Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County, Inc.

Tre'Coy Boyd is VLP’s new Legal Assistant and Community Educator and is working with the Eviction Defense team. Tre'Coy has spent the last six years in the human service field. His previous experience ranges from working in the SCSD as a Teacher Assistant/Job Coach, to Elmcrest Children’s Center as a Supervisor and Catholic Charities as a Case Worker. Tre'Coy has consistently worked with underserved and underrepresented populations in Syracuse. We are thrilled to welcome him ...to VLP. Shania Barton is the new Paralegal for VLP's Reentry Program. Shaina received her Master’s degree in Advertising and Communications from Newhouse of Syracuse University. Shaina grew up in the Utica area and spent a few years in the Syracuse community while attending Le Moyne College. As an undergrad, she interned with the Assigned Counsel of Oneida County. Shania brings tremendous passion and experience to our team. Silvana Vergara has joined VLP as a Paralegal and is working with our Eviction Defense and Immigration team, while also supporting our general intake line. Silvana was formerly a lawyer in Colombia and graduated from Syracuse University College of Law with a Master in Law (LL.M. program) for foreign attorneys. Previously, she worked at InterFaith Works of CNY, as an Immigration Services Manager, serving refugees and immigrants to prepare and submit immigration forms and applications to USCIS. We are thrilled Silvana has joined us in our mission to provide access to justice to those in need.

Learn more here: https://www.onvlp.org/ge/community/q-law-lgbt-legal-issues/

The 4th and final Elder Law Fair webinar (Estate Planning) is now available to view. Thank you to Erika Hooker and Cameron Bernard at Bousquet Holstein PLLC for this very important presentation. VLP is grateful to all of the 2021 presenters and our amazing planning committee. Check out our website to see the complete list of recorded webinars, as well as a helpful elder law resources page.

Are you a volunteer in the Landlord Tenant Court for a local Legal Aid Services Agency? Join us for an upcoming CLE on June 10 - Assisting Tenants with Affirmative Actions: Order to Show Cause BOOT CAMP. Learn more & register at the link here. https://www.onbar.org//cle-assisting-tenants-with-affirma/

VLP will be at the Blueprint 15 Family Fun Festival on 6/5. Stop by and say hello!

View Part 2 of our Elder Law Fair webinar: Caregiving Support & Resources. Thank you to Kimberly Connell from Onondaga County Department of Adult & Long Term Care Services & Maria Alvarez from New York StateWide Senior Action Council for this important information!

Please consider participating in this weekly challenge, brought to you by our friends at United Way of Central New York.

Happening Now: A Virtual Training for Tenant Eviction Protections & Tenant Rental Relief.

For assistance from our LGBT Rights Program, please contact Mallory at [email protected] or 315-849-9234. As we conclude sharing pieces of our 2020 Year-End Review, we want to say THANK YOU. We can’t do this work without our community, volunteers, donors and staff. We are in this together.

Pandemic stressing you out? That's a yes. Register for this February 3rd CLE webinar and find out how to manage lawyerly stress and find equilibrium between you...r professional and personal life -- walk away with work-life balance tools, techniques and at least one action step to set you on a steadier path in 2021. Register here: https://www.onbar.org/cle-whats-in-the-bag-managing-lawerl/ See more

We are hiring a Full-Time Intake Specialist/Legal Assistant/Community Educator. This staff member will assist with online intakes and intakes at community-based clinics, perform community outreach and education and support communication with clients and volunteers. The position will primarily work with our Immigration Program, but will be flexible and support the whole agency. Click the link below to learn more. https://www.onvlp.org//Job-Posting-Intake-Specialist-Commu?

As we continue to share pieces of our 2020 Year-End Review, we’d like to express our gratitude to Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC, Barclay Damon LLP & Bousquet Holstein PLLC for their support of our Small Business & Nonprofit Emergency Legal Program. For more information about ways we can help, please email [email protected].

This Friday: Join us & the Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York for a virtual training. Registration link in the comments below.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a perfect legal storm for our most vulnerable community members. Even before the virus, there was a legal aid crisis in New York state. Less than 40% of those in need had access to free legal assistance. For many community members, affording a private attorney is impossible, and free legal services is the only path forward. The Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County provides critical and urgent legal help to thousands of people each yea...r. Our work has not stopped because of the pandemic. Instead, the need has increased dramatically. Without question, free legal aid is an essential service that our Central New York community desperately needs to survive and recover from COVID-19. Without our volunteers, this work would not be possible. As we conclude National Pro Bono Week, we want to once again express our sincere gratitude. Because of our pro bono volunteers, we are able to provide critical assistance to low-income people in our community with civil legal problems, ranging from family law matters to eviction. With your generous volunteerism, we are providing access to justice to those in need. #celebrateprobono

Thank you, Hancock Estabrook LLP! We appreciate your team's volunteer work. #celebrateprobono

When COVID-19 hit, VLP began hearing from community members about the struggles small businesses and nonprofits were having due to the pandemic and the economic downturn. These businesses and organizations needed help with everything from addressing leases and contracts they could no longer pay, to applying for SBA loan and grant programs. Three law firms responded to the call for the formation of our COVID-19 Small Business & Nonprofit Emergency Legal Program and have been our partners in the effort since. Thank you, Bousquet Holstein PLLC, Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC & Barclay Damon LLP. This is why we #celebrateprobono!

We continue to #celebrateprobono this week by introducing you to more champions. Rebecca Cohen is an attorney at Bousquet Holstein PLLC whose pro bono immigration work has been invaluable during the past year. She volunteered regularly at community immigration clinics, and assisted with direct representation and technical assistance. Diana Cunningham began volunteering with VLP in 2018 and since then has logged over 60 hours of volunteer time, helping more than 90 clients ...by providing them advice and counsel on their family law issues, as well as drafting countless family court petitions. Russell Dombrow (Dombrow Law Firm) helped coach VLP in the formation of our debtor legal clinic. Russell has taken on many cases for ongoing representation and continues to provide consultations throughout the time of COVID-19. Thank you to all!

As we recognize another day of National Pro Bono Celebration Week, we would like to highlight two amazing volunteers. Michael Marrero is an Associate in the litigation department at Hancock Estabrook LLP. Not only has Michael been our pro bono liaison to the firm, he also has been heavily involved in major pro bono litigation, helping homeowners fight mortgage fraud matters. Sehseh Sanan is a 3L at Syracuse University College of Law. She started with interviewing tenants for intake, and then was able to represent them at the bench, working under a student practice order. Sehseh also helped with valuable research projects and reviewing training materials. We are so fortunate to have Michael and Sehseh support our work. This is why we #celebrateprobono!

The American Bar Association recognizes the National Celebration of Pro Bono each October. The Standing Committee on Pro Bono & Public Service undertook this initiative to highlight the contributions pro bono lawyers make to our communities. Stay tuned this week as we #celebrateprobono!

Happening Now: Learn about important Family Court matters. Thanks to all presenters!

Community partners: we’d love you to join us for a chance to connect about community legal needs and ways we can be supportive.

Lawyer Friends: Check out this upcoming CLE. "Being trauma-informed helps legal professionals avoid retraumatizing individuals, increases workplace safety, improves relationships with clients, and promotes and supports recovery."

The Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) and the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR New York) have filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of an Iraqi refugee whose adjudication of his application for adjustment of status has been delayed for nearly a decade.

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It’s happening! Wine is being delivered today and tomorrow for Cheers for a Cause. This virtual tasting not only raises funds for VLP, but celebrates our 2020 Pro Bono Champions as well. A HUGE thank you to sponsors, volunteers, participants and our host, Ray Isle!