Proskauer For Good

The Proskauer corporate social responsibility and pro bono blog

The Proskauer corporate social responsibility and pro bono blog

Wills for Vets

By Nathan R. Brown on Posted in Pro Bono, Veterans

Proskauer’s Private Client Services lawyers in the Firm’s Boca Raton office have a wide range of experience in trusts and estate planning, and wanted to give back to the community in a meaningful way. With this intention, we formed a partnership with the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County to provide wills for veterans. Founded in 1949, the Legal Aid Society is a leading advocate on a wide variety of issues for the poor and disadvantaged in our area.

This pro bono project, which we initiated in November, provides estate planning services to the men and women who have served our country. In addition to preparing the necessary estate planning documents for clients, and providing guidance throughout the process, our lawyers and paralegals attend bi-monthly legal clinics hosted by the Legal Aid Society to meet with the veterans and assist with the pro bono client intake process. We also have recruited other professional advisors within the community to provide other important services for the veterans that are outside of our scope of expertise.

Our entire Private Client Services Department is committed to making the estate planning process easy and accessible for our clients, and to making a difference in our community. In the first month alone, we began work with six new clients.

Tags: Boca Raton, client intake, clients, Community, give back, GUIDANCE, Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, legal clinics, partnership, Private Client Services, Pro Bono, Pro Bono Legal Services, The Legal Aid Society, Trusts and Estate Planning, Veterans, wills

Does the GDPR Impact How Charitable Organizations Solicit Donors?

By Stéphanie Martinier on Posted in Corporate and Transactional, Pro Bono

Six months after implementation of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”),¹ many charitable organizations are still struggling with compliance. Our pro bono clients frequently ask whether consent is now required to send solicitations or communications via email to donors or potential donors.  Before addressing that discrete question, here are some key GDPR principles that apply to non-profit organizations:

What is personal data? Personal data encompasses any information that may directly or indirectly identify an individual (for example, a name is a direct identifying element, while a date of birth, email address, phone number, home address, or photo is an indirect identifying element).²  Personal data also includes information about the characteristics of an individual (hobbies for instance), opinions of a person, and online identifiers (cookies, IP address).  Because the definition of personal data is so broad, all charitable organizations process personal data.

What is data processing?³ Processing is defined very broadly in the GDPR and includes the collection, recording, storage, adaptation, use, erasure, and mere consultation of personal data. Continue Reading

Tags: charitable organization, compliance, consent, data, data processing, donation, donors, ePrivacy, EU, European Union, GDPR, non-profit, personal data, policies, Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive, Pro Bono, processing, regulation, solicitations

Defending the Massachusetts Assault Weapons Ban

By Laura Stafford on Posted in Pro Bono

Earlier this month, Proskauer filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence in support of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ ban on assault weapons, such as the AK-47 or the AR-15, and large-capacity magazines.  We filed the brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Worman v. Healey, a case challenging the ban on Second Amendment grounds.  Partner Kimberly Mottley and I led the team, with Lindsey Olson Collins and Steven A. Sutro co-authoring the brief.

Since 1998, Massachusetts has banned the sale and possession within the state of military-style assault weapons and large capacity magazines.  These same weapons were used in some of America’s deadliest mass shootings:  Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut;  the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida;  the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada;  Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; and most recently,  the Temple of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The popularity of such assault weapons among perpetrators led the New York Times to dub them the “rifles of choice for mass shootings.” Continue Reading

Tags: Amicus, amicus brief, assault weapons, ban, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, casualties, court, deadly, deposition, Draper v. Healey, federal ban, gun, Gun Safety, load indicator, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, mass shooting, Massachusetts, Orlando, Parkland, perpetrators, Pittsburgh, possession, Pro Bono, regulation, rifle, sale, Sandy Hook Elementary, Second Amendment, semiautomatic, Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals, violent crime, weapons, witness declaration, Worman v. Healey, wounds

New York Law on Sealing Convictions Helps Some Begin a New Life

By William C. Silverman on Posted in Criminal Justice Reform, Pro Bono

With over two million Americans behind bars, this country has the highest incarceration rate in the world.  Our society pays a big price for that distinction, not only in the staggering cost of incarceration itself but in the long-term effects – most notably in terms of employment and housing  – on previously incarcerated individuals and their families.  As part of our pro bono efforts, Proskauer has helped clients through a recently enacted New York law (CPL 160.59) that enables the sealing of certain old convictions.  From this work, two things have become clear: it is an important, impactful law, but for many of our pro bono clients it does not offer relief.

