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City Bar Fund Annual Report 2002-2003
Just CausesJust CausesTransforming Lives Through the LawTransforming Lives Through the Law
2
At the City Bar Fund, we try to ensure that justice
is available to those who are in need and do not know
where to turn for help. Often, we are the last resort for
low-income people who are desperate for legal
representation. For them, we provide the justice that they
could not find anywhere else, and we actually transform
people’s lives. They are not merely just “cases,” but our
“Just Causes.”
This year, more than 20,000 clients – immigrants,
the homeless, the elderly, cancer survivors, domestic
violence victims, and others – benefited from legal
assistance provided by the City Bar Fund. Our programs
include free legal information, referrals, advice, and direct
representation by staff and volunteer attorneys. Our
volunteers contributed more than 30,000 pro bono hours
with an estimated value of $4.5 million. Many of the
attorneys were trained by our staff specifically to serve the
needs of our clients.
As you will read, we are highlighting the stories of
three very different people who have found their way to
the City Bar Fund. They dramatically illustrate the range of
services we provide. And they’re told from two points of
view: the client in need, and the attorneys who responded.
The first is an asylum case involving an older man
who is a Liberian refugee. He was forced to leave his family
and flee for his life. He was granted asylum here after one
of our volunteer lawyers represented him in immigration
court. The second one is about a young woman from
Honduras with an infant daughter who became homeless.
Thanks to a volunteer attorney, she was able to obtain the
public assistance she was entitled to and to find her own
apartment. The third one is about a middle-aged, disabled
woman who could not afford a divorce lawyer. Her
husband had not supported her in six years. He hoped to
obtain a default divorce, but the City Bar Fund has been
successful in stopping it.
This is our Annual Report for 2002–2003. The
attorneys who work with us tell us that the legal counsel
they provide is inspiring and worthwhile and it is vital to
those we serve. We hope you agree.
A Letter from E. Leo Milonas, President, The Association of the Bar
of the City of New York and The City Bar Fund
Pictured left to right: Barbara Berger Opotowsky,Vice-President, City Bar Fund; E. Leo Milonas, President,
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York andCity Bar Fund; and Maria L. Imperial, Executive Director,
City Bar Fund.
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WN, Client: I am 60 years old, I come from Liberia and
am a member of the Krahn tribe. I am married, and I
have seven children. I worked for many years as a truck
driver. One day in 1986, some young hoodlums
burglarized my home. They were caught and sentenced
to four months in prison.
Four years later, when Liberia was in the middle of a
civil war, those burglars seized me and my family. They
had decided to exact revenge.
My family then fled Liberia and took refuge in the
Ivory Coast. When it appeared that the civil war was
coming to an end, I returned to Liberia to see if I could
bring back my family. The rebels had murdered my father
and three of my brothers and sisters. My house had been
burned, and my mother had also died. All because we
were Krahns. I began working as a truck driver for
Doctors Without Borders. In early 2000, I was captured
by Liberian government forces. I would have been
executed immediately, but they needed me to drive the
truck.
I finally escaped by driving the truck through the
gate of a refugee camp where my captors had gone to
get food and supplies. The international peace-keeping
forces guarding the camp routed my captors and rescued
me. I was fortunate to make my way to the U.S. But my
family remains in the Ivory Coast.
When I first applied for asylum, the Immigration and
Naturalization Service denied my application. I was told I
needed an attorney. That's when I went to the Bar
Association and found my lawyer, Mr. Gueron.
Mr. Gueron prepared an excellent case, and after I
testified, asylum was granted. I have been working as
a cook in a Kentucky Fried Chicken. I've been there for
nearly two years, and I have been sending money
home every month. I'm hoping my family can come to
America soon.
The City Bar Fund’s Public Service
Network matches attorneys seeking
volunteer opportunities with nonprofits
throughout New York City, including the
City Bar Fund itsel f. The Network
introduced Henri Gueron, a retiring
attorney who was seeking a full-time
volunteer placement, to the City Bar
Fund’s Refugee Assistance Project,
where he has been working ever since.
Following is the story of WN, one of
Henri’s many clients who successfully
gained asylum through the efforts of the
City Bar Fund:
The CityBarPublic Service
Network
The CityBarPublic Service
Network
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Henri Gueron, volunteer lawyer for the City
Bar Fund: When I took Mr. N's case, I had just retired
and had started volunteering at the Bar Association. I
had been with Con Edison for many years and attended
law school at night. I worked as in-house counsel from
1993 until I retired from Con Edison in 2001, focusing
mainly on administrative and contract law and also
intellectual property.
This was my first court case. Immigration law is
certainly very different from corporate practice where the
goal is to never get into court. Here, you’re in court, and
the stakes are extremely high.
In an asylum case, generally, the applicant, having
fled for his or her life, comes to the U.S. with little more
than the clothes on his or her back, let alone a sheaf of
evidence. As a result, the court attaches enormous
importance to the credibility of the applicant. So the first
thing we do is to get a detailed story.
