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Recipients
of the 2005 Top Pro Bono Attorneys in Arizona Award were presented
with their awards on Thursday, June 16 at a reception sponsored by
the Arizona
Foundation for Legal Services and Education. Award
recipients are pictured with
Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice
Ruth V. McGregor.
Nina Caples
Sole
Practitioner
Cochise
County
Nina Caples has
made a career of helping
others. Nina worked as a registered nurse
before returning to school to receive her
Juris Doctorate. As an attorney, Nina has
become an advocate for victims of domestic
violence, helping to form the felony
Domestic
Violence Unit at the Cochise County
Attorney’s Office.
Now in private
practice, Nina has directly
represented clients in divorce and support
cases for
the VLP. Nina is currently working on a support case for a client who
is a
non-native English speaker. The VLP client was to receive $500 a month in
spousal maintenance after her divorce. The client’s ex-husband made payments
for five months and then disappeared. Nina has not only helped the client file the
appropriate paperwork in court, but has also helped locate the ex-husband in
another
state. In another case, Nina helped a client seeking divorce. Nina did
extensive
work in the case which included several court appearances. As a
result of
Nina’s efforts the VLP client, a victim of domestic abuse, was awarded
sole
custody of her two young children.
Nina has also
provided advice to clients at the VLP’s Domestic Relations Follow-
Up Clinic. At the
Clinic clients have the opportunity to meet with an attorney for
a half hour.
During the consultation clients receive brief advice about their
domestic relations
cases.
Nina Caples’
commitment to helping those in need serves as inspiration to all
members of the
legal community. For her efforts Nina was awarded the Attorney
of the Quarter in
the Fall of 2002 in Cochise County. It is with great honor that
the staff of the
VLP nominate Nina Caples for the Foundation’s Top 50 Pro Bono
Attorneys in
Arizona Award.
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Deanna Conn
Quarles &
Brady Streich Lang, LLP
Pima
County
Deanna Conn joined
SALA’s Volunteer Lawyers
Program (VLP) in 1998. Deanna offers her
expertise in the area of contract law to help
clients of the VLP
who have nowhere else
to
turn. Deanna has
accepted some of the most
difficult and challenging cases
seen by the
program. Not only has she has never declined
to accept a referral,
but she often calls to
request that program staff send her a new pro
bono case.
Not long ago
Deanna assisted a VLP client with a
contract matter that involved
the safety
conditions in her home. The client, a monolingual Spanish
speaker
and mother of
five, worked and saved to purchase land to build a small home for
her children. The
client signed a contract with a developer who agreed to install
a septic tank and
access to electrical power. The contractor refused to
complete the work,
leaving the client and her children to live in unsafe and
unsanitary
conditions. Deanna stepped in immediately to help the family.
In the past Deanna
has also assisted the VLP with some very complicated
copyright
research. She researched issues and advised the program over a
period of months.
Deanna’s work enabled the staff to share materials with VLP
programs across
the country. For her efforts the VLP honored Deanna in 2003
with the VLP Award
of Appreciation. Although honored locally, Deanna’s pro
bono contributions
merit statewide recognition. For these reasons, the staff of
the VLP is proud
to nominate Deanna Conn for the Foundation’s Top 50 Pro
Bono Attorney
Awards.
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James Egbert
Sole
Practitioner
Pima
County
For twenty-three
years James Egbert has donated his time and expertise to help
clients of the
Volunteer Lawyers Program. Traditionally Mr. Egbert lent his
expertise to VLP
clients in the areas of wills and small estates. Recently he
expanded his work
with the program to include real property matters. His
willingness to
take on property matters could not have come at a better time for
the VLP. The
program continues to see an increase in housing and real property
cases and
fortunately for clients, experienced attorneys such as Mr. Egbert
have
stepped up to meet
the challenge. Mr. Egbert recently accepted a case from the
VLP that involves
a single mother who purchased a home with the father of her
child. When the
father began to physically abuse the client she fled the home
with her child.
After she left the home, the abuser failed to make any mortgage
payments. With
Mr. Egbert’s assistance the client filed a partition action,
reimbursed her
former partner for his portion of the home and was able to move
back into her home
with her child.
In addition to the
extraordinary commitment that he has shown to helping those
in need, Mr.
