Losing Heroes Without Losing Hope |
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Chief Justice Ralph Gants
9/24/1954 - 9/14/2020
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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
3/15/1933 - 9/18/2020
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The legal community recently lost two of the greats: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Many of us have benefited from the work of these outstanding judges and their lifelong fight for equality.
Chief Justice Gants made it his mission to identify and address injustice in the legal system. His dedication to the people of Massachusetts is epitomized in his creation of the Access to Justice Commission. The Commission was created to address unequal access to justice across the state by bringing together the best the legal field has to offer. Every decision he made was an effort to make sure ALL citizens of Massachusetts receive fair and equal treatment under the law.
Justice Ginsburg fought throughout her career for those who were oppressed. From securing more equality for women to influencing the passage for same-sex marriage laws, Justice Ginsburg made it her mission to make sure all people had equal opportunities.
Both Justices embodied the belief that all people should have equal access to all institutions. They fought for equal opportunities for citizens regardless of income, sex, race, sexual orientation, and other personal characteristics. We lost two powerhouse justices, and their shoes will be hard to fill. But the work we all do everyday builds upon their legacies. Every time our staff provides free legal advice; every time our pro bono attorneys represent someone; every time a donor helps fund our work, you are supporting Justice Gants' and Justice Ginsburg's beliefs.
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Volunteer Attorney Hannah LaPuck has become an invaluable Family Law and Guardianship volunteer during the pandemic. In July, VLP launched a virtual Family Law/Guardianship clinic over Zoom, a first for us. Attorney LaPuck, a new volunteer with VLP, decided to shadow a clinic just to see what it was like. She became hooked and now attends the clinic almost weekly! In just a few months, Attorney LaPuck has gone from shadowing at the clinics to mentoring new volunteers!
Of her time with VLP, Attorney LaPuck said, "I initially started volunteering with VLP as a way to give back while simultaneously working on my skills as a new attorney. I have found throughout my time with VLP that it is one of the most welcoming, passionate, and committed communities I have had the pleasure of being a part of."
We appreciate Attorney LaPuck for her commitment to VLP!
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Family Law and Guardianship Staff Attorney Geraldine Gruvis-Pizarro is no stranger to difficult cases. Recently, she won a complicated custody case that involved domestic violence and controlling behaviors from the opposing party. Geraldine's client has been separated from her daughter's father for years due to domestic abuse, but that did not stop him from exerting control whenever he could. During his parenting time with the child, he told their 5-year old daughter that it is the client's fault they are no longer a family. He continued to harass the client by calling to speak with their daughter 2-3 times per day every day and used the opportunity to tell the client she is a bad mother.
Geraldine provided needed emotional and legal support to the client. She took the client's calls at all hours, provided a listening ear and validated the client's struggles.
The case was strenuous because the opposing party fought every proposed agreement, and the client wanted to give up out of frustration, but Geraldine pushed forward and helped her client get what she wanted- sole legal custody with a very specific parenting plan.
The client is very appreciative of Geraldine's work, and VLP is proud of her perseverance and compassion!
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"Thank you so very much for all your help and patience. It was so very wonderful and comforting to wake up the past two mornings with that legal pressure gone. I hope you know how very important and appreciated your volunteerism is to so many people."
- VLP Client
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VLP staff and volunteers continue to work tirelessly on pro bono cases, and that work has not gone unnoticed by clients.
We want to take a moment to thank all of you! To our volunteer attorneys, law students, paralegals, partner firms, community organizations, and donors- our clients appreciate everything you do. Your support allows our clients to find closure on at least one stress in their lives. You are so appreciate by our staff and our clients.
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VLP's Civil Appeals Clinic |
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VLP, alongside several APBCo firms, has been running the Civil Appeals Clinic virtually for the past few months. As the pandemic continues to create barriers for our clients from fully accessing legal services, we continue to break those barriers and create innovative ways for clients, volunteers, partners, and collaborators to access our programs and services.
As a continuation of these efforts, the Appellate Legal Clinic will launch a virtual Zoom Clinic for our clients and volunteers to meet face-to-face on a video platform. The Civil Appeals Zoom Clinic will continue to run every Wednesday from 12-4pm. Volunteers for the clinic will receive detailed information and instructions in advance of the clinic to prepare them to engage with clients. Staff will be available before, during, and after each clinic to provide mentorship and support, and to manage any tech issues.
If you would like to learn more about our Civil Appeals Clinic, please contact Miranda Black at (857) 320-6446 or mblack@vlpnet.org.
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Congratulations to Staff Attorney Natasha Lewis for her promotion to Call Center Supervising Attorney! Natasha joined VLP as a call center attorney in 2016 and was promoted to full-time staff attorney in our Bankruptcy and Unemployment units in 2018. During that time, she became invaluable by managing our advice call panel and leading our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in addition to her legal work. Now she is back to her first home at the call center! We are glad to have such a knowledgeable and hardworking attorney in this position!
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Another congratulations to Claudia Rivera-Gruvis on her promotion to Senior Intake Specialist at our call center! Claudia has been with VLP since 2019, and she quickly became an invaluable member of our team. Claudia's extensive legal knowledge and her ability to remain calm in stressful situations make her the perfect person to train our new Intake Specialists and support them in their work!
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Welcome to new Staff Attorney Natasha Vedananda! Natasha joined VLP as a staff attorney in August 2020. Prior to joining VLP, she worked on housing matters as an AmeriCorps at Greater Boston Legal Services’ Cambridge office. Natasha currently works in the Housing and Bankruptcy units of VLP.
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We also welcome new Staff Attorney Alana Clark! Alana joins VLP as housing and employment law attorney. Before joining VLP, Alana was a Fellow in the Employment Unit at Greater Boston Legal Services and a Law Clerk for the Rhode Island Superior Court. Alana is a graduate of Simmons University and Boston College Law School.
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Madeleine Sandler joins VLP as an Americorps Legal Advocate for the 2020-2021 service year! She will be working with clients in our call center and rotating through our legal units to provide support. She is originally from New York and graduated from Oberlin College with a bachelor's degree in history.
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Stefanie Grossano joins VLP as our other new AmeriCorps Legal Advocate. She will be providing legal assistance in our call center and providing support to our legal units. Prior to joining VLP, she was the Massachusetts Regional Manager at the Petey Greene Program, a nonprofit organization that supports the academic achievement of incarcerated people through tutoring. She is a graduate of Boston University.
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Thank you for all that you do!
Stay happy and healthy, VLP family!
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