Since credibility is so important, I had to find
corroborating evidence. I used the Internet to confirm
Mr. N.'s employment in Liberia. I had no luck with my
original searches for the mining company, which
apparently had gone out of business. Then, using the
name of the mine itself, I hit “pay dirt.” Former mine
employees had kept in touch with each other through a
web page they had created. I e-mailed the site, and
received two positive replies from retired executives
confirming Mr. N’s employment. Doctors Without
Borders also confirmed his employment.
Through Doctors of the World, we reached a doctor at
Montefiore Hospital. Working pro bono, he examined
Mr. N and filed an affidavit confirming that Mr. N's
injuries were consistent with the torture Mr. N described.
A Liberian witness also attested to Mr. N's last name
being identifiably Krahn.
In court, Mr. N's sister came with her husband to
testify to Mr. N's arrival in the U.S. The court had
appointed an interpreter, and the first thing that
happened was that Mr. N's brother-in-law and the
interpreter fell into each others' arms. They came from
the same village in Liberia and hadn't seen each other
since they were school children.
This case gave me a profound sense of
accomplishment. My client was very deserving, and
justice eventually prevailed. We are now working to
reunite Mr. N. with his wife and his children, to whom
the law extends the benefits of his victory.
City Bar Public Service Network and Refugee Assistance Staff (l to r):Katherine Neilson, Henri Gueron, Carol Bockner,
Lauris Wren and Josh Franco.
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Haidy Guity, Client: I am 21 years old, and I have a
daughter, Brianne, who is nine months old. I’m from
Honduras. Two years ago, I was living with my boyfriend
in the Bronx. He began beating me, every day, even
when I became pregnant. When the beatings became
worse, I was fearful that he would really harm me or the
baby.
I went to live with my mother when I was six
months pregnant, but this proved to be a problem, too.
She had a household full of my siblings. Then I moved
to a Bronx shelter run by the Red Cross where my
daughter was born. At that point, my caseworker told me
I was eligible for an increase in public assistance, to take
care of my baby. I was then transferred to the Latham
Hotel.
My additional welfare benefits never came. Last July
I met Sam Barkin at the shelter’s legal clinic. Mr. Barkin
became my lawyer. He discovered that I had filled out
the right application, but when I moved, the City said it
did not know where I was. So they told us we had to file
another application.
Mr. Barkin said that I would get the additional
payments. Then I stopped getting food stamps. So I
called the City agency. The worker who answered
screamed at me and said, “I don’t know anything.” So I
told him I would call my lawyer. And he said, “Go ahead,
call your lawyer.” Mr. Barkin wasn’t available, but I was
able to speak with his colleague, Ellen Lafferty. Ms.
Lafferty was very persistent and the next day, she got the
City to send me $324. I was very grateful for her help.
Thank god, my situation is much better. I’m living in
an apartment in the East Bronx. It’s big enough for my
baby and me. And now I have some money to get some
food and clothing for her.
I’ve taken a high school equivalency test, and I’m
waiting for the results. I’m trying very hard to improve
my situation. Right now, I want to work and am looking
for a job. I don’t want to be on welfare.
For the past 12 years, the City Bar
Fund has been providing pro bono
legal services to the homeless.
Through our Legal Clinic for the
Homeless, we operate monthly legal
clinics at two shelters and one drop-
in center that provide legal
assistance to homeless persons who
are on public assistance and want to
become independent. This year the
law firm of Heller Ehrman White &
McAuliffe “adopted” the Latham
Hotel, a family shelter run by the
Red Cross. Here is the story of one
of the former residents and the
attorney who helped her:
TheLegal Clinic
for theHomeless
TheLegal Clinic
for theHomeless
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Sam Barkin, volunteer lawyer for the
City Bar Fund: My day job is securities fraud and
professional liability litigation at Heller Ehrman White &
McAuliffe. Since taking on the Legal Clinic for the
Homeless as a pro bono project, we’ve handled over 25
public assistance cases.
A lot of the young women we work with at the
clinic have been abused by a boyfriend or a husband.
They usually have young kids and are not getting any
support. They despise welfare, and they want to get off
it. But they don't have the education. I don't think
most of the public knows this. They think these people
are undeserving.
We spend most of the time coping with the City's
bureaucracy. Ms. Guity's case is a prime example. When
she came to the clinic, she and her daughter were living
on $136 a month of public assistance. They were eligible
for $452 because of her baby. The City had no record of
her daughter’s birth. This was strange, because Ms. Guity
had met with her caseworker with her daughter and had
given the caseworker a copy of the birth certificate.
We went to the welfare center to file another copy
of Ms. Guity’s daughter’s birth certificate. Still, the City
took no action. The baby was still not being counted. We
then brought a proceeding, called a Fair Hearing, to
compel the City to correct the budget. Ms. Guity
testified, and she also brought her daughter. At her
hearing, the judge found for Ms. Guity. The City was
ordered to add the daughter to the budget and to give
Ms. Guity retroactive benefits.
Still, the City failed to comply. The caseworker told
me that Ms.Guity would be getting the money soon.
Several weeks later, when the money still hadn’t arrived,
we called again and her caseworker told me, “Well, we're
very busy here.” The money had been authorized a
month ago, but the supervisor hadn't signed off.
Ultimately, we had to start enforcement proceedings.
