Civil Law

The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) recently presented its Pro Bono, Pro Bono Judges' and Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Awards, to Pennsylvania lawyers for their legal assistance to the poor. The awards were presented during the association's annual meeting May 4-6 in Pittsburgh.

The PBA Pro Bono awards are presented to lawyers who have committed themselves to the cause of pro bono. Through legal services offices, local bar associations and community organizations, these lawyers work to provide free legal services to the poor.

Those receiving awards included:

Robert Banks, Pro Bono Award - a sole practitioner from Baden, Banks handled the second highest number of weighted cases through the Neighborhood Legal Services Pro Bono/ Reduced Fee Programs in 2004. He helped 16 clients in the areas of landlord/tenant, divorce, custody and support.

Rachel Blake, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Pepper Hamilton in Pittsburgh, Blake was instrumental in the planning and creation of the Homewood Lending Clinic in Pittsburgh. She recruited attorneys to help with the clinic.

Stephen D. Brown, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Dechert Price LLP in Philadelphia, Brown annually donates 250-300 hours to handle prisoner civil rights cases. He is the cocoordinator of the Prisoner Civil Rights Panel for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is the co-founder of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania's Public Interest Civil Litigation Fund, which is a nonprofit corporation that defrays out-of-pocket expenses for attorneys accepting cases from the panel.

Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, Pro Bono Award - the center, which is the site of the nation's only law school student clinic dedicated solely to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, provides legal services to LGBT individuals facing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Last year, it responded to 632 requests for assistance, represented more than 70 needy clients in legal actions and referred more than 200 cases to other attorneys.

Raymond Ferrario, Pro Bono Award - a sole practitioner, Ferrario accepted pro bono cases from both from Lackawanna Pro Bono, Inc., and the Middle District Bankruptcy Bar Association's pro bono project. In 2004, he donated over 60 hours to pro bono cases, which included bankruptcies and custody matters.

David Fine, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP in Harrisburg, Fine donated more than 200 hours of pro bono service in the past year and provided firm leadership in coordinating over 1,000 hours of service by other firm attorneys.

Leo Gibbons, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with MacElree Harvey in West Chester, Gibbons donated more than 100 hours to help nine indigent bankruptcy clients in 2004. He also volunteered for two pro bono programs in Chester County.

Susannah Henderson, Pro Bono Award - an attorney in the Philadelphia office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Henderson handled eight pro bono cases through the Support Center for Child Advocates and the Homeless Advocacy Project, donating more than 90 hours. She is the founder and organizer of the Morgan Lewis Child Advocates Group.

Carolyn Hetrick, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Byler, Goodley, Winkle & Hertick in Lancaster, Hetrick handled six pro bono custody cases last year and donated more than 60 hours of her time.

Peter Horne, Pro Bono Award - a sole practitioner in Lawrence County, Horne donated more than 50 hours to help 118 needy clients last year. He worked in the areas of divorce, family law and elder law.

Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Justin Johnson, Pro Bono Judges' Award - Johnson has demonstrated a sincere dedication to the legal profession, the civil legal aid community and the community-at-large. An original incorporator of Neighborhood Legal Services, Judge Johnson has been a longtime and active member of the PBA Legal Services to the Public Committee.

Michael Kruszewski, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Quinn, Buseck, Leemhuis, Toohey & Kroto, Inc., in Edinboro, Kruszewski donated more the 80 volunteer hours through the Erie County Legal Aid Volunteer Attorneys Program in the areas of defense of lawsuits and bankruptcy.

Kenneth Kulak, Pro Bono Award - an attorney in the Philadelphia office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Kulak donated 167 hours to handle pro bono cases through the Homeless Advocacy Project. He also recruits volunteers to staff the law firm's homeless advocacy clinic and to take cases from the clinic.

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Anne E. Lazarus, Pro Bono Judges' Award - a judge on the Orphans' Court Division, is a dedicated supporter of pro bono service in Philadelphia. She is a three-year member of the Philadelphia VIP Board of Directors, which is a nonprofit organization that coordinates pro bono referrals, and has been an advocate for Philadelphia VIP programs and clients.

Lebanon County Bar Association, Pro Bono Award - Eighty-nine percent of the county's attorneys actively participate in pro bono work through MidPenn Legal Services, Lebanon County office. Last year, the attorneys donated more than 1,099 hours to represent 302 needy clients.

