“No two days at the Help Center are the same! I get to meet many new people and help out in different areas of law. I enjoy the intellectual challenge and the supportive guidance of the JustCause staff. It’s a great opportunity for an attorney looking to volunteer and make a difference.”
— Suzanne T.
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Purpose.
Connection.
CLE Credits.
Ensuring Access to Justice.
Liability Insurance.
Mentoring.
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Ashcraft Franklin Young & Peters, LLP
City of Rochester Law Department
Dentino, Cammarata, Fazio, LLP
Forsythe, Howe, O’Dwyer, Kalb & Murphy P.C.
Handelman, Witkowicz & Levitsky, LLP
Harris, Chesworth, O’Brien, Johnstone, Welch & Leone
Jeffrey Freedman Attorneys at Law
Kaman, Berlove, Marafioti, Jacobstein & Goldman LLP
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William E. McKnight Award
In 1986, the JustCause Board of Directors created the William E. McKnight Volunteer Service Award, to be given annually to a volunteer attorney or attorneys whose pro bono service reflects the commitment to equal justice that Bill McKnight’s life exemplified.
Bill McKnight was a dedicated pro bono attorney and valued member of the JustCause board at the time of his death in 1985.
During the early years of VLSP, Bill was the JustCause immigration panel. In other words, he was just about the only source of representation for poor people in Rochester with immigration problems. In addition to accepting many difficult and complex cases for people facing serious immigration problems, he devoted a great deal of time to the JustCause board, helping to build the organization in its early years.
He was the first African American partner with Nixon Hargrave and perhaps at any sizable firm in New York outside of New York City.
McKnight Awards Criteria:
(1) Pro bono service reflects the commitment to equal justice that Bill McKnight’s life exemplified.
(2) Volume and scope of work that so many lawyers in this community are performing for low-income people.
(3) Nominees fairly represent large, medium, small firms and solo practitioners and corporations.
“While the clients with whom I have worked have expressed appreciation for my assistance, I believe that my experience helping concerned caretakers take a step towards resolving child custody issues has been a win-win proposition for them as well as for me..”
— Opal B.
“Pro bono work for JustCause is rewarding on a variety of levels. I am very grateful for the ability to practice law and feel that working with people who could otherwise not afford my services, represents an expression of my gratitude through action.”