The
Legal Project
Pro
Bono Corner
Lisa A. Frisch, Executive Director
Many
people have now heard about our recent funding challenges, and some
have asked for a background on the domestic violence program and funding
history to better understand the context of our current situation. As
you know, The Legal Project was created by the Capital District Women's
Bar in 1995, ten years ago, when a number of the members saw an increasing
and compelling need in this community. They realized that as the awareness
of domestic violence as a crime became more of a standard, those who
were the victims of this abuse needed more and more help in the civil
legal arena.
However, it became
clear that what was missing was help from an attorney through this difficult
and sometimes frightening process. At first the volunteer attorneys
provided free consultations to victims, but we knew much more was needed
than advice and information-however critical that was and continues
to be. Effective and no-cost representation in civil courts was clearly
needed. What they also knew was that victims most often have no access
to household resources. Money is one excellent way of controlling independence
and a way to escape the abuse, so economic abuse is part of the pattern
of domestic violence that helps it feed itself. If victims have no money,
and money is what they need to get the legal assistance to finally get
away-what we have is a vicious cycle that actually allows the abuse
to continue. Many of these women, "on paper", had a family
income that made them unable to receive assigned counsel, but they had
no ability to get the funds to hire an attorney.
The major focus
of our program is to create panels of volunteer attorneys to provide
representation "pro bono", or free, with a small, core staff
of experienced attorneys to handle the more complex or emergency cases,
or the "overflow" when volunteers are unable to take the case.
Our goal is always to provide help wherever it is possible in cases
where the victim's safety is at risk and she is seeking independence
from her abuser. That is what the civil justice system is for--working
as part of a coordinated system of community response to both victims
and offenders.
To create the initial
program to help battered women get Family Court orders of protection,
we received a grant from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice
Services, which still helps support our program. Of course, there was
much more need than we could respond to without additional resources.
In 1999, we received one of the first Legal Assistance for Victims Grant
through what was then the Violence Against Women Office, to do what
we knew needed to be done to make a real difference in the safety and
security of battered women and their children in the Capital District.
We were one of those "best practice" programs selected for
this grant, and later, highlighted as a model for others in the country.
The grant allowed us to provide consultations or representation in approximately
700 domestic violence matters each year in Family Court and Supreme
Court, along with providing training and technical assistance to attorneys,
service providers and others in the community. These funds, along with
other grants through foundations, and other donations, allowed us to
help victims get orders or protection, custody of their children and
divorces from their violent husbands. We also were able to develop the
only civil legal sexual assault program in upstate New York-another
huge need while as a state, we increase our focus on accountability
of sex offenders and community safety.
We knew it would
not last forever. It was a grant, after all. But replacing federal funds
that the community has benefited from for 6 years is a challenge, to
say the least--especially in this economy. We now have well over $300,000
to find to replace a program we didn't know we had lost until the end
of September. Now, as a community, we have to consider how we will continue
these legal services, which are integral to the safety of victims of
domestic violence and survivors of sexual assault. Meeting these critical
needs of victims should not depend on the vagaries of grant funds, and
that it is unfair and unsafe that a battered woman is dependent on so
much that is beyond her, and our, control.
We are developing
a creative, long term plan that will help us support the program through
some low-income fee-based programs which will provide us more stability
and security. However, we have an immediate need for support that will
help us get to that place, and help us ensure that The Legal Project
is an organization that will be a sustainable, institutional part of
our community's response to abuse. We have reached out to many at all
levels of government--federal, state and local--and to individuals and
foundations who either have supported us in the past, or who we are
newly introducing to our program. We believe that the support we receive
now to sustain this critical program is an investment in the community-one
that as a community we can't afford not to make. Along with our wonderful
volunteer attorneys, we have been able to provide at least $500,000
worth of free legal services each year to victims of domestic violence
alone, in the four county area of the Capital District. Now, that is
surely cost-effective. This is not a program that is expendable. It
works and it is essential to our response to victims of abuse. We hope
you'll join us in fighting for this program. Thanks for all of the help
you've given so far, and all that you will do in standing with us in
the future.
Special Domestic
Violence Fundraising Appeal
One of the exciting
results of the media attention to our situation was that a very generous
citizen became greatly concerned about what would happen to our program
and has offered to provide a match for donations up to a total of $50,000
by the end of 2005. So, any donations that you make to The Legal Project
will be doubled!
Thank you for making
our 10th Anniversary Pro Bono Reception a Great Success!
Congratulations
to our 2005 Pro Bono Award Winners!
Jo Katz, Esq.
Brigid Nolan Memorial Award for Victims of Domestic Violence
Margaret Tabak,
Esq,
Stanley A. Rosen Memorial Award for Service to Victims of Domestic
Violence
Joann Sternheimer,
Esq.
The Kurt Clobridge Award for Pro Bono Service
Thank you to
our 10th Anniversary Pro Bono Reception Underwriters
Benefactors
Boies, Schiller
& Flexner, LLP
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
E. Stewart Jones Law Firm
Salomon Smith Barney
The Times Union
Partners
Bank of America
The Business Review
Cioffi, Slezak & Wildgrube
Gordon Siegel Law Firm
Map Info
Maynard, O'Connor & Catalinotto
McNamee Lochner Titus & Williams
National Grid
NBT Bank
O'Connell & Aronowitz
Powers & Santola
Plug Power
Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman and Dicker
WNYT
Associates
Hacker &
Murphy
Looseleaf Law Publications
Martin, Harding & Mazotti
Schenectady Insuring
The Spada Law Firm
Thanks for taking
cases in September & October!
AHAA
Tubosun
Osafisan
James Gross
Domestic Violence
Legal Connection
Stacie Brunet Scott Harms
Margaret Donnelly Judy Norrish
E. Loren Williams
Legal Clinic
Volunteers
Mechanicville
Anne Reynolds Copps
YWCA
Dana Boniewski
Barbara King
Patricia Rodriguez
Phillip Schuyler
Janet Axelrod
Gayle Hartz
Ron Orlando
Unity House
Abe Bolgatz, Coordinator Nancy Harding
Thomas Kenney Jill Nagy
South End
Vickie Smith, Coordinator John McBride
Meredith Savitt Margaret Vella
Equinox
Stephanie Hollner, Coordinator
David Levy
Joann Sternheimer
Small Business
Roxanne Gordon, Coordinator
Nancy Baum DeLain
Harold D. Gordon
Legally Speaking
Pamela Robich
Thank
you to TD BANKNORTH for a $4000 donation to our AHAA Program!
VP
David Cerri presenting a "big check" from TD Banknorth with
the staff of The Legal Project
A Very Special
Thank You to CDWBA for the generous donation of $3,000 to The Legal
Project!
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