We made an emergency application to have the money
put into her account. In November, she received over
$3,000 in retroactive benefits. Nevertheless, even though
she won her case, she is still not getting the correct
amount of benefits on a monthly basis.
The struggle continues…
Sam Barkin, volunteer lawyer for the City Bar Fund
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Mavis Ansemsro, Client: I am from Ghana, in West
Africa, and I came to the U.S. about 30 years ago. I am
59 and live in Brooklyn. I have been married for 32
years. My husband works for the NYC Transit
Authority. One morning, about six years ago, I noticed
he was packing his clothing. He said he was moving
out.
My husband hasn’t supported me. Not a dime. I’ve
had no help from him in six years - nothing at all. It’s
really hard if you haven’t worked in a very long time,
and you get just a little income and have bills to pay.
It’s not easy at all. I’ve gone through a lot. I used to pick
up cans from the street. It was really hard for me.
All I’m getting is disability now. I’m trying to
manage, but still it’s very hard. When I need to pay
bills, I borrow. I will have to keep borrowing. I hope to
pay back all that I’ve borrowed.
My husband filed for divorce last July, I didn’t know
what to do. I couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer. When I
went to the court, they gave me the number of the City
Bar Fund. A lawyer there, Judith Flamenbaum,
informed me that I should come to their legal clinic.
She called me the night before to remind me. She likes
to help people; she really loves her job. I appreciated it
very much. She keeps in touch to see how everything is
going.
At the clinic, the staff of the City Bar Fund helped
me to prepare an answer and a counterclaim to my
husband’s divorce complaint. Oh, my goodness. This is
the most help I’ve ever had in my whole life. In fact, the
City Bar Fund has been wonderful.
The City Bar Fund’s Center for Self-Help,
In fo rmat ion, Educa t ion and Lega l
Defense (SHIELD) program operates a
city-wide telephone hotline, providing
legal information, referrals and brief
services to indigent and low-income
New Yorkers who have nowhere else to
turn for legal assistance. SHIELD also
offers matrimonial clinics where staff and
vo lun t ee r s a s s i s t c l i en t s who a re
proceeding without representation in
divorce actions. Here is a typical story of
a New Yorker who received help through
the SHIELD matrimonial clinics.
The ShieldProgram
The ShieldProgram
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Judith Flamenbaum, Director of SHIELD
Matrimonial Program: Mavis Ansemsro has such a
sad story. It was nice to be able to help her because
there is something that is so good about her. She’s a
jolly, wonderful woman who is making lemonade out of
lemon. She just wants her fair share. She took care of
this man, waited on him hand and foot, “buttered his
bread,” as she often puts it.
She had been served with divorce papers, and we
prepared a response so her husband couldn’t get a
default divorce. She got a copy of the complaint, and one
of our volunteer attorneys prepared an answer.
Mavis is disabled. She walks with a cane, and it’s
very difficult for her to get around. It was hard enough
for her to walk down the long hallway just to come to
the office. She cannot work. It’s hand-to-mouth living.
She doesn’t complain, and does what she has to, but her
husband has assets. There are properties, and hopefully,
Mavis will have a claim on them.
She’s okay now; she’ll get her fair share. We’re
hoping that eventually there will be a settlement. Her
husband will be retiring soon, and she will be entitled by
law to some of his pension.
Judith Flamenbaum and Mavis Ansemsro
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Immigrant WWomen aand CChildren’s PProject The threat of deportation is often an immigrant’sgreatest fear. This tactic is frequently used by men whoabuse their wives. Few women know that they canseek relief under the federal Violence Against WomenAct (“VAWA”). Our staff and volunteers help immigrantvictims of domestic violence legalize their immigrationstatus without the cooperation of their batterers. Wealso provide advice and legal representation toimmigrants seeking relief under the Victims ofTrafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. Lastyear, we helped 489 women and children, 150 ofwhom obtained work authorizations, adjustment oflegal status or green cards.
Cancer AAdvocacy PProjectCancer patients and survivors face extraordinarydemands as a result of their illness. These difficultiesare compounded when insurance companies refuse topay for treatment, when employers discriminate, orwhen cancer patients and survivors have difficultynavigating the public benefits system and are worriedabout who will take care of their minor children shouldthey become unable. The Cancer Advocacy Projectprovides cancer patients with legal assistance on issuesrelating to discrimination in the workplace, health law,insurance coverage, and wills. Last year, we helped232 cancer patients and their families.
Elderlaw PProject As they age, poor New Yorkers face bewildering legalproblems that relate to such basic needs as housing,healthcare, and finances. The Elderlaw Project reachesout to senior citizens through legal clinics andcommunity forums held at senior centers, residencesand single room occupancy hotels. Our services alsoinclude the Senior Housing Protection Project thatprovides free legal assistance to low-income seniorhomeowners and renters who need to commenceeviction proceedings against abusive tenants orroommates. Last year, we helped 403 seniors.
In addition to the City Bar Public
Se r v i c e Ne two r k , t he Re fugee
Assistance Project, the Legal Clinic for
the Homeless and the SHIELD
matrimonial clinics, the City Bar Fund
transforms lives through the following
projects:
Other City Bar Fund
Programs
Other City Bar Fund
Programs
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Small BBusiness IInitiativeThrough the Small Business Initiative, the City Bar Fundpromotes entrepreneurship by conducting legalseminars and clinics for small businesses throughoutNew York City. Last year, we helped 800 smallbusinesses affected by the September 11th tragedy.
