Legal Counsel for
the Elderly
The Premier
Provider of Free
Legal Services
and Advocacy for
Older People
in the District of
Columbia
Annual Report 2007
i
“There is no way to express my thanks
to the Alternatives to Landlord/Tenant
Court Project for helping me avoid
eviction...I could not have gotten
through these times without the
scores of gracious, generous, and
professional people [of Elder Buddies]
who came to my aide [in decluttering
my apartment so I could remain there].
I hope this project continues so many
elders like me can be helped.”—Mrs. H
ii
Contents
2
A Letter from the Board Chair and Director
4
Success Stories
7
Projects and Programs
Active Intake Project
Advance Directives Workshop
Alternatives to Landlord/Tenant Court Project
Brief Services Unit
Consumer Protection
DC Homebound Elderly Project
DC Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Legal Hotline
Money Management Program
Pro Bono Project
Real Property Tax Foreclosure Prevention Project
Self Help Offices
Senior Medicare Patrol Project
15 Types of Cases Handled
16 LCE in the Media
18 Clients’ Words of Thanks
19 Financial Statement
20 How You Can Help
21 Contributors
25 Board and Staff
26 Volunteers
1
From the Board Chair
and Director
Dear Friends of LCE,
Adrian L. Steel, Jr., Esq.
Mayer Brown LLP
Chair, Board of Directors
We are proud to present Legal Counsel for the Elderly’s (LCE’s) Annual Report
for 2007. With over 32 years of service to the community, LCE continued
in 2007 to build upon our long, proud history of championing the dignity
and rights of Washington, DC’s elderly. During the past three decades, LCE
has helped tens of thousands of seniors in all eight wards of the District
of Columbia. By delivering free legal services to those in need, we seek to
empower, defend and protect our city’s vulnerable older residents.
As the largest provider of free legal aid for low-income seniors in DC, LCE
assists thousands of seniors each year, providing quality legal services, social
services, and advocacy. The vast majority of those we serve are Washington’s
frail, poor, disabled and institutionalized elderly—and over 70 percent of our
clients are low-income women of color. Our dedicated staff and volunteers
work to meet a wide range of challenges on such issues as affordable housing, consumer protection, eligibility for benefits, health care, wills and powers
of attorney, financial management, identity theft, diminