Public
Counsel eNews
Public
Counsel eNews
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The Best of the Best Spring 2006 has turned out to be a banner season at Public Counsel. With our success with the Los Angeles Marathon fundraiser in March and then with our Sixth Annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception in April we were able to enjoy some social time with our hardworking pro bonos, volunteers and supporters. “These people are the best of the best,” says Dan Grunfeld, Public Counsel’s president and CEO. Paul Freese, Public Counsel’s Director of Litigation, is a man who is unafraid to show his emotions but even he had to fight to maintain his composure at this year’s volunteer awards ceremony. Standing at the lectern before an overflow crowd in the beautiful Louis XVI room at Southwestern School of Law, Paul was quiet for a moment in the warm glow of the room’s shimmering chandeliers. “I’ve never been so moved by one of our volunteers,” he said as he prepared to present the Volunteer of the Year Award in Public Counsel’s Children’s Rights Project to Whittier Law student, Mickey McKinney, for her extraordinary work at Destiny Academy School, a community day school for at-risk young women in South Los Angeles. Paul listed the many hurdles that Mickey had to overcome on her journey to law school, “Mickey was an abused and neglected foster kid from the inner city. She was a high school drop out who then became a homeless single teen parent. It then turned out that her child was disabled. And yet, somehow, Mickey finished high school, finished her undergraduate degree and is now in her third year at Whittier Law School.” Paul then read comments that Mickey had written to her supervising attorneys at Public Counsel, Laura Faer and Inés Kuperschmit, “‘I give thanks to you both for sweeping me under your wings. You were first my mentors and now you are my friends. In addition to the legal and professional guidance you have given me, you both helped me to understand a critical life lesson - that the experiences I’ve had in my life that I once viewed as shameful are really assets to serve as an example for all the youth I work with and as a foundation for my work as a public interest attorney. My struggles have made me stronger.’’’ “So now,” Paul continued, "let’s give a big round of applause to Mickey McKinney here tonight with her four beautiful children.” Mickey rose, resplendent and proud, to receive her award, her eyes glistening with tears. And that was just the first award of the evening. Public Counsel’s annual volunteer appreciation reception is the organizations opportunity to thank volunteers - both attorneys and non-attorneys - from each of our six law projects, and some of our sub-projects. A highlight of the evening was the performance of the New Directions Choir, an a cappella group comprised of formerly homeless veterans. Among their most moving songs was the event’s theme, “Thank you for being a friend.” All told there were 16 honorees; nine were attorneys. Reed Aljian of Jones Day for his work with our Consumer Law Project. David Booher and Tim Martin from O’Melveny & Myers LLP were honored for their work in our Immigrants’ Rights Project. Tom Casparian of Gilchrist & Rutter PC and Sheri Cohen from the Law Offices of Sheri E. Cohen were honored by Public Counsel’s Children’s Rights Project. Marco Ferreira of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP was an honoree for his work with our Community Development Project while Lisa Jochums of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP was feted by our Child Care Law Project. Christopher Kondon of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP was the honored volunteer attorney for our Consumer Law Project and Loene Trubkin, a new attorney to the bar was honored in absentia for her work in our Homelessness Prevention Law Project. The non-attorneys honored were: Isaac Barrera of the Constitutional Rights Foundation for his work with our Development Department. Sarah Dailey, a Boston University grad was honored for her work with our Homelessness Prevention Law Project. Stephanie Kann, a paralegal at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP was a Community Development Project honoree, while Rhonda Reid, a senior paralegal at Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory LLP was honored by our Adoptions Project. Janet Yoon a UCLA undergrad was awarded as Volunteer of the Year by Public Counsel’s Child Care Law Project and an entire family of 11, the Pedrazas, who are all long time Public Counsel volunteers, were honored as the Volunteer Group of the Year.
Special kudos to the award-winning participants of this year’s LA Marathon fundraiser for Public Counsel: Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP led by partner Robert F. Scoular raised the most money and received the Karen Paull Justice Cup (named in honor of Public Counsel's esteemed Director of Development, Karen Paull, who passed away in 2003). 2nd place went to Southern California Edison lead by Stephen E. Pickett and 3rd Place to Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP led by partner, Jamie Broder. The athletic winners among the “Run for Justice” participants were Craig Inouye of Southern California Edison who came in first place in the Fastest Marathon Male category (time - 03:22:55). The Fastest Marathon Female winner was Susan Spira of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP (time - 03:38:23). The Fastest 5K, Male, was David Lambert, also from Paul, Hastings (time - 19:17) and the Fastest 5K, Female, was run by Leslie Cohen of the firm Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine & Regenstreif LLP (time - 24:17). “This is fun!” said an exhausted Mario Luna, 19, a Public Counsel client who was running in honor of the organization, which, in addition to legal assistance, also helped him to successfully apply for his scholarship to Cal State Fullerton. Mario was glad to see the Public Counsel booth at the 24-mile marker with the Belmont High School Cheerleaders and orange slices there to encourage him on the finish line. “If I’m not studying for mid-terms, I’ll be here next year.” Congratulations and thanks to all the participants! |
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