Legal Services of the Hudson Valley "Equal Access to Justice" Dinner

On Wednesday, April 6th, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) held its premiere fundraising event, the 2016 “Equal Access to Justice” Dinner at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, in White Plains, NY. The event was a huge success, raising essential funds and much-needed attention for the organization, which is the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services to those that cannot afford it in the seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley.

Almost three hundred guests showed their support for the organization and its three honorees -- Tony West, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of PepsiCo; Sidner Rosdeitcher, Of Counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP; and Susan Fox, President & CEO of White Plains Hospital.

LSHV’s CEO, Barbara Finkelstein spoke about the important role the organization plays in advocating for our neighbors in need. “Many of our clients are the same neighbors being served by other non-profit organizations in Westchester. While many of these individuals need a roof over their heads, access to healthcare, or a feeling of safety in their own homes, oftentimes, what they need most is an attorney to fight for their right to fair treatment by the courts… they need justice!”

Rosdeitcher, one of the evening’s Honorees, echoed that sentiment in his remarks saying, “There is no nobler function a lawyer can perform than providing access to justice for people who cannot afford to pay for counsel that they need to help them in their most desperate circumstances."

The guests in attendance also heard from two LSHV clients – a domestic violence survivor and a disabled veteran -- who told their first-hand experiences with the organization and how LSHV attorneys “helped them get their lives back.” Their stories, unfortunately, were not unique, as LSHV handled more than 14,000 cases last year impacting the lives of more than 32,000 people.

The Dinner committee was led by Co-chairs, Courtney R. Rockett, Esq., Partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP and Tom Lalla, Retired General Counsel at Pernod Ricard USA. While hundreds of individuals and businesses made generous contributions in support of the “Equal Access to Justice” Dinner, the event was sponsored in part by Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP; PepsiCo; Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; and White Plains Hospital.

2017 will mark LSHV’s 50th anniversary of making a difference in the community we all share. Plans are already underway to make next year’s “Equal Access to Justice” Dinner another huge success. If you’re interested in being a part of the event, as a committee member or sponsor, please contact Tom Gabriel, Chief Development Officer at 914-949-1305 ext 160.

About Legal Services of the Hudson Valley

The mission of LSHV is to provide free, high-quality counsel in civil matters where basic human needs are at stake for poor and low-income individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney. With the gap separating those who can and cannot afford legal representation widening each day, we work to engage as many allies as possible in this effort. LSHV is the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services to all seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley (Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan). We are the recipient of Legal Services Corporation funding for the region and provide a full array of services to low-income individuals and families to meet the legal needs for “essentials of life” and preserve the stability of client households. The work we do each day provides justice to thousands of our neighbors who have nowhere else to turn. Our funding empowers us to: Protect people from domestic violence; Defend seniors against abuse; Serve veterans on the home front; Support the rights of the disabled; Keep families in their homes; and Advocate for children’s well-being.

Pictured (L-R): Legal Services of the Hudson Valley CEO, Barbara Finkelstein, with the organization’s Equal Access to Justice Dinner Honorees, Tony West, Susan Fox, and Sidney Rosdeitcher.