Law-RRelated EEducation PProject/Lawyers iin the CClassroomThis critical four-year-old education program provides abasic primer for city students about how our justicesystem works. The students learn about courtroomprocedures and the law from volunteer attorneys andjudges. Last year, 50 lawyers and judges madepresentations in junior high schools and afterschoolprograms, reaching over 1,500 children.
SHIELD Legal HHotlineNow in its sixth year, SHIELD serves as an entry pointto legal assistance for low-income New Yorkers. Fivemornings a week, staff and volunteers offer low-incomeNew Yorkers free information, advice and referrals toother legal services through the hotline. Last year,nearly 12,000 calls were answered. SHIELD alsoprovides uncontested and contested divorce clinics,where clients can receive help filing court forms, andget advice on property and child visitation rights.
LAWHELPLAWHELP.ORG is a website designed to improveaccess to legal resources for low-income people in NewYork City. The site combines a comprehensive databaseof legal services providers with customized searchengines for quick, accurate referrals. The website alsoprovides legal information to clients. LAWHELP is acollaborative project of the City Bar Fund, Pro BonoNet, Legal Services for New York City, The Legal AidSociety of New York and Volunteers of Legal Service.
September 111th Legal IInitiativeWith its September 11th Legal Initiative, the City BarFund offers free legal assistance to individuals andsmall businesses directly affected by the tragic events ofSeptember 11th. Since the initiative began, we havetrained approximately 3,000 volunteers and haveassisted about 1,760 individuals and families and 800small businesses.
Housing CCourt SSummer AAssistance PProjectThe project provides law students with a volunteerexperience in Housing Court where they adviseunrepresented parties about their legal rights in housingdisputes. Last year, nearly 700 people were helped.
Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye with students from the Law-Related Education Project.
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Cyrus RR. VVance CCenter for IInternational JJustice IInitiativesIn 2002, the Cyrus R. Vance Center for InternationalJustice Initiatives was established within the City BarFund. Cyrus R. Vance was President of the Associationof the Bar of the City of New York from 1974 to 1976.As President, he led the New York bar in expandingpro bono legal services to enhance access to justice.
The Vance Center seeks to promote internationally anethic of societal responsibility in the legal profession;access to justice; legal reforms to strengthen democraticinstitutions and the rule of law; access to opportunity inthe legal profession through the use of the resourcesand expertise of the Association, its committees andmembership; and the development of partnershipsacross borders to support social justice.
The Vance Center’s current initiatives include:
South AAfrican VVisiting LLawyer PProgramThe Vance Center is coordinating an intensive one-year fellowship program in corporate law forSouth African lawyers from previouslydisadvantaged communities to assist in developingthe next generation of lawyers in South Africa. Aninaugural class of seven fellows are working inNew York through the support of Cleary, Gottlieb,Steen & Hamilton; Clifford Chance; Cravath,Swaine & Moore; Credit Suisse First Boston; JPMorgan Chase; Morgan Stanley & Co.; SalomonSmith Barney; Shearman & Sterling; SimpsonThacher & Bartlett; and Weil Gotshal & Manges.
Latin AAmerican PPro BBono IInitiativeTogether with the Inter-American Affairs Committeeof the Association, the Vance Center iscollaborating with lawyers in Latin America topromote and institutionalize pro bono legal servicesin the leading law firms and law societies. Theseefforts have included the organization of aconference in Buenos Aires in 2001 and Santiagoin December 2002.
Committees are the backbone of
the Association. Approximately
180 committees, comprised of
attorneys with specific expertise,
address various areas of the law,
t h e c o u r t s a n d t h e l e g a l
profession. Development support
provided by the City Bar Fund
enables Association committees to
undertake studies that affect policy
at all levels of government and
activities that advance the public
interest. Because it would be
impossible to list all of the projects
being carried out by committees
as wel l as the specia l publ ic
interest projects being carried out
by the City Bar Fund, the following
are representative projects:
Public Interest andCommittee ProjectsPublic Interest andCommittee Projects
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Thurgood MMarshall FFellowship PProgramThe Thurgood Marshall Fellowship Program wascreated in memory of the life and work of SupremeCourt Justice Thurgood Marshall. Created by the OrisonS. Marden Lectures Committee, this paid fellowship isopen to three minority law students from New York Citymetropolitan area law schools who work with the City Bar Fund or the Association’s Civil RightsCommittee. The 2002 recipients are Andrea Anderson,a student at Brooklyn Law School; Sarah Lazare, astudent at CUNY Law School; and Rebecca Velez, astudent at the Fordham University School of Law.
What IIt’s RReally LLike tto PPractice LLaw in NNew YYork CCity aas aa WWoman Co-sponsored by the Association’s Committees onWomen in the Profession and Law Student Perspectives,and the New York Women’s Bar Association, thisannual event, begun in 1992, features a paneldiscussion concerning issues that significantly affectwomen lawyers. Designed for women summerassociates to address the challenges they will face aspracticing attorneys, the symposium helps establish tiesbetween women law students and women lawyers whocan act as mentors and advisors.
