A GHLA client came to this country on an immigration visa through her spouse. Her husband began to abuse her and she fled the dangerous situation. But she did not have documents that she needed from her spouse’s employer to understand her own immigration options, or to seek support in a dissolution. GHLA could not subpoena the documents because the husband's employer was a large multi-national company with the nearest office in New York. That’s when GHLA’s pro bono network came to the rescue.
Shipman & Goodwin’s Hartford Ombuds/Pro Bono Coordinator Vaughan Finn connected GHLA with Tracy E. Williams, who agreed to serve as New York counsel to help GHLA subpoena the New York documents. Tracy’s qualifications and skills under significant time pressure enabled Legal Aid to help this client with confidence.
In another case, a client, also a victim of domestic violence, came to GHLA seeking a divorce when she learned that her husband, who had title to the family home in his name, was going to sell it. Fortunately, members of the Murtha Cullina real estate practice group, including Partner Tom Daniells, Counsel Catherine Cuggino, and real estate paralegals Sheryl Sylvester and Chelsey Lombardo, volunteered to review real estate documents for GHLA family violence victims. Murtha advised GHLA about necessary steps so that proceeds of the sale were preserved for division in the divorce.
GHLA is grateful to our partners at
Shipman & Goodwin and Murtha Cullina
for their significant pro bono commitments, which make a huge difference in the lives of domestic violence victims.
