A lot has changed since 1969 when a handful of junior associates at Proskauer created Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA):  the world had about half the population it has now, the price of gasoline was around 35 cents per gallon, and the Jets won the Super Bowl.  One thing that hasn’t changed since then, however, is the need among low income artists and arts-related non-profit organizations for pro bono legal services.

In light of VLA’s 50th anniversary gala on April 2nd, where Proskauer will be honored with the organization’s “Founders Award,” we asked a number of Proskauer lawyers to reflect on their experience with VLA.

Proskauer partner Robert Kafin, one of VLA’s founders, recalled that in the early days, VLA did not have any staff but was operated entirely by its board which met periodically at Proskauer.  According to Bob, the vision and real driving force behind VLA came from third-year associate Paul Epstein, now a retired partner, who spearheaded the Firm’s efforts including the original legal work incorporating the organization.

Over the past 50 years, several Proskauer lawyers have served on the VLA board, and the Firm has undertaken countless pro bono matters through the organization.  These matters are among the most popular pro bono assignments at the Firm today.

First-year associate Jillian Ruben explained that her work with VLA, which in just the first few months of her tenure at the Firm has included several matters, is especially rewarding because it “has allowed me to incorporate my passion for theater into my practice.” Shelina Kurwa, a second-year associate, stressed the impact of her work, “VLA gives me the chance to work with artists who often find themselves in a weakened position at the negotiating table because they do not have the funds and resources to match the other side.”

According to partner Margaret Dale, vice chair of the litigation department and the latest Proskauer lawyer to serve on VLA’s board, “Providing free legal services allows artists to focus on their art. That serves not just the artists but the greater community.”

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Photo of William C. Silverman William C. Silverman

William C. Silverman is a partner responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts, which provide assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation as well as transactional matters. He focuses on identifying and securing pro bono opportunities and partnerships for Proskauer…

William C. Silverman is a partner responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts, which provide assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation as well as transactional matters. He focuses on identifying and securing pro bono opportunities and partnerships for Proskauer lawyers and ensuring widespread participation in these projects.

Bill has robust private and public sector experience and a strong criminal and civil background. He has worked extensively on government investigations and white collar criminal matters, as well as complex civil litigation in federal and state courts. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he led criminal investigations, conducted trials and handled Second Circuit appeals.

Throughout his career, Bill has dedicated himself to the promotion of equal access to justice through pro bono service, particularly in the area of family court, anti-trafficking, and immigration.

Bill spearheaded a partnership among several law firms, corporations and the New York City Family Court to provide free legal advice to pro se litigants. The New York City Family Court Volunteer Attorney Program now has more than 400 volunteer attorneys from 40 major firms and corporations. Bill also helped build a coalition of organizations in a successful effort to secure additional Family Court judges in New York. He is now part of an effort spearheaded by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore to simplify the New York Court System from 11 trial courts to three.

Bill serves as counsel to the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition. In that capacity he has been a strong advocate for changes in the law and public policy to protect victims of human trafficking and bring perpetrators to justice. He also represents individual clients in this area, including a successful federal lawsuit brought on behalf of a trafficking victim against her traffickers. For his work, he was named by domestic violence nonprofit Sanctuary For Families as one of “New York’s New Abolitionists.”

Bill has spoken at numerous conferences and events, including New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman’s Hearings on Civil Legal Services and the American Bar Association’s Equal Justice Conference. In 2014, he attended a meeting at the White House with Vice President Joe Biden and other policymakers on the need for access to legal services in immigration proceedings.

Bill has been recognized for his public service with the Abely Pro Bono Leadership Award from Sanctuary For Families and Columbia Law School (2019); the Special Leadership Award for All-Around Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility & the Law from City & State Reports (2015); the Commitment to Justice Award for Outstanding Partner from inMotion (2008); and the Matthew G. Leonard Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Achievement from MFY Legal Services (2007).

Outside of his work at the firm, Bill serves on various committees and non-profit boards. Bill is currently chairman of the Fund for Modern Courts, a non-partisan citizen organization devoted to improving New York State courts, and is formerly chairman of Legal Information For Families Today (LIFT), an organization devoted to unrepresented litigants in Family Court.