Environmental LLaw CCommittee: Minority FFellowship PProgram in EEnvironmental LLawWhile minority groups are disproportionately affectedby many environmental hazards such as occupationalexposure and the proximity of their communities tohazardous waste sites, few minority lawyers practiceenvironmental law. The Association’s Committee onEnvironmental Law and the Environmental Law Sectionof the New York State Bar Association established aMinority Fellowship in Environmental Law Program in1992 to encourage minority lawyers to enter the field.The 2002 recipients of the Minority Fellowship inEnvironmental Law are LaVonda Collins, a student atAlbany Law School; Christine Cyriac, a student at PaceUniversity School of Law; Tara Torno, a student atCardozo Law School; and Daniel Yohannes, a studentat Pace University School of Law.
The NNew YYork CCity Lawyers AAssistance PProgramThe New York City Lawyers Assistance Program (NYCLAP) recognizes that alcohol and substance abuse canimpair an attorney’s ability to perform, resulting inpersonal and professional devastation. NYC LAPassists members of the legal profession and theirfamilies who are experiencing problems with alcoholand/or drugs. Through its dedicated director, EileenTravis, free confidential help is offered to attorneys,judges, law students and their families in order toaddress the problem, identify the appropriate resourcesand begin the recovery process.
The LLibrary The Association's collection of legal materials is themost comprehensive of any bar association library inthe country. The more than 600,000 volumes includeprimary source materials comprising case law, statutesand regulations from all federal and state jurisdictionsas well as many foreign countries. The Library has thenation's most complete collection of New York andFederal appellate court records and briefs. The Libraryalso features electronic and on-line services.
Thurgood Marshall Fellows Rebecca Velez and Andrea Anderson
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The Leslie HH. AArps MMemorial Lectures focus ondevelopments in the legal profession and are dedicatedto the memory of Mr. Arps, a founder of Skadden ArpsSlate Meagher & Flom. The most recent Arps Lecture, in2000, was presented by Hon. Patricia Wald, Judge ofthe United States Court of Appeals for the District ofColumbia Circuit.
The Benjamin NN. CCardozo Lecture was established in1941 to honor the memory of the jurist BenjaminCardozo, whose compassionate leadership andcommitment to high professional standards haveenhanced the practice of law. The subject areas of thelectures vary from year to year. In 2002, the lecturewas presented by the former Chief Justice of India andformer Chair of the United Nations Human RightsCommittee, P. N. Bhagwati.
The Alexis CC. CCoudert Lecture highlights topics ofinternational law which are of interest to bothpractitioners and scholars. The lectures pay tribute tothe late Alexis C. Coudert, who was a partner ofCoudert Brothers.
The Herman GGoldman MMemorial Lecture deals with thedevelopment and improvement of the law relating totrusts, estates and taxation, subjects in which Mr.Goldman, a member of the Bar for over 60 years, waskeenly interested. The most recent Goldman Lecture, inMay 2000, featured Professors Charles Davenport andEdward McCaffery and was moderated by Hon. JamesS. Halpern.
The Milton HHandler AAnnual AAntitrust RReview, that wasestablished by Professor Milton Handler, who was aleading authority in antitrust law, is devoted todevelopments in this area of law. The most recentHandler Review was delivered in December 2002 byStephen M. Axinn, Hon. Frank H. Easterbrook, Hon.Timothy J. Muris, R. Hewitt Pate, and moderated byWilliam H. Rooney.
The Mortimer HH. HHess MMemorial Lecture focuses on thelaw of trusts, estates and taxation, areas in which Mr.Hess was an acknowledged authority.
The Orison SS. MMarden MMemorial Lecture alternatelyfocuses on professional and ethical responsibility in thelegal profession and increasing the availability of freelegal services to the indigent. The lectures honor Mr.Marden, President of the Association from 1960-62. The most recent Marden Lecture, in 2002, waspresented by the Chief Judge of the New York Court ofAppeals, Judith S. Kaye.
The Justice RRuth BBader GGinsburg DDistinguished LLectureon WWomen aand tthe LLaw was created in 2000 torecognize Justice Ginsburg's ground-breakingcontributions to the advancement of women's rights andher achievements as a lawyer, professor and judge.The most recent Ginsburg Lecture, in 2002, waspresented by Lani Guinier, Professor of Law, HarvardLaw School.
