2021 Commitment to Justice Awards
Every year Her Justice celebrates the New York City legal community’s commitment to volunteerism, highlighting the very real impact legal relief can have for New York City families.
This year has been unprecedented in many ways and yet our clients’ need for legal services continued. We are grateful and proud to recognize the legal community’s commitment and dedication to the provision of high-quality legal services.
Thank you so much for following along last week as we celebrated the outstanding New York City legal community during our Commitment to Justice Awards! Her Justice celebrated winners of the following categories; Legal Team Awards, Pro Bono All Star Awards, Pro Bono Specialist, Manager, Counsel, and Chair Awards, System Changers Awards, and Above and Beyond Awards. All winners are listed below!
Click below to watch closing remarks from our Executive Director:
“I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for sticking by Her Justice and standing with the women living in poverty in New York City…
I would also like to give an equally heartfelt thanks to our own legal team at Her Justice. Our team has worked tirelessly not only to mentor all of the volunteers but to stay up to date with the changing rules and procedures of the courts as they have shifted during this pandemic. Our staff are, of course, people themselves. Many of them are women, many of them are parents. And yet they always put the needs of our clients first. It’s truly remarkable…
We are so grateful for our partnership with you, and we hope we will be able to see you all in person next year.”– Amy Barasch, Executive Director, Her Justice
Legal Team Awards
This award is given to teams of volunteer attorneys who go above and beyond for their clients, whether it’s obtaining much-needed financial support for their clients, creating legal precedent, or finding an ingenious way of prevailing. Her Justice honors two legal teams for their extraordinary dedication to reaching the best possible outcome for their clients:
Luis Maria Clouet, Alejandro Espitia, and Carla Ruggero
Clifford Chance
Carly E. Coleman, Alexandra Sperling Droz, Natalie J. Kraner, Kathleen A. McGee, and Ryan M. Wilson
Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Pro Bono All Star Awards
The pandemic has been especially challenging for women living in poverty like our clients. This award is given to volunteers whose dedication to their clients this past year went far beyond the scope of their legal representation.
Her Justice honors these individuals who have truly embodied the mission of Her Justice:
Jenna Rode, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Darlene Torres, AIG
Jackson Cory Yates, Winston & Strawn LLP
John K. Geiger Award
Osvaldo Garcia from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
This award is presented in memory of John K. Geiger who volunteered at Her Justice for many years, first as a paralegal, then as an attorney. The award is given to those attorneys, like John, whose unyielding compassion and dedication towards their clients is truly outstanding
Pro Bono Specialist, Manager, Counsel, and Chair Awards
This award recognizes the diligence and dedication each of these individuals has given to pro bono work. These award winners are an integral part of ensuring that all processes in their cases run smoothly and that the attorneys and clients have all the information and support they need.
Her Justice honors these individuals who serve an invaluable role in the pro bono work we do:
Julissa Saragoza-Arroyo, Shearman & Sterling LLP
Aviania Iliadis, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Lauren Connell, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Teresa Matushaj, Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP
System Changers Awards
This award is given to partners who have worked to shift the power to our clients at organizational, city, and state levels using their unique talent and resources.
Her Justice honors these individuals and groups who play an integral role in helping the organization to change the systems to work for our clients, rather than against them:
New York City Council Member Helen Rosenthal
Samantha R. DiDomenico and Neil Steinkamp, Stout
Shelly Mady, Kyle Oefelein, Ankura’s Visual Communication Team and Ankura’s Marketing & Communications Team,
Ankura
Above and Beyond Awards
This award is given to organizations and individuals whose support in our pro bono and fundraising efforts have gone above and beyond the call of duty. Her Justice honors these individuals who time and time again show up to support the Her Justice mission:
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP’s
New York Women’s Resource Group
and New York Associate’s Committee
Dale and Max Berger
and the exceptional volunteers from Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Rupita Chakraborty, Samantha V. Ettari, Rachel L. Goot, Erin V. Klewin,
Julia A. Quigley, Hanna Seifert, Reyhan A. Watson, and Jessica K. Weigel
