LSHV Honors Volunteers During National Pro Bono Celebration Week

WHITE PLAINS, NY – To commemorate National Pro Bono Week 2018, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) honored several attorneys who have done important pro bono work with the agency. National Pro Bono Week (October 21-27, 2018) spotlights pro bono in order to enhance and expand local efforts to increase access to justice for all. LSHV is the only provider of free, comprehensive civil (non-criminal) legal services to low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families in the Hudson Valley who cannot afford an attorney when their basic human needs are at stake. LSHV’s Pro Bono Week Awards Ceremony was held Tuesday, October 23, at LSHV’s headquarters office in White Plains.

LSHV’s 2018 event honored:

• Deborah A. Scalise of Scalise and Hamilton, LLP. Deb Scalise routinely provides advice and counsel to staff attorneys and supervisors on ethical issues encountered in their work on cases and the administration of program activities. In addition, she has presented CLEs for staff on ethical issues and updates.
• Emily P. Kahn of Walsh & Amicucci LLP. Emily Kahn has acted as mentor to several staff attorneys seeking guidance in cases involving issue of trusts and estates.
• The volunteer attorneys of Westchester CLARO (Civil Legal Advice and Resource Office) Program, for offering free legal advice to unrepresented Westchester residents being sued by creditors. The honorees included:
  • Harvey Boneparth, Esq.
  • Betsy G. DeSoye, Esq.
  • Fernanda Gutheil Faleiro, Esq.
  • Brian Gallagher, Esq.
  • Regina Kelly, Esq.
  • Raymond Murphy, Esq.
  • John E. Schmeltzer, III, Esq.
  • LSHV’s Supervising Attorney for Litigation, Marcie Kobak, Esq.
  • LSHV’s Supervising Attorney, Christopher Schweitzer, Esq.

Speaking of the Pro Bono Week celebrations, LSHV Pro Bono Director Christopher Oldi said, “We at LSHV are grateful to Deb and Emily for their invaluable mentorship, and to the volunteer attorneys of Westchester CLARO for their service to vulnerable Westchester residents. We are honored to partner with these attorneys in this important work.”

LSHV is the only provider of free, comprehensive civil (non-criminal) legal services to low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families in the Hudson Valley who cannot afford an attorney when their basic human needs are at stake. This includes urgent legal needs such as: domestic violence (orders of protection, child custody, etc.), housing emergencies (eviction and foreclosure prevention), healthcare, children's law and advocacy, disability and benefits, elder law, consumer fraud and more. Founded more than 50 years ago, LSHV serves the seven counties of the lower and mid-Hudson Valley (Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan), maintaining a staff of 135 individuals -- including 80 attorneys and 27 paralegals -- working across nine offices throughout its service area. Last year alone the organization handled 15,000 cases impacting more than 34,000 household members.

For more information about LSHV, please visit its website www.lshv.org.

Photos (3):

Frances M. Pantaleo, Esq., Partner at Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP and LSHV Board Secretary, with Emily P. Kahn, Esq. of Walsh & Amicucci LLP

Frances M. Pantaleo, Esq., Partner at Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP and LSHV Board Secretary, with Deborah A. Scalise, Esq. of Scalise and Hamilton, LLP

CLARO VOLUNTEER HONOREES (L-R): Harvey Boneparth, Esq.; LSHV’s Pro Bono Director Christopher Oldi, Esq.; LSHV’s Supervising Attorney for Litigation, Marcie Kobak, Esq.; Betsy G. DeSoye, Esq.; LSHV’s Supervising Attorney, Christopher Schweitzer, Esq.; Fernanda Gutheil Faleiro, Esq.