Justice Ginsburg and Lani Guinier
LECTURESLECTURES
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The Bernard BBotein MMedal is awarded annually toemployees of the courts of the First Judicial Department“for outstanding contributions to the administration ofthe courts.” The award is in memory of BernardBotein, a former Presiding Justice of the AppellateDivision and a former President of the Association. Theawards are made possible by a grant from the Ruthand Seymour Klein Foundation, Inc. The 2002 awardwinners are:
Noel DD. AAdler, Director of the Division ofInformation Technology Colleen BBolger, Principal Court Clerk, SupremeCourt, New York CountyMajor RRaymond DDiaz, Commanding Officer,Supreme Court, Bronx CountyDaniel JJ. MMcDevitt, Senior Administrative Assistant,Appellate Division, First DepartmentFrank PPollina, County Clerk Specialist, SupremeCourt, New York County
The Legal SServices AAwards were established torecognize the efforts of attorneys who are providingcritical civil legal assistance to poor people in NewYork City. The awards are made possible by a grantfrom the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The 2002award winners are:
Matthew CChachère, Staff Attorney, NorthernManhattan Improvement CorporationMarshall GGreen, Attorney-in-Charge,BronxNeighborhood Office,The Legal Aid SocietyLisa PPearlstein, Staff Attorney, Brooklyn LegalServices, Corporation ACynthia SSchneider, Director, HIV Project,SouthBrooklyn Legal ServicesJill ZZuccardy, Director,Child Protection Project,Sanctuary For Families
The Municipal AAffairs AAwards were established torecognize outstanding achievement as an AssistantCorporation Counsel in the New York City LawDepartment. The 2002 award winners are:
Lisa BBlack, General Litigation DivisionLisa GGrumet, General Litigation DivisionMatthew MMaiorana, Special Litigation Unit, Tort DivisionAlexandra PPinilla, Tort DivisionEric PProshansky, Affirmative Litigation Division
The Henry LL. SStimson MMedal is presented annually tooutstanding Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the SouthernDistrict and in the Eastern District of New York. Themedal is awarded in honor of Henry L. Stimson, whoserved as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District from1906-1909 and as President of the Association from1937-1939. The awards are made possible by thegenerosity of the firm of Pillsbury Winthrop LLP. The2002 medal winners are:
Linda AA. LLacewell, Assistant U.S. Attorney, EasternDistrict, Criminal DivisionCharles PP. KKelly, Assistant U.S. Attorney, EasternDistrict, Civil DivisionDavid NN. KKelley, Assistant U.S. Attorney, SouthernDistrict, Criminal DivisionNeil MM. CCorwin, Assistant U.S. Attorney, SouthernDistrict, Civil Division
The Kathryn MMcDonald AAward is presented annually totwo lawyers or judges for excellence in service to theNew York City Family Court. The award is in memoryof Kathryn McDonald, the former Administrative Judgeof the Court. The 2002 award winners are:
Kevin CC. FFogarty, Professor of Law, St. John'sUniversity School of Law and retired Family CourtJudgeThomas CCurtis, Staff Attorney, The Legal AidSociety’s Juvenile Rights Division
AWARDSAWARDS
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PresidentE. Leo Milonas
Vice Presidents
Barbara Berger Opotowsky
Carlos Morales
Elizabeth S. Stong
SecretaryFrances Milberg
TreasurerHelaine Barnett
William P. Bowden, Jr.
David M. Brodsky
Zachary W. Carter
Paul A. Crotty
William J. Dean
George W. Evans
Jose W. Fernandez
Fern Fisher
Allan L. Gropper
L. Priscilla Hall
Kenneth V. Handal
Robert M. Kaufman
John S. Kiernan
Cyrus D. Mehta
Abby S. Milstein
Jennifer Mone
Bettina B. Plevan
Barbara Paul Robinson
Steven B. Rosenfeld
Samuel W. Seymour
Warren J. Sinsheimer
Pamela M. Sloan
George Bundy Smith
Jane R. Stern
Madeline C. Stoller
David W. Weschler
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York Fund, Inc.
Board of DirectorsBoard Officers
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Maria Imperial, Executive DirectorAlice Morey, Managing Attorney Carol Bockner, Director of Pro Bono Initiatives Rosemary Griffin, Development DirectorSunera Taikaram, Development CoordinatorChrissy Okereke, Program Coordinator
COMMUNITY OUTREACH LAW PROGRAM
Vivienne Duncan, Program DirectorLaila Maher, Program DirectorSuzanne Tomatore, Program DirectorLauris Wren, Program DirectorHenri Gueron, Volunteer AttorneyJosh Franco, Program CoordinatorMagdalena Barbosa, Program CoordinatorKaty Herrmann, Program CoordinatorCharlotte Smith, Program CoordinatorRebecca Velez, Thurgood Marshall Fellow
CENTER FOR SELF-HELP, INFORMATION, EDUCATION
AND LEGAL DEFENSE
David Gaffner, Director of SHIELD HotlineJudith Flamenbaum, Director of Matrimonial ProgramsBeth Seligman, Staff AttorneyRachel Spearman, ParalegalMolly Thomas, Program CoordinatorAndrea Anderson, Thurgood Marshall Fellow
CITYBAR PUBLIC SERVICE NETWORK
Katie Neilson, Director
SEPTEMBER 11TH
LEGAL INITIATIVES
Akira Arroyo, Equal Justice Works FellowKwanza Butler, Staff AttorneyDon Fried, Volunteer AttorneyYveline Alexis, Program CoordinatorLaura Campbell, Program Coordinator
LAWHELP
Anne O'Grady, LawHelp Coordinator
Last year, City Bar Fund volunteers contributed over 30,000 hours of pro bono work to our clients. Their legal expertise and good will help New Yorkers in need transform their lives.
The City Bar Fund is deeply grateful for the commitment of our volunteers. We could not do the work we do without their generosity and dedication.
