Legal Aid and the VLP co-host a Bankruptcy Breakfast!

NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Legal Aid and the Volunteer Lawyers Project co-host a “Bankruptcy Breakfast” on November 9th to thank members of the bankruptcy bar for taking cases pro bono. The event was made possible by a grant from the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation. We were honored to have Jeffery P. Hopkins, Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court- Southern District of Ohio as our keynote speaker.

“It is always inspiring to listen to experienced attorneys talk about their rewarding experiences representing clients pro bono in bankruptcy and how their representation helped improve the lives of low-income families,” stated Legal Aid Managing Attorney for Consumer Law, Mark Lawson. “Judge Hopkins’s reminder of the importance of a ‘fresh start’ and our obligation as lawyers to serve others, I think, left us all ready to do more.”

Attorney Nick Zingarelli gave a similar message in his remarks about why he takes bankruptcy cases pro bono. His advice to the group, “Just take one more case!” Then Legal Aid Senior Attorney Elizabeth Tull Laureano commented about the impact that bankruptcy relief provides for our low-income clients.

“In the past several years, the bankruptcy bar has really stepped up to the plate to help low income people seeking assistance in bankruptcy matters — legal assistance they would not otherwise be able to afford,” stated Anne Lucas, VLP Managing Attorney. “Not only do we love to thank and recognize our VLP attorneys any chance we get, but we value their ideas about how to make the program even more effective.”

Nick Zingarelli

Nick Zingarelli, Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins, Bob Goering, Anne Lucas

Rob Goering, Bob Goering

Anne Lucas, Mark Lawson, Elizabeth Tull Laureano, Molly Russell