Under the statute, an individual may seal up to two prior convictions, only one of which can be a felony, provided at least 10 years have elapsed since release from prison.  Convictions such as violent felonies and sex offenses are not eligible for sealing.  In partnership with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) and the Community Service Society of New York (CSSNY), we started several months ago taking on these matters.  The clients have turned their lives around but continue – a decade or more after serving their sentence – to suffer real consequences.

One client, in particular, who made an indelible mark on us: a soft-spoken man who in the 10 years since serving a prison sentence, started a wonderful family and built a successful business.  For him the relief offered by this statute was important not simply because his prior convictions (all low-level drug offenses) made it difficult for him to obtain a loan.  The need for relief went deeper – it was a matter of self-esteem.  He made mistakes in his youth, took full responsibility for them, changed his life, and now desperately wanted to let go of the embarrassment and shame of being labeled a “criminal.”  Unfortunately, there was nothing we could do for him because, as it turned out, he had a second felony conviction from many years ago.  Anyone with more than two misdemeanors or more than one felony and one misdemeanor (unless the multiple convictions are tied to the same incident) is automatically disqualified. While the need to place some restriction on eligibility is important, the law currently offers no recourse for our client and so many like him.

We are now assigning a number of similar matters to our new associates.  For every client we help, however, there will be a number of people we have to turn away because of the statute’s limited reach.

Tags: clients, consequences, convictions, criminal, eligibility, employment, felony, Housing, impactful, important, incarcerated, incarceration, label, law, law enforcement, life-changing, limitation, long-term effects, misdemeanor, mistakes, prison, prison sentence, Pro Bono, punitive, recourse, relief, responsibility, restrictions, sealing convictions, self-esteem, shame, society, statute, sympathetic, youth

Bridging Military Skills into Corporate Careers: Veterans Transition to the Private Sector with Mentoring from Proskauer

By Wendy Dessy on Posted in Veterans

This November, Proskauer is celebrating its year-round commitment to veterans by announcing a new partnership with American Corporate Partners (ACP), the nation’s leading veteran mentoring program for service members transitioning to corporate careers.

Ten senior partners and executives at Proskauer were selected to provide career guidance and personalized, one-on-one mentorships for post-9/11 service members moving into the private sector. ACP’s mentoring program helps high-performing returning veterans build a successful second career post-military service. Veterans are mentored on topics ranging from building civilian-friendly résumés, networking, leadership skills and work-life balance.

The mentoring program and partnership with ACP is a part of Proskauer’s broader commitment to veterans. “Proskauer has always been committed to removing barriers to employment for veterans – working with ACP is a natural progression in our work.” said Los Angeles partner, Navy veteran and ACP mentor, Colleen Hart.

Colleen decided to become a mentor because she wanted to help fellow veterans make the transition into the corporate world. “Service members transitioning out of the armed services face many challenges. Civilian business customs and language can be very different from the service. It’s important for veterans to bridge their military skills and knowledge into the corporate world.”

Joanne Ollman, Proskauer’s Chief Professional Resources Officer, was paired with a veteran mentee this summer. “This is the least I can do to assist those service members who want to enter the private sector. I can use my background as a senior human resources professional to guide my mentee through the complicated journey of finding a position that matches her skill set and experience with the right opportunity. We have spent the last month creating a résumé that reflects not only what she has done in the past but what she is capable of doing in the future. I am confident that she will find something that will challenge her and be ‘value added’ to her employer. I am thrilled to be part of her journey.”

Colleen has also built a strong relationship with her mentee. “My mentee is a retired Command Master Chief who served 30 years in the Navy. He’s very skilled and experienced but he’s new to the corporate world. We share our stories about transitioning out of the military and I assist with networking. My mentee hopes to have a second career in human resources and I have no doubt he’ll be a successful corporate H.R. manager someday.”