Thanks to Our VolunteersThanks to Our Volunteers
City Bar Fund Staff
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Contributions from May 1, 2001 to March 31, 2003
Benefactors ($25,000 +)
Altria Group, Inc.
Altria Group, Inc.
Doors of Hope Program
Equal Justice Works
Ford Foundation
IOLA
JAMS Foundation
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation
New York City Department of Youth
and Community Development
New York Community Trust
Pfizer Inc.
David Rockefeller
Rhodebeck Charitable Trust
September 11th Fund
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Sullivan & Cromwell Foundation
USAID
Champions ($10,000 -$24,999)
ABCNY’s Committee on
Condemnation & Tax Certiorari
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
Michael A. Cooper
William Nelson Cromwell
Foundation
Peter DeLuca
Dreitzer Foundation
FJC Donor Advised Fund
Mary J. Hutchins Foundation
New York City Board of Education
New York Law Journal
E. John Noble Foundation
S. H. and Helen R. Scheuer
Family Foundation
Spingold Foundation
Isaac H. Tuttle Fund
Partners ($5,000 – $9,999)
David M. Brodsky
Michael A. Cardozo
Chase Manhattan Bank
Evan A. Davis
Diamondston Foundation
Harriet Ford Dickenson Foundation
ECPAT-USA, Inc.
Goldie-Anna Charitable Trust
Conrad Harper
Robert M. Kaufman
Sidney & Judith Kranes
Charitable Trust
Network of Trial Law Firms, Inc.
North Carolina Bar Association
Lyn R. Oliensis
Isak & Rose Weinman
Advocates ($1,000 - $4,999)
Arthur Abbey
M. Bernard Aidinoff
ABCNY’s Alternative Dispute
Resolution Committee
ABCNY’s Matrimonial
Law Committee
Animal League Defense Fund
Helaine Barnett
Georgette Bennett
Donald S. Bernstein
William P. Bowden, Jr.
Patrick A. Bradford
Garth W. Bray
John W. Carr
Merrell E. Clark, Jr.
Cortland County Bar Association
Nancy Burnell Coughlin
Courtroom Television Network LLC
Paul A. Crotty
Mark G. Cunha
John D. Feerick
Beatrice S. and Lloyd Frank
Margaret M. Grieve
Bryanne A. Hamill
Wade S. Hooker, Jr.
Humane Society of the United States
Iowa Defense Counsel Association
Iowa State Bar Volunteer
Lawyers Project
Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman
Robert J. Katz
Stephen R. Kaye
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Kaye Scholer LLP
John S. Kiernan
Ruth & Seymour Klein Foundation
Daniel F. Kolb
W. Loeber Landau
David A. Langner
James and Nancy Lipscomb
George T. Lowy
Metzger-Price Fund
Frances Milberg
Abby Milstein
Carlos M. Morales
New York Bar Foundation
Nixon Peabody LLP
Office Depot
Parsons Family Foundation
Basil Paterson
Richard G. Powell
Richman Group, Inc.
Barbara Paul Robinson
Sidney S. Rosdeitcher
Scott County Bar Association
Felice K. Shea
Warren J. Sinsheimer
Elizabeth Snow Stong
Aidan Synnott
Patricia H. Trainor
Verizon Foundation
White & Case
Eric Cooke Woglom
Charlotte & Arthur Zitrin Foundation
Associates ($500 - $999)
Teresa M. Andresen
Anonymous
Reina Barcan
Samuel L. Barkin
John E. Baumgardner, Jr.
Jeffrey H. Becker
Charles W. Bradley
Zachary W. Carter
Ernest J. Collazo
Stephen D. Cooke
Richard B. Cooper
Ruth Cove
Dammann Fund
Alan S. Dunning
The Eshe Fund
Halburton Fales, II
Bonnie J. French
Michael & Barbara Gerrard
Harvey J. Goldschmid
Michael J. Granoff
Allan L. Gropper
Peter & Helen Haje
Kenneth V. Handal
John D. Harkrider
Jack S. Hoffinger
Robert Hubbard
Morton L. Janklow
Akimitsu Kamori
Curtis B. Kellar
Nancy Kilson
Susan J. Kohlmann
Thomas E. Kruger
Robert Todd Lang
Carmen Lawrence
Alisa F. Levin
Carol & Lance Liebman
Robinson Markel
Harold A. Mayerson
Thomas A. McGrath
Michael H. Margullis
D. Stuart Meiklejohn
Michael Mills
E. Leo Milonas
Daphna H. Mitchell
Thomas H. Moreland
Jenny Morgenthau &
Eugene Anderson
Robert G. Morvillo
Ellen R. Nadler
New York Women’s Bar Association
Orisha Foundation
Eric Osterweil
Gregory M. Owens
Laura Palma
Mark H. Palermo
William B. Pollard, III
Mary Jean Potenzone
Yvonne S. Quinn
Quinnipiac University School of Law’s
Criminal Law Society
Marc Rauch
Kathy H. Rocklen
Timothy G. Rogers
Susan F. Scharf & Steve Larry Ross
William J. Schrenk, Jr.
