Pro Bono Partnership
Names Outstanding Volunteers of 2003
The Pro Bono Partnership
has named Anahaita Kotval of RBS Greenwich Capital Markets in
Greenwich, CT, Susan Corcoran of Jackson Lewis LLP in White
Plains, NY, and David Fritz of Sony Electronics, Inc. in Woodcliff
Lake, NJ, as 2003 Volunteers of the Year. The law firm Robinson & Cole LLP
of Stamford, CT, and the legal department of Johnson & Johnson of New
Brunswick, NJ, have also been recognized for their pro bono contributions. The
recipients were honored for their outstanding commitment to providing free legal
assistance to community-based nonprofit organizations in Westchester County, New
York, Fairfield County, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
The Partnership, with
offices in White Plains and Newark, was founded in 1997 to provide free legal
assistance to nonprofits whose programs benefit low-income communities or serve
the public interest in the New York, Connecticut and New Jersey suburbs. "It's
a winning situation for everyone," explains Richard Hobish, the Partnership's
Executive Director. "Our clients benefit from much needed, quality legal
advice. The lawyer volunteers, in turn, are personally and professionally
enriched while generating goodwill in the community." More than 700 attorney
volunteers have assisted more than 600 area nonprofits with nearly 1700 legal
issues since the Partnership was founded. Ms. Kotval
is Managing Director and Associate General Counsel at RBS Greenwich Capital
Markets, where she is responsible for litigation and regulatory inquiries.
Since 1999, she has provided assistance on corporate, contract and employment
issues for nonprofits working predominately in the areas of affordable housing
and domestic violence.
To learn more about the
Pro Bono Partnership, call the White Plains office at (914)
328-0674 or (203) 357-1111, or the New Jersey office at (973) 273-0600 or visit
their website at www.probonopartnership.org.
Ms. Corcoran,
Partner at the White Plains office of Jackson Lewis LLP, specializes in
disability management, litigation, management training and litigation
avoidance. Since 1997, she has provided employment-related services to a
variety of organizations serving the needs of children.
Mr. Fritz,
Vice President and Group Counsel at Sony Electronics Inc., provides real
estate legal services to organizations working with issues such as domestic
violence and child abuse, in keeping with Sony Electronics’ commitment to
charitable causes and community efforts.
In the past year, 19 attorneys from Johnson & Johnson have volunteered to
assist on 43 pro bono matters, ranging from intellectual property, to real
estate, to incorporation and employment matters. In total, volunteer lawyers
from Johnson & Johnson’s legal department have assisted 35 nonprofit
organizations. “Johnson & Johnson’s legal department is serving as a role model
for other corporations in New Jersey and around the country that are thinking of
creating pro bono programs," commented Mr. Hobish.
Attorneys from Robinson & Cole offices in Stamford, Greenwich, New York
and Hartford have provided hundreds of hours of legal help to organizations on
tax, real estate and employment matters, among others. Most of the firm’s 215
lawyers regularly volunteer their time, according to Pamela Elkow, Chair of the
firm’s Pro Bono Committee. “We strongly support the giving back of our talents
to the communities where we work,” she adds. “Every one of the Partnership’s
volunteers has embodied the professionalism and dedication to our clients that
makes practicing law so rewarding,” stated Mr. Hobish. 