Bay Shore, NY - December 4, 2015 - Nassau Suffolk Law Services' Suffolk Pro Bono Project (Islandia, N.Y.) and the Suffolk County Bar Association SCBA (Hauppauge, N.Y.) recently honored a special group of attorneys at a Pro Bono Night celebration. The purpose of the event, held during National Pro Bono Week, was to recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding generosity in the provision of pro bono legal services to needy Suffolk County residents.
The festivities were held at Captain Bill's (Bayshore, N.Y.) on October 29, 2015 which was attended by the honorees, their family, friends and colleagues and Judge C. Randall Hinrichs, District Administrative Judge of Suffolk County. Donna England, President of the SCBA, delivered the introduction to the evening's event and spoke to the benevolence demonstrated by the attorney honorees who do such important work in the community. Justin M. Block, the Managing Director of the Suffolk Pro Bono Foundation, presided over the ceremony and presented the recipients with their awards. Eighteen attorneys were recognized (see names below) including Val Cherkoss, who was honored posthumously with a special award presented to his family and his, firm Blumberg, Cherkoss, Fitz Gibbons and Blumberg, LLP. A special Community Service Award was extended to Charlie Russo (Hauppauge, N.Y) for his charity work on behalf of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless and Hope House. Special awards were also extended to the co-chairs of the SCBA's Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, Hon. Peter H. Mayer and Ted M. Rosenberg.
"It was an inspiration to share the evening with so many generous attorneys who give back without great commotion or fanfare. They don't expect a lot for their charitable work but it was important for their colleagues in the legal community to honor them with this special tribute," said Ellen Krakow, Pro Bono Coordinator for the Pro Bono Project. "Their generosity does not go unnoticed."
The Suffolk Pro Bono Project is a joint effort of Nassau Suffolk Law Services partnering with the Suffolk County Bar Association and the Suffolk Pro Bono Foundation working toward the goal of providing free legal assistance to Long Islanders who are dealing with economic hardship.
For more information, call 631 232-2400 in Suffolk or visit our website
Honorees:
Richard F. Artura Martin Murphy
Regina Brandow Mark Murray
James M. Corcoran Donald R. Sallah
Val Cherkoss Harold Seligman
Lisa Fitzgerald Lewis A. Silverman
William M. Gearty Edwin L. Smith
Stuart P. Gelberg Jessica D. Sparacino
Robin Guttman Richard L. Stern
Tiffany Moseley Louis L. Sternberg
Nassau Suffolk Law Services
Assisting Long Islanders since 1966, Law Services was one of the first Legal Services Corporation program in New York State and is one of the largest in New York State. The firm handles almost 6,000 cases a year with a total staff of 80, comprised of attorneys, paralegals, social workers and support staff. The program is dedicated to providing equal access to basic human rights and services through provision of high quality legal representation, public information and community advocacy training to ensure that low income, disabled and disadvantaged individuals have equal access to the civil justice system on Long Island.