David A. Schulz
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Samuel W. Seymour
Steven Eric Shiffman
Carina Sinclair
Milton D. Solomon
Eric J. Stapper
Jane Stern
Solon E. Summerfield Foundation
Lucia D. Swanson
Governor Tipton
Judith P.Vladeck
Ira T. Wender
Friends ($250 – $499)
Roland R. Acevedo
Gerald Aksen
Mark H. Alcott
Jeffrey A. Barist
Alan G. Brenner
Debra Buell
Patricia Crown
William J. Dean
Robert J. Egan
The Feinberg Group, LLP
Jose Fernandez
Hart Fessenden
Eric M. Freedman
Laly & George Gallantz
Helene G. Goldberger
Elizabeth K. Goldman
Bill & Emily Gottleib
Jeffrey B. Gracer
Huyler C. Held
Alice H. Henkin
Margaret M. Hill
Judith Jacobson & Daniel Lavin
Barbara Kapnick
Rhoda Karpatkin
Robert & Luise Kleinberg
Boris Kostelanetz
Victor A. Kovner
Joan F. Krey
William F. Kuntz
Susan B. Lindenauer
Nancy M. Louden
Lawrence A. Mandelker
Christopher L. Mann
Cyrus D. Mehta
Robert H. Mundheim
National Employee Rights Institute
National Employment Lawyers’
Association
Barbara Berger Opotowsky
Barbara E. Otten
Peter L. Parcher
Robert M. Pennoyer
Kenneth & Bettina Plevan
Sara S. Portnoy
Bruce J. Prager
Steven Ramsey
Stanley R. Resor
R. Bruce & Melissa Saxe Rich
David W. Rivkin
Edmund P. Rogers, III
Orin Root
Steven B. Rosenfeld
Alan Rothstein
Seth Rubenstein
Catherine Samuels
Brian L. Schorr
Mark J. Shapiro
David V. Smalley
Lynn H. Strudler
John W. Sullivan
Avrom S. Waxman
William Weisner
Robert C. Weisz
Steven White
James H. R. Windels
Merrie Faye Witkin
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Law Firms
Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C.
Arnold & Porter
Baker & McKenzie
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP
Chadbourne & Parke LLP
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
Clifford Chance US LLP
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Davis & Gilbert LLP
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Debevoise & Plimpton
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.
Goodwin Procter LLP
Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
Holland & Knight LLP
Hunton & Williams LLP
Jacob, Medinger & Finnegan, LLP
Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP
Kaye Scholer LLP
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
Kirkland & Ellis
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP
Mendes & Mount, LLP
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason & Silberberg, P.C.
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop LLP
Proskauer Rose LLP
Shearman & Sterling
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Torys LLP
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering
Corporations
Altria Group, Inc.
Credit Suisse First Boston
GE Foundation
JAMS Foundation
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
Morgan Stanley
New York Law Journal
Pfizer Inc.
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
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The Association of the Bar of the City of New York Fund, Inc. is a tax-exempt corporation organized under Section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions to the City Bar Fund are tax-deductible to the fullest extent
allowed by law. The City Bar Fund relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, and law firms to
carry out its public service work. To learn more about giving opportunities at the City Bar Fund, please contact
Rosemary Griffin at (212) 382-6754.
Community Outreach, SHIELD,
Public Service Network &September 11 Legal Initiative
63%
Committee Projects & Library
29%
Fundraising 9%
Administrative 8%
Government 6%
Association & Membership Support
35%
Foundations & Trusts
26%
Law Firms &Corporations
33%
Income Expenses
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Revenues and other support:Contributions and grants $ 279,421 $ 1,612,339 $ - $ 1,891,760 Investment losses (571,385) (210,747) - (782,132)Other income 164 51,250 - 51,414
Total revenues and other supportbefore net assets released from restrictions (291,800) 1,452,842 - 1,161,042
Net assets released from restrictions:Satisfaction of program restrictions:
Education and research 558,834 (558,834) - - Community outreach and services 891,019 (891,019) - -
Total net assets released from restrictions 1,449,853 (1,449,853) - -
Total revenues and other support 1,158,053 2,989 - 1,161,042
Expenses:Program activities:
Education and research 558,834 - - 558,834 Community outreach and services 1,227,132 - - 1,227,132
Fund-raising 94,139 - - 94,139 General and administrative 77,919 - - 77,919
Total expenses 1,958,024 - - 1,958,024
Change in net assets (799,971) 2,989 - (796,982) Net assets - beginning of year 4,121,133 1,436,863 702,101 6,260,097
Net assets - end of year $ 3,321,162 $ 1,439,852 $ 702,101 $ 5,463,115
UnrestrictedFunds
TemporarilyRestricted
Funds
PermanentlyRestricted
Funds
TotalAll
Funds
Statement of ActivitiesYear Ended April 30, 2002
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AssetsCash and cash equivalents $ 816,743Investments 4,513,745Accounts receivable and other current assets 172,024Property and equipment 64,763
Total assets $ 5,567,275
Liabilities and Net AssetsLiabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 104,160
Net assets:Unrestricted $ 3,321,162Temporarily restricted 1,439,852Permanently restricted 702,101
Total net assets 5,463,115
Total Liabilities and Net Assets $ 5,567,275
Balance Sheet as ofApril 30, 2002
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