Egbert has also taken it upon himself to make the referral process
easier for the VLP
staff. He has made arrangements for his long time assistant,
Bettina, to speak
with program staff and accept VLP cases on his behalf. This
accommodation
expedites the referral process and allows clients to meet with an
attorney much more
quickly than they would otherwise be able to.
For his long time
dedication and for his willingness to share his skills and
expertise with
those most in need in our community, the VLP is privileged to
nominate James
Egbert for the Foundation’s Top 50 Pro Bono Awards.
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Charles Giddings
Snell &
Wilmer, LLP
Pima
County
Charles Giddings
has been a member of
SALA’s Volunteer Lawyers Program in
Pima County since
1981. He has assisted
many clients with real property, contract
and probate issues. Mr.
Giddings was
selected by the VLP staff as a nominee
for the Foundation’s Top 50 Awards for
his work on two recent real property
matters,
but also for his long time
dedication and service
to VLP clients.
When
talking about Giddings’
participation in the VLP, Socorro Diaz,
VLP’s Pima County
Coordinator, remarked
that Giddings “was always willing to help when called
upon.” She further noted
that Giddings’
“expertise and compassion make
him an invaluable resource for
the program.”
Recently Mr.
Giddings accepted a real property case through the VLP. The
client, a husband
and father who is permanently disabled purchased a mobile
home for his
family. The client made his mortgage payments in a timely manner,
but when a
disagreement arose between the mortgage holder and a
subcontractor, the
client began to receive collection letters and threats of
foreclosure. Mr.
Giddings stepped in immediately and continues to provide the
necessary legal
services to this family.
Mr. Giddings was
recognized as the Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney of the
Month in Pima
County in January of this year. For his steadfast commitment to
the provision of
legal services to the poor, the VLP is honored to nominate
Charles Giddings
for the Foundation’s Top 50 Pro Bono Attorney Awards.
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John Kaufmann
Sole
Practitioner
Pima
County
John Kaufmann has
been a volunteer with
SALA’s Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP)
in Pima
County for a remarkable twenty-
four years. John is a frequent and
extremely skilled participant in the VLP’s
Advice-Only Clinic. In the Clinic John
meets with
pre-scheduled clients to
determine the legal merits of their case,
provide advice,
and determine the next
course of action. Often John is called
upon to fill in on
short notice when there
has been a cancellation at the clinic.
John received local recognition for his work with the Clinic when he was selected
as the VLP’s
Outstanding Advice-Only Clinic Attorney in 1998.
In addition to his
work with the Clinic, John also accepts VLP cases and provides
direct
representation in the areas of debt collection, divorce, custody and
paternity.
Recently John completed a complicated case that involved an
administrative
hearing within a school district. The client is a seventy-seven
year
old woman who is
raising her eleven year old great-grandson. Sadly, the child
who is currently
in fifth grade has some behavioral problems and was faced with
a long term
suspension from his elementary school. John did not hesitate to
become involved in
the case. He dedicated twenty-five hours to the matter and
was able to
negotiate a settlement with the district. As a result of his
extraordinary
advocacy, the school district dropped the disciplinary proceedings.
The child was then
tested by the district and placed appropriately in an academic
environment where
he could succeed. Not only was John able to bring a
successful
resolution to the legal matter, but he was also able to provide the
client with hope
and peace of mind.
It is with great
pride and enthusiasm that the VLP nominates John Kaufmann for
the Foundation’s
Top 50 Pro Bono Attorney Awards.
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Karl MacOmber
Monroe &
McDonough, PC
Pima
County
Karl MacOmber is a
frequent participant in
the VLP’s Bankruptcy Court Reaffirmation
Project. Through this project Karl
supervises law students as they meet
with
unrepresented clients at their
hearings. The students review
reaffirmation
agreements presented
to the client by their creditor. Students
then have the opportunity to appear
before the court and offer their
recommendation as to whether the
client
should sign the agreement. Karl provides clients with the legal assistance
that
they so desperately need, while also serving as a wonderful mentor and role
model for the law students.
In addition, Karl
assists VLP clients by providing direct representation in
bankruptcy and
debt collection matters. Recently Karl completed a case for a
client whose bank
account had been seized by a creditor. The client, an eighty
year old
monolingual Spanish speaker, contacted the VLP when two bank
accounts were
frozen by a creditor. The first account contained his exempt
Social Security
benefits. These benefits were his only income and what he relied
on to provide for
himself and his wife. The second account belonged to his
sister. The
client’s sister had listed the client on her account in case of an
emergency.