About American Corporate Partners (ACP):

ACP is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2008 to address veterans’ career transition needs through two free programs: a nationwide veteran mentoring program and an online network, ACP AdvisorNet, offering career, employment and small business advice through a robust business community and Q&A platform.  For more information visit: https://www.acp-usa.org/

Tags: ACP, advice, American Corporate Partners, armed services, careers, challenges, civilian, commitment, corporate, employment, executives, GUIDANCE, human resources, journey, leadership skills, manager, mentee, MENTOR, Mentoring, Military, Military service, Navy, network, networking, non-profit, Nonprofit, online, partners, partnership, private sector, professional, programs, resume, retired, SERVICE, service members, small business, transition, value, Veterans, work-life balance

Veterans Day Spotlight: Securing Benefits for Disabled Vets

By Daniel Nelson and Jinyoung Joo on Posted in Veterans

On October 22nd, Proskauer associates Dan Nelson and Jin Joo received the New York City Bar Justice Center’s 2018 Jeremy G. Epstein Award for Pro Bono Service.  Since November 2017, Dan and Jin have coordinated Proskauer’s involvement in the Justice Center’s Veterans Assistance Project (VAP).  These two are no strangers to public service.  In addition to their current pro bono work, they both previously served with distinction in the military.  Dan served in the U.S. Army infantry from 2000 to 2008, during which time he deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; and Jin served in the U.S. Air Force as a communications officer for four years, and was deployed to Iraq in 2005.

Through VAP we provide veterans with legal assistance on claims for compensation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The veterans we assist have disabilities arising from injuries sustained during their time in service, and are of limited means. These pro bono matters are important and impactful. At the firm, these are among the most popular cases to take, due to the challenging and fulfilling nature of the work.  Proskauer’s involvement in VAP has grown rapidly thanks in large part to a successful partnership with Bloomberg L.P.’s legal department.  We have represented a total of 45 veteran clients thus far with the help of approximately 30 Bloomberg and 70 Proskauer lawyers, paralegals and staff. Continue Reading

Tags: Afghanistan, Benefits, Bloomberg LP, bureaucracy, challenging, claims, compensation, counsel, deployment, disabilities, fulfilling, homelessness, injuries, Iraq, lawyers, legal assistance, LOW-INCOME, mental health, Military, Military service, New York City Bar Justice Center, paralegals, personal, physical health, Pro Bono, Public Service, regulations, sacrifice, staff, suffering, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, Veterans, Veterans Assistance Project, Veterans Day, Vietnam War, volunteer, World War II

Protecting the Right to Vote

By Shelina Kurwa, Seth Fiur and Jason Madden on Posted in Pro Bono

On November 5th and 6th, Proskauer will host over 150 volunteer lawyers in its New York office to support election protection efforts with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Responsible for the largest non-partisan voter protection endeavor in the country, the Lawyers’ Committee is dedicated to ensuring that all voters—regardless of political belief or affiliation—have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. Every election season, Proskauer runs one of the call centers, helping to field a portion of the many thousands of phone calls received by the Election Protection hotline: 866-Our-Vote.

The issues raised during these calls run the gamut. One voter might call in to ask where their polling place is located, while someone else might be having trouble with a broken voting machine. Another might want to know if they can wear a political t-shirt to the polls, while still another might report that their polling place has closed earlier than its legally mandated hours.

Call center volunteers answer all questions to the best of their ability and log the calls in a central database, helping to create a record of common problems that can be addressed. When notified of issues like closed polling places or broken machines, call center volunteers inform volunteers in the field who are able to take immediate action, traveling to polling places and working with local officials to ensure such problems are resolved.

This year, Proskauer’s call center will field calls from Arkansas, Ohio, Tennessee, and South Carolina, with volunteers joining us not only from the firm, but also from a number of corporate clients including A+E Networks, Bloomberg LP and Viacom. To prepare, volunteers attend trainings at Proskauer and online, review materials prepared by the firm with information specific to each state, and learn how to use the database to log calls. Then, over two days, eight different shifts, 28 hours of calls, and countless cups of coffee, call center volunteers get to work protecting one of the most fundamental pillars of our democracy.

Tags: A+E Networks, Affiliation, Bloomberg LP, Call center, common problems, corporate clients, create a record, database, democracy, Election, Election protection, Equal opportunity, immediate action, lawyers, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, local officials, non-partisan, pillars of our democracy, political belief, political process, polling place, Viacom, volunteer, voter protection, voters
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