Winter 2017 Ed.

2017 Stand for Justice Gala

 
 
We are hiring!
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Levitt & Quinn is a recipient of the GuideStar Gold rating for our commitment to transparency
Our Founders
Ziva Sirkis Naumann
Ethel Levitt (1911-1995)
Grace Quinn (1915-2006)
ABOUT LEVITT & QUINN

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 A Message from the Levitt & Quinn's  Board President
Greetings,

This Valentine's Day, I am thankful to be a part of an organization so committed to supporting those who are experiencing critical tears in the fabric that binds their families. More than half of us have or will experience a family break-up, and far too many in California do so without the legal support they need. Levitt & Quinn lawyers help our modest means clients find legal solutions that create good parenting and financials plans, setting them on a path to a happier and more stable future.

The future is certainly looking brighter for Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center. I welcome our new board members and their commitment to our organization. All of our board members make tremendous contributions of time and expertise. I thank each of them as we look forward to an even more productive year.

Most importantly, thanks to you, our supporters. We simply could not do it without you. 
 
Cordially,

Dinah Ruch
President of the Board of Directors
A Commitment to Family
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"George" is only 21 years old. Yet in his short adult life, he has chosen to assume an awesome responsibility. Three years ago, George's mother died, leaving in his care the two young children she adopted after a family member lost custody of them. At the tender age of 18, George went into court to become the legal guardian of his younger brother and sister.

George wants to ensure long-term stability for his siblings, now ages 11 and 12, by becoming their legal parent.  The foster funds that George's mother received to care for the family were cut off when she passed away. George has spent three years struggling to raise the children on just his income. But that can change with the right legal support. Levitt & Quinn attorneys are helping  George file for adoption, which not only will give the children the legal parent they deserve, but will hopefully reinstate the foster care funds that will give this young family the financial stability it needs.

In 2016, our Adoption Project served 226 families who came to Levitt & Quinn for help. Our adoption attorneys appeared in court on behalf of our clients 95 times. In one year, the project provided over $350,000 worth of legal services at little to no cost to our clients. We are so proud of the impact of our work on the lives of  more than 400 children, including the adopted children's siblings and future siblings. With so much at stake in an adoption case, no one should be denied meaningful access to justice; and yet so many are. Many of our clients find themselves wanting to do the right thing by vulnerable children yet earn too little money to afford a private attorney and too much to qualify for legal aid. Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center is often the last house on the block for our clients in desperate need of specialized free and sliding scale family law services. 
Read more client stories   here

To support the  Adoption Project, choose to make a tax-deductible contribution in any amount and indicate "Adoption" in the Additional Comments field. Your support changes lives!
Levitt & Quinn Adds Four New Board Members
Building on expansion efforts that began in 2014, Levitt & Quinn welcomed four new board members at the end of 2016--two non-attorney board members with expertise in marketing and film-making, and two civil attorneys from outside the family law community. We look forward to benefiting from their expertise, insight, and new relationships.   

We believe that a wider range of perspectives will allow Levitt & Quinn to better navigate the dynamic issues facing nonprofits today. Meet our new board members:

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Gwen Goldbloom   is VP, Global Marketing for Fox 21 Television Studios, which produces award-winning and critically-acclaimed series, including The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (FX), Homeland (Showtime) and The Americans (FX). As head of studio marketing, Gwen is responsible for managing the marketing of Fox21TVS' shows across multiple distribution channels and platforms to generate awareness, drive incremental revenue and build long-term brand value for the shows. 

Gwen received her BA in Russian Studies from UCLA summa cum laude, an MBA/MA from The Wharton School and The Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Historic West Adams and is a proud single-mother-by-choice of a 4-year-old daughter.
 
Gwen joined the Board of Levitt & Quinn to become more involved in the Los Angeles community, and in particular, to help ensure that women, children and families receive assistance to navigate life-impacting legal situations. Gwen looks forward to using her marketing experience to help increase awareness of the organization and the amazing work it does for the Los Angeles community.

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Steve Griesemer serves as Managing Director of the Los Angeles office of Lewis & Kappes, focusing on corporate and intellectual property matters for entertainment and technology clients. He is a graduate of Indiana University and Pepperdine University School of law. When not working, he lives in Malibu with his wife, two children and a great big dog that sheds too much.