Between the two accounts the creditor had seized more than
$4,000. Karl
stepped in and filed an objection to the garnishment and
attended a hearing
on behalf of the client. Karl was able to persuade the
adverse counsel to
release the client’s accounts.
The above is just
one example of the many times Karl has assisted VLP clients.
He has been doing
as much for nearly twenty years. For his long time
dedication and for
his willingness to share his time and skills with those most in
need in our
community, the VLP is privileged to nominate Karl for the
Foundation’s Top
50 Pro Bono Attorneys in Arizona Awards.
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Pat Moreno
Sole
Practitioner
Cochise
County
Pat Moreno has
been a volunteer with the VLP since she received her Juris
Doctorate in
2002. She donates her time to various clinics, including the
Divorce
and Advice-Only
Clinics. In order to participate in the Advice-Only Clinic Pat
gives up her
Saturday mornings on a bi-monthly basis to provide free half-hour
consultations to
clients in need of advice. Pat gives special attention to the large
number of clients
who seek bankruptcy protection through the Clinic. She
spends extra time
with these clients to ensure that they understand the
consequences of
filing bankruptcy, the legal process involved and the recent
changes in the
law. Pat has donated her time at thirteen Clinics since 2002. In
addition, Pat has
directly represented clients in bankruptcy, guardianship, and
custody cases,
tirelessly and passionately advocating for her clients.
Pat is also a
member of the Cochise County VLP Advisory Board. Through her
work on the Board,
Pat is able to assist with new volunteer attorney recruitment,
CLE plans, and
program decisions. Pat’s vision has helped the VLP continue to
move forward with
its mission to help those in need.
In Cochise County,
Pat has been honored as the Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney
of the Quarter for
the Winter of 2004 and received the VLP’s Award of
Appreciation for
her work with the Cochise County Advisory Board. Additionally,
Pat worked with
the law firm of John F. Kelliher, P.C. when the firm was honored
as the Outstanding
Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year in 2003. The firm was
recognized for its
dedication to the work of the Advice-Only Clinic.
The staff of the
VLP truly believes that Pat’s commitment, expertise, and
kindness warrant
recognition on the statewide level. It is with great pleasure that
the VLP nominates
Pat Moreno for the Foundation’s Top 50 Pro Bono Attorney
Awards.
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Roxanne Veliz
Snell &
Wilmer, LLP
Pima
County
Roxanne Veliz is
enthusiastic about her participation in the VLP’s Domestic
Violence Law
Clinic. Held at local domestic violence shelters, the Clinic
provides
Roxanne with the
opportunity to mentor law students while helping victims of
abuse. In the
Clinic Roxanne supervises law students from the University of
Arizona College of
Law as they conduct interviews and advise clients. Roxanne
is compassionate
with clients and serves as a wonderful mentor to law students.
Roxanne was
recognized in Pima County for her work with the clinic in 1998
when she received
the Outstanding Domestic Violence Law Clinic Attorney
Award.
Recently Roxanne
assisted a twenty-eight year old single mother. The client
contacted the VLP
to seek legal advice regarding the abuse that she suffered at
the hands of her
boyfriend. The client was also a party in a paternity action that
involved a child
common to the couple. Roxanne was able to provide the client
with advice and
information regarding her answer in the paternity action. Further,
she was able to
offer the client information about support groups and safe shelter
for her and her
children.
In addition to her
work with the Domestic Violence Law Clinic, Roxanne
coordinates her
firm’s efforts to introduce summer law clerks to pro bono work.
Beginning in the
summer of 2003, members of Snell & Wilmer staffed the VLP’s
Advice-Only
Clinic. The members of the firm encourage their summer law clerks
to assist them.
By utilizing law clerks to assist with the Advice Only-Clinic,
many more clients
receive services than would otherwise be possible. This
practice and
commitment on behalf of Roxanne has continued every summer
since its
inception. In the fall of 2003 Snell & Wilmer was honored by the
VLP
with the program’s
VIP Award. This award was created to honor a group that
recognizes a
previously unmet legal need and takes action to meet that need.
Roxanne was
primarily responsible for the development of this program and was
chosen by the firm
to accept the award on their behalf.
The VLP staff is
honored to work with Roxanne and thrilled to be able to
nominate her for
the Foundation’s Top 50 Pro Bono Attorney Awards.
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