Pro Bono Spotlight: Campaign for Justice to celebrate 2016 success at the MAG

VLSP Executive Director Sheila Gaddis with Canandaigua National Bank’s Steve Martin at last year’s Justice Society Reception. (Provided)

On Thursday, March 23, the Campaign for Justice (CFJ) leadership team will host the annual Justice Society Donor Reception at the Memorial Art Gallery (5:30-7:30 p.m.) for those contributing $350 or more to the 2016 Campaign.

“The Justice Society was established in 2014 to recognize individual campaign donors of a certain level, currently set at $350,” explained Maureen Mulholland, faithful CFJ cabinet member and the energy behind organizing the event. “Invitations went out to nearly 250 individuals, as well as 15 vendors who pledged at least $350 to this year’s campaign.”

Mulholland, general counsel at Monro Muffler Brake, also noted: “We deliberately chose a Thursday evening because the gallery is open late and the museum staff will provide museum passes to all reception attendees to use that evening either before or after the CFJ event.”

“It’s a lovely way to conclude the social aspects of the donor reception with a quiet walk through the gallery,” one of last year’s guests said.

Campaign goal

CFJ Campaign co-chair T. Andrew Brown recently noted: “We are nearing goal [$280,000] with just under $17,000 to raise by March 31. We are extremely grateful to all those who have already contributed and now make a special plea to others to help us close the gap in the coming days.”

The funding, which supports programs at three legal service organizations — Volunteer Legal Services Project, Inc.; Rochester Legal Aid Society; and LawNY — provides a network of civil legal services to those in our community facing serious civil legal issues while simultaneously fighting poverty.

“With my active involvement in the campaign this year, I am more aware of the need for legal services for the indigent and the reliance on the Campaign for Justice to continue the services provided to this community,” Brown added.

Justice Society Reception at the MAG

“The Justice Society Reception on March 23 is a fun event celebrating the generosity of our legal community,” Brown continued. “I am proud to have played a role in the campaign’s success and look forward to seeing my colleagues at the Justice Society Reception.”

The evening is mostly a social event, with the exception of brief remarks by U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth Wolford.

D4 LLC representatives line up for a photo at the March 2016 CFJ celebration, from left: Jeff Leichtman, Frank Novak of Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, Philip Mooney, Martha MacPherson, Amire Karahasanovic and Mike Norris. (Provided)

Sponsors for the event include Canandaigua National Bank & Trust; D4 LLC; Constellation Brands, Inc.; and Bond Schoeneck & King LLP.

“We found our sponsors ready and willing to help us offset the entire cost of this wonderful event and we thank each for their loyalty three years in a row,” Mullholland said.

Carla Palumbo, president and CEO of Rochester Legal Aid Society, is also involved with the event planning, making food and music selections.

Constellation Brands is again providing wine for the CFJ celebration and Max of Rochester will cater the cocktail hour-type event, with hors d’oeuvres including stuffed mushrooms, roast chicken brochettes, vegetable spring rolls and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.

Staff from all three legal service organizations are included in the event, providing a chance for donors to get to know the folks who work creatively and tirelessly every day to ensure civil legal services are provided to as many people in our community as possible.

“It’s a relaxed atmosphere where folks are able to easily mingle and catch up with colleagues and friends,” Mulholland added. “It’s a great example of the very best of the Rochester legal community.”

RSVP deadline ([email protected]) is March 16.

Honor Roll

VLSP offers a wide variety of opportunities for attorneys to provide full representation to low-income clients or provide advice at monthly clinics. Practice areas include divorce, wills, unemployment, insurance, guardianship, consumer, bankruptcy, collections, child support, custody and visitation. Attorneys in our Micro-Entrepreneur Pro Bono Program render advice to low-income entrepreneurs.

Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County announced its “Honor Roll” of attorneys and paralegals who recently took cases or staffed clinics.

February 2017 Honor Roll

Solo Practitioners: Eileen Buholtz; Eugene Clifford; Barbara Heyne; Ardeth Houde; Rekha Jain; Judge Patricia Marks; John McQueen; Lisa Morris; Robert Nicolais; Maria Reed; Paul Richardson; Vanessa Romance; Gary Van Graafeiland; Seymour Weinstein; Warren Welch; Iska Ziver

Attorneys at Firms: Michael Arnold (Barclay Damon LLP); Sanjeev Devabhakthuni (Barclay Damon LLP); Brittany Lawrence (Barclay Damon LLP); John Lowe (Barclay Damon LLP); Danielle Mettler-LaFeir (Barclay Damon LLP); Paul Sanders (Barclay Damon LLP); Tara Sciortino (Barclay Damon LLP); Gary Cohen (Basch & Nickerson LLP); C. Bruce Lawrence (Boylan Code LLP); Jennifer Fazio (Dentino, Cammarata & Fazio LLP); Joseph Regan (Faraci Lange LLP); George Forsyth (Forsyth & Forsyth); Mark Drexler (Forsythe, Howe, O’Dwyer, Kalb & Murphy P.C.); Kenneth Gordon (Gordon & Schaal, LLP); Steven Grodensky (Grodensky & Partners, LP); Beth Wilkens (Harris Beach PLLC); David Mayer (Harris, Chesworth, O’Brien, Johnstone, Welch & Leone); Andrew Anderson (Harter Secrest & Emery LLP); David Ferris (Harter Secrest & Emery LLP); Marcus Kroll (Harter Secrest & Emery LLP); Jodi Reynolds (Harter Secrest & Emery LLP); Glenn Schieck (Harter Secrest & Emery LLP); Jon Webster (Harter Secrest & Emery LLP); Bradley Kammholz (Kammholz Law PLLC); Terrance Emmens (Lacy Katzen LLP); Judi Bogart (MCC Paralegal Student); Robert Kauffman (Merzbach Law Office P.C.); Kenneth Hunt (Nixon Peabody LLP); Bryan Pelkey (Pelkey & Pelkey P.C.); Michael Personte (Pirrello, Missal, Personte & Feder); Christina Petrella (Pullano & Farrow PLLC); George Schell (Schell & Schell); Helen Zamboni (Underberg & Kessler LLP); Sam Havens (University at Buffalo Law Student); Joshua O’Neill (Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP)

Government: Linda Kostin (Appellate Division); Adam Oshrin (Appellate Division); Michael Tuohey (Appellate Division);

Corporate Attorneys: Thomas Durkin (Allstate); Robert Nassau (Syracuse University College of Law); Gail M. Norris (University of Rochester Office of Counsel); William Eipert (Xerox Corporation);

Nora A. Jones is a freelance writer. She also contributes to the VLSP blog at www.vlsprochester.org. She can be reached at [email protected]