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Law Services News - March/April, 2004

Volunteer Attorneys Recognized for Their Work

Nassau — November, 2003

Since May 1989, when Arthur L. Spirn accepted his first case for the Volunteer Lawyers Project, hardly a month has gone by without his pursuing a VLP case. For the 265 hours he has spent on the nine cases he has concluded, the one he has been pursuing for the last three years, and the one he recently began, Spirn has been named Pro Bono Attorney of the Month for November 2003.

The ongoing case to which Spirn has already devoted more than 150 hours came to him as a matrimonial action in which he is representing the defendant wife. Before he could begin working on the divorce, however, he first had to deal with a complicated real estate issue. His client lived in a house owned by her friend with whom she had arranged to pay the mortgage to the bank rather than rent to the owner. By the time Spirn entered the case, his client was no longer able to afford the full mortgage payment, the mortgage was being foreclosed, and her friend had become her ex-friend. Moreover, his client wanted to buy the house but the owner was reluctant to sell it to her. Arguments over whether or not she would be accepted as the buyer dragged on as she tried to get a new mortgage with Spirn assisting her. He was especially helpful in getting the bank that held the old mortgage to forebear long enough for her to succeed in getting a new mortgage. “For four months,” he said, “my office worked on her matter every day!” At last the ex-friend turned over the title to his client, and he was able to turn his attention to the divorce. It is now going forward, so far without complications.

Spirn, who completed his undergraduate education at Gettysburg College in 1961, graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1964 and was admitted to the bar in 1965. He has been a partner in Korn & Spirn for thirty-five years, emphasizing matrimonial and family law , employment discrimination, real estate, and consumer rights.

Suffolk - October, 2003

Patricia I. Calabro, Pro Bono Attorney of the Month for November 2003, is one of those young attorneys who spend many hours–in her case more than 173 and counting–at Pro Bono Project headquarters providing essential administrative help while getting their legal careers started. This in-house work includes doing client intakes, drafting memoranda, and assigning pro bono attorneys to cases. At the same time, these young attorneys get valuable experience in representation of clients in a variety of legal areas.

Since joining PBP in June 2001, Calabro has devoted 278 hours to the Project. The 105 hours beyond her in-house administrative duties have been spent in representing clients in individual cases–five that she has concluded and three more that are still open. She has drafted wills, supplemental needs trusts, living wills, organ donor affidavits, and health care proxies, and she has handled bankruptcy and guardianship matters.

The first bankruptcy case she worked on–for over thirty hours--surprised her. Until then she had not realized the extent of precision necessary or how much paperwork needed to be filed. Calabro is especially enthusiastic about how much she learns through her PBP experience

BE A FRIEND! Inside This Issue Message from Jeffrey Seigel, Executive Director Law Services Wins a $31,000 Overpayment Waiver for Elderly Client Class Action Filed: Get Homeless Kids to School! Automatic Food Stamps for SSI Live-Alone Recipients New Regulations Mean Big Changes for Your Clients on Public Assistance New Plan to Fight Homelessness 2003 Donors. Many Thanks to Our Friends! Beware All SSI Recipients With Saving Bonds We Can't Thank You Enough Good News - Charity Care is Available at all Long Island Hospitals Volunteer Attorneys Recognized for Their Work SPRING 2004 TRAINING SCHEDULE