"I retired from the private practice of law in July 2011. Since that time, as a member of the Attorney Emeritus Program, I have represented numerous clients through the Volunteer Legal Services Program of Monroe County. These cases mostly involve people who are about to lose their homes through mortgage or tax foreclosures. Some of these clients have owned their homes for many years but got behind in their payments because of job loss, illness or other family situations beyond their control.
Since I am very familiar with the foreclosure process and the collection of debt (having focused my practice in those areas before retirement) I have been able to advise and represent these clients fairly successfully. The satisfaction that I receive from these clients far exceeds the payment of fees that I received from private clients. One of my clients whose home I helped her keep even wrote a poem to me. A part of it follows:
"All these things you granted to a 'have-not' though you weren't paid to do your enormous, very generous act PRO BONO… without a cent, in fact And I appreciate your efforts, work Your knowledge of the courtroom, clerk The Judge, the law, the opposition You advanced my noble position. Justice served, fortunate for me Without HELP, what would our world be?"
"As Chair of the VLSP Advisory Council I work to increase pro bono participation in our community to serve the needs of the underrepresented."
