By Michele Mirto

 

Every month, Southern Arizona Legal

Aid’s Volunteer Lawyers Program

(VLP) recognizes an attorney for his

or her efforts and contributions to the

program.  The VLP’s monthly award is

a distinct honor: of the 1220 attorneys

who volunteer their time with the VLP,

only 12 receive the VLP’s Outstanding

Pro Bono Attorney award each year.

 

Pat Green was selected to receive the Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney of the

Month Award for February 2010.  Pat has been a member of the VLP in Pima

County since 2002.  During that time, she has helped clients with domestic

relations matters that include complex divorce, custody and paternity matters. 

Recently Pat completed work on a divorce case for a client who had been

married to her abusive spouse for more than forty years. The case went to trial,

was followed by post-trial motions and concluded when a negotiated decree was

entered.  Pat helped the client obtain spousal maintenance and settle property

issues.  Most important, with Pat’s assistance, the client was able to move

forward and now lives in a safe environment.  Pat dedicated eighty-two hours

to the matter.

 

Q & A with Pat Green

 

Where are you from?

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

Where did you go to college?

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

 

Where did you go to law school?

James E. Rogers College of Law, Tucson.

 

How long have you lived in Tucson?

Relocated to Tucson from Los Angeles in the summer of 1993 to attend law

school.

 

What are your current practice areas?

I practice primarily in the area of family law/domestic relations.

 

What drives you to volunteer with VLP?

I believe it is important to donate time to the community in which we live.  I also

am constantly reminded of the times in my life when I needed legal assistance

and I could not afford the services of an attorney.