Steve's interest in Levitt & Quinn stems from his work as a Guardian Ad Litem representing minor children in juvenile proceedings, his personal experiences in the areas of immigration and adoption, as well as his many years of seeing the important work the organization does in the Los Angeles community.

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Tiffany Tran  is an associate attorney with Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo. She specializes in education and employment law for California public school and community college district clients. A native of Washington State, Tiffany earned her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Irvine and her law degree from Chapman University School of Law. In her free time, Tiffany loves listening to audio books, watercolor painting, traveling, and hiking.

Tiffany was drawn to Levitt & Quinn because of her prior volunteer work with non-profits serving homeless youth and low-income individuals in divorce and domestic violence cases. Tiffany is honored to be part of the Levitt & Quinn family and is excited to assist the organization as it continues to provide much-needed services that ensure stability for children and families across Los Angeles.


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Taylor Williams is an independent film producer in Los Angeles. He produced the award winning drama Lamb, directed by Ross Partridge, which was picked up by The Orchard after premiering at SXSW in 2015. He also produced the award winning documentary, Of All The Things. Shot in March of 2013, his second feature, Death Valley, was bought and distributed by Indiecan. In 2016, Taylor produced Brave New Jersey, staring Emmy winner Tony Hale and Anna Camp.

Taylor grew up in New Orleans and Los Angeles. He attended the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and graduated from The University of Virginia. After returning to LA, he worked as a Set Dresser on commercials for twelve years. He married Mia Ross in 2004 and together they live in the San Fernando Valley with their four children.

Taylor's mother, Dinah Ruch began working as a staff attorney at Levitt & Quinn when he was still in high school. "Over the years I absorbed the incredible impact of the work done at Levitt & Quinn," said Taylor. "I've watched it grow into a bigger and better foundation able to provide much needed legal expertise to families in need across Los Angeles. It's an honor to join the board of Levitt & Quinn and I look forward to contributing to the many successful years ahead."
Growing Our Volunteer Engagement
Becky Miller
Staff Attorney & Volunteer Coordinator
Thirty five years ago, volunteers with a passion for and commitment to public service founded Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center. Our organization has grown to include professional staff, but volunteers are still a vital part of our day-to-day operations. For the past year, I have enthusiastically served as the Volunteer Coordinator. In this role, I have seen the many ways we can work with volunteers to increase the number of families we serve, as well as give each client that comes through the door a greater scope of services. As an attorney, I love being able to tell a client with a quick deadline that I can help them, because I know I have a volunteer to help get the work done. The volunteers themselves add their own personalities and passions to our office atmosphere.
 
Over the past year, Levitt & Quinn's volunteer program has undergone numerous changes and improvements. We structured a 10-week summer internship program for three law students, where they get a full-time, hands on experience, as well as meaningful evaluation and feedback to help them grow as future attorneys. One of my favorite parts of the summer program is the cultural activities we incorporate.  Last summer, we went to see an old movie at the historic  Theater at The Ace Hotel and visited the Broad Museum. In 2016, we also launched our Unite for Families Clinic, in partnership with Jenesse Center, which relies 100% on volunteers to complete client intake and interviews. Finally, due to an increased request for volunteer opportunities, we implemented a quarterly volunteer training, where new volunteers can get oriented to our office and meet other volunteers.
Becky Miller is a Staff Attorney and Volunteer Coordinator at Levitt & Quinn.
 
I am excited about introducing new volunteers into our organization, and pairing them with roles that emphasize their experiences and strengths. This summer we will be hosting our second annual Volunteer Appreciation Event, where we get to reconnect with former volunteers and learn about how their time with our organization has launched them into their career or exposed them to the vast and unmet needs of many low-income families in Los Angeles County. I am so grateful for all our former and current volunteers who have come on board to work with us and share in our mission to help those in need. 
 
For more information about or volunteer program and how to apply, visit our website at levittquinn.org/volunteer



Sponsor Today: 2017 Stand for Justice Gala
Join our cause by becoming an early sponsor of the 9/16/17 Gala!


E njoy the many benefits of becoming a sponsor, including hosting a table at the gala, ad space in the evening Tribute Journal, features on traditional and social media, and more!


To learn more about giving to Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center, contact Caitlyn Kowalczyk, Development Manager, at  (213) 482-1800 ext. 306 or ckowalczyk@levittquinn.org