Pamela Mayer, Pro Bono Award - an attorney in Johnstown, Mayer co-facilitates a batterer's intervention program in Cambria and Somerset counties and operates a legal clinic one afternoon each week. She conducts a monthly informational seminar for clients staying in shelter care and those involved in counseling on issues involving domestic violence.

Jonathan McAnney, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Tucker Arensberg PC in Pittsburgh, McAnney donated more than 50 hours to help 91 needy clients. He also serves as the firm's pro bono coordinator and organized a group of lawyers to handle protection from abuse cases.

John McKenna, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with MacElree Harvey, Ltd in West Chester, McKenna donated more than 60 hours to assist four needy clients involved in custody matters. He also created the "Access to Justice" program to serve the working poor in Chester County. Lawrence Neary, Pro Bono Award - an attorney in Harrisburg, Neary donated more the 50 hours to help four needy clients last year through the Dauphin County Bar Association Pro Bono Program.

Wendelynne J. Newton, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Buchanan & Ingersoll in Pittsburgh, Newton coordinates the firm's pro bono program, which was ranked first in Pennsylvania and 49th in the nation for its pro bono work in 2004. She also has volunteered for 20 years with KidsVoice, a nonprofit organization that represents abused and neglected children in the court system.

F. Charles Petrillo, Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year - Petrillo has served the Pennsylvania legal services system for 35 years. He was a founding attorney of the Luzerne County Legal Services, which became Legal Services of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc., and served as its executive director from 1973-2000. Petrillo supervises the AAA Ombudsman legal services project, among the largest for elders in Pennsylvania, and serves as court-appointed counsel for all low-income incapacitated individuals in Luzerne County.

Brian Petroski, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Echard & Snyder in Pittsburgh, Petroski donated more than 85 hours last year to help seven needy clients through the Bankruptcy Clinic, Volunteer Attorney for the Day Program and Reduced Fee Program.

Powell Law Firm, Pro Bono Award - each of the attorneys in this Lackawanna County law firm accepted at least one new pro bono case from Lackawanna Pro Bono last year.

Michael Riskin, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Riskin & Riskin in Bethlehem, Riskin donated more than 55 hours last year to help 12 needy clients through the Fair Share Pro Bono Program offered by North Penn Legal Services.

Marsha Sajer, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP in Harrisburg, Sajer donated more the 135 hours last year to help six needy clients through the Third Circuit Court of Appeals Pro Bono Program and the Veterans' Consortium Pro Bono Program.

Daniel Schaffzin, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Pepper Hamilton in Philadelphia, Schaffzin donated hundreds of hours last year to help a death-row inmate. He also volunteered his time to coach a local high school mock trial team.

Harry Skene, Pro Bono Award - a Lackawanna County attorney, Skene has accepted 10 pro bono custody cases over the past few years through Lackawanna Pro Bono.

Alan Skwarla, Pro Bono Award - an attorney in Cabot, Skwarla donated more than 200 hours last year to help dozens of needy clients through the Neighborhood Legal Services Association's referral programs and his own private practice.

Travis Thompson, Pro Bono Award - an attorney with Liederbach, Hahn, Foy, VanBlunk & Thompson, Thompson donated more than 30 hours last year to help a needy client through the Pro Bono Program of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Bucks County Office.

Barry VanRensler, Pro Bono Award - an attorney in Delaware County, VanRensler donated more than 100 hours last year to help two needy clients through the Pro Bono Project of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware County Division.

Nancy Winkelman, Pro Bono Award - an attorney in the Philadelphia office of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP, Winkelman annually donates more than 200 hours to help needy clients with prison, immigration and disability matters before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. She also co-chairs the firm's Pro Bono Committee.

Diane Zabowski, Pro Bono Award - a sole practitioner in Pottstown, Zabowski donated more than 85 hours last year to help 10 needy clients through the Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Montgomery County Division.

Christine Zaccarelli, Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year - an attorney with Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Zaccarelli has assisted the Chester County Bar Association and the community through both Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the new "Access to Justice" program. She initiated a screening process by which Legal Aid determines the income qualifications for the program and then refers cases to the Chester County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service for placement. In addition, her significant fundraising efforts led to a record year in contributions.