about May 1 as part of the Association`s Law Day celebration. Since 2009, lawyer Gaji has been an active member of the pro bono legal aid panel. In response to the tragic mass shootings at the American Civic Association (ACA) in Binghamton on March 3. In April 2009, Legal Aid organized clinics to address the legal emergency needs of those affected, many of whom were immigrants participating in English as a Second Language courses at the time of the shooting. Attorney Gaji was the only immigration lawyer in the Binghamton area and volunteered to help. Since then, lawyer Gaji has been dedicated to supporting immigrants through monthly “Talk to a Lawyer” clinics at the ACA. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers of diverse backgrounds, personalities, ideas and interests, offering innovative and effective solutions to our clients` most complex legal and business challenges. Paul, Weiss represents some of the world`s largest public and private companies, financial institutions and asset managers in their most important legal matters. Paul, Weiss is also strongly committed to advising individuals and organizations that need pro bono support; Our pro bono program encompasses all the fundamental issues of our society, including racial justice, the right to vote, immigrant protection, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and many other areas. The Pace Women`s Justice Center (PWJC) is a civil legal services center within the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Founded in 1991, we were the nation`s first academic law center dedicated to training lawyers and others on domestic violence (DV) issues, and we have since become the largest civil law service provider dedicated to serving victims and survivors of DV, sexual assault, and elder abuse in Westchester and Putnam counties. The Empire State Counsel® Program recognizes NYSBA members who have provided 50 hours or more of pro bono legal services in the previous year, either through direct legal representation of a low-income or vulnerable person, or by donating free legal services to an organization whose services are primarily designed to meet the legal and other basic needs of individuals with limited financial resources.

or provide free legal services to an organization dedicated to improving the availability of legal services to vulnerable and/or low-income populations. During the most recent reporting period, from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, Florida attorneys provided more than 1.5 million hours of pro bono services to people in need, including $6.7 million to legal aid organizations. Scott is actively involved in efforts to protect low-income tenants in Nassau County. He began his volunteer work at Nassau Suffolk Law Services, Volunteer Lawyers Program by volunteering his time with their VLP lawyer of the day in 2012, representing more than 221 clients facing deportation. The program provides direct pro bono representation to low-income tenants who are at risk of eviction in non-payment or robbery proceedings. Lawyers who participate in the program voluntarily prevent or prevent evictions for the day. As a pro bono attorney, Scott is usually able to reject the eviction process or negotiate a settlement agreement that allows the tenancy to continue or at least give the tenant more time to find another home. This essential legal service protects the tenant from homelessness or housing.

June M. Castellano maintains a solo private practice in a suburb of Rochester. He provides representation to people facing family dissolution and other relationship issues, both in litigation and collaborative law. She represents not only adults, but also children before the Supreme Court and the Family Court. She is a training mediator and provides legal mediation services. Ms Castellano has campaigned on many family policy issues before legislative and administrative forums. She has developed and directed educational programs and publications for lawyers and social service professionals. She has held leadership positions at the New York State Bar Association, the New York Bar Foundation, the Monroe County Bar Association, and the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys. She is active in charitable work, particularly in the field of domestic violence and penniless legal advice. In 2001, she participated in an international legal exchange in Novgorod, Russia, where she lectured on New York`s laws against domestic violence. She was an Associate Professor at the University of Rochester, where she initiated and taught a seminar entitled “Women as Advocates”. Ms.

Castellano holds a Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Rochester. While candidates do not need to be members of the New York State Bar Association to be eligible for one of these prestigious awards, an attorney must be admitted to New York State and have performed pro bono service or participated in a pro bono program in the state. Applicants will be evaluated based on the pro bono service given in the previous year, including, but not limited to, the number of clients served, the number of hours worked, the impact of the service on clients and/or the impact of the service on a pro bono program or community. Jessica M. VanValkenburgh has spent over 100 hours providing a comprehensive pro bono service through Florida Rural Legal Services Inc. She has assisted many individuals and families in family law matters and has regularly volunteered at the Pro Se Family Law Clinic, where she guides clients through the legal process. VanValkenburgh and his company McCarthy, Summers, Wood, Norman, Melby & Schultz, P.A.

worked an additional 50 hours for a client whose native language is Filipino. Cases where the client`s first language is not English are particularly difficult to place pro bono, but VanValkenburgh has implemented strategies to overcome any language barriers. Another case in which VanValkenburgh was involved lasted nearly three years. This case was a post-trial case that included motions, mediation, and lengthy representation, including successful reunification therapy for the opposing party. Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung thanked the winners and encouraged more lawyers to volunteer in pro bono services. The New York Workers` Workers` Legal Assistance (“IWLAP”) project helps injured workers seek treatment with the help of pro bono attorneys.