Winston & Strawn, LLP shared a recap of year two of an annual in-house pro bono program that engages volunteers from Winston and the LVMH legal department to commit to serving dozens of low-income New Yorkers. The program was developed by two Fordham Law School alumnae, Tara S. Moss ’14, Pro Bono Counsel at Winston & Strawn LLP and Louise Firestone ’85, General Counsel of LVMH.
The full-day program featured legal training, hands-on client counseling, and informal networking amongst Winston and LVMH volunteers. City Bar Justice Center’s project leader, Ramona Morel, led an engaging training session during which volunteers learned how to assist clients with the preparation of pro se bankruptcy filings. Afterward, volunteer teams were assigned Fresh Start Clinic clients to counsel. Distressed by debt and dire financial situations, these clients took to the Fresh Start Clinic for help with their pro se filings in hopes of an economic fresh start. Volunteers guided their clients through the daunting paperwork involved in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, providing both counsel and support. The positive energy throughout the course of the clinic was contagious as team members engaged in collaborative problem solving and strategic thinking.