VOLS Board Member Cyrus Mehta and VOLS Legal Director Peter Kempner recently presented at the Practising Law Institute (PLI) on “Ethical Issues in Pro Bono and Legal Services Representation,” alongside co-panelists Jennifer Cowan, Maurice Segall, Shanna Tallarico, and Sidney Cherubin. The program examined a variety of best practices on ethical issues including confidentiality and conflicts, representing clients with diminished capacity, and the scope of representation. All essential to a pro bono program that functions for our clients! #ProBono
Volunteers of Legal Service - VOLS
Legal Services
New York, New York 1,113 followers
VOLS provides free, civil legal services in New York City by partnering with law firms, companies, and community orgs.
About us
VOLS - Volunteers of Legal Service was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1984, when New York City Bar leaders responded to severe federal government budget cuts to legal services. That year, private-sector attorneys committed through VOLS to dramatically increase pro bono service as a strategy to help close the justice gap in New York City. Across 35 years and through crises such as the HIV epidemic, September 11th, the financial crisis of 2008, and Hurricane Sandy, VOLS has provided free, civil legal services when and where they are needed most. Today, we harness the capacity of New York City's legal community and neighborhood-based groups to empower our neighbors to attain dignity, security, and opportunity in their lives. We serve New Yorkers who are unable to obtain legal support due to low household income or underserved socioeconomic background. Through five legal projects, VOLS collaborates with 210 community-based groups – such as schools or senior centers – to ensure that New Yorkers can learn about and access our services in a trusted setting. Our expert team works alongside a network of 1,000+ pro bono attorneys at over 60 law firms and corporate law departments, to advise, represent, and advocate for our clients. Our programs help to anchor the safety net in our city, including the VOLS: - Children’s Project, - Elderly Project and Veterans Initiative, - Immigration Project, - Incarcerated Mothers Law Project, and - Microenterprise Project. For more information, please visit www.volsprobono.org.
- Website
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http://www.volsprobono.org
External link for Volunteers of Legal Service - VOLS
- Industry
- Legal Services
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- New York, New York
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1984
- Specialties
- Pro Bono, Microenterprise and Small Business, Legal Services, Immigration, Volunteering, Elderly Law, Incarcerated Mothers, Unemployment Compensation, and Pro Bono
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
40 Worth Street
Suite 829
New York, New York 10013, US
Employees at Volunteers of Legal Service - VOLS
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Russatta Buford
Chief Operating Officer | Process & System Improvement | Operational Alignment | Strategic Planning
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Cindy Mullock
Executive Director, Board Member & Strategic Advisor
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Patrick Allan Loman, Esq.
Labor Relations Specialist with experience in collective bargaining , grievance handling and arbitration.
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John Kiernan
Partner at Debevoise & Plimpton
Updates
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The VOLS Incarcerated Mothers Law Project provides crucial legal support to mothers and parents in women’s prisons and jail. Our team speaks regularly to parents who are desperate for information about their kids or for contact with their kids - and who are legally entitled to it – but have no mechanism for enforcing their rights. We help our clients understand and enforce their rights to help families stay connected. You can help us continue this work by making a donation today. volsprobono.org/give/ CC: Stephanie Taylor Olivia Pickard, Esq.
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VOLS is pleased to welcome Gina Castellano, Partner, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, to our Board of Directors. #ProBono
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We’re here for older adults in NYC. The VOLS Senior Law Project empowers older adults to have control over their medical and financial futures. Having key legal documents in place promotes choice over decisions made during their final years, increases quality of life and supports stability in housing, medical, property, and other basic needs. Will you consider helping us continue this work by making a gift today? Visit volsprobono.org/give/ #SupportNewYorkers CC: Elisa Mercedes Tustian
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Celebrate a loved one, friend, or colleague by donating to VOLS in their honor! Your recipient will be notified with a personalized e-card sent directly to them. Your gift helps New Yorkers access free civil legal services, when and where they are needed. volsprobono.org/give/ #SupportNewYorkers
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A dedicated #probono team from Morrison Foerster partnered with Volunteers of Legal Service - VOLS Senior Law Project to help older #NewYorkers do the careful work of incapacity and life planning. Clients left with the documents needed to honor for future distribution of their possessions, how aggressively they want medical conditions to be treated, who to trust with a power of attorney, and the disposition of their remains. Our older adult clients report tremendous relief from knowing personal affairs will be handled in accordance with their wishes in the event of their disability or death. #Thankyou to the amazing team at MoFo: Jiang Liu, Alfred Williams, Daniel Baskerville, Carolina Bernal-Ramirez, Yoon Hyun (Allison) Cho, Yeram Choi, Philip Jaworskyj, Patrick Keeler, On Yue Vonnie Nam, Michael Scheiner, Derek Steingarten, Hannah Yang, Dennis Davis, Cameron Coffey, Sanan Ibne and Ken MacCardle, and to VOLS PBAC member Jeff Xu for your training and dedication to #volsprobono. CC: Abja Midha, Elisa Mercedes Tustian, Yan Y., Peter Kempner, Alyssa Villareal, Carrie H. Cohen
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We’re here for immigrant youth and families in NYC. The VOLS Immigration Project supports immigrant youth and their families seeking safety and opportunity in the United States. There will be a lot to do in 2025 to support and empower our clients in the face of changing law. You can help us continue this work by making a gift today. Visit volsprobono.org/give/ #SupportNewYorkers CC: Keighly Rector
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We are delighted to welcome Sierra Acosta for an externship at Volunteers of Legal Service - VOLS. Thank you, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP for sponsoring her work with our Microenterprise Project.
I'm thrilled to share that for the next four months I will be a Legal Extern with Volunteers of Legal Service - VOLS Microenterprise Project! Thanks to the generous support of my firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP I have the opportunity to advise NYC's small business owners on a wide range of transactional matters, including entity selection and formation, governance documents, drafting and evaluating contracts, compliance with employment law, protecting intellectual property, cybersecurity, and more to help them avoid crisis and thrive. This role will allow me to apply my legal skills to the #publicinterest sector and work with #probono colleagues to empower NYC's #entrepreneurs. If you’re looking for a way to give back this holiday season, I encourage you to consider donating to VOLS. They do incredible work and create lasting impact in our communities. Your contribution can help further their mission to help New Yorkers access justice. www.volsprobono.org/give I’m incredibly grateful to Davis Polk for making this experience possible and to VOLS for welcoming me into their impactful work. Looking forward to what the next few months bring! CC: Andrea Tan, Abja Midha
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Legal representation for public benefits challenges often makes the difference between an approval and denial. The VOLS Benefits Law Project helps New Yorkers access vital public benefits that support their basic needs. In this giving season, please consider a gift to VOLS. Your contribution helps ensure we can continue to support our community. volsprobono.org/give/ #SupportNewYorkers CC: Jean Stevens Tori Roseman
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VOLS Microenterprise Project wants to update our pro bono volunteers and clients, particularly small businesses, on a recent court decision that may impact your obligations under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).
VOLS Legal Alert: Court Blocks Enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act– What Pro Bono Volunteers and Entrepreneurs Need to Know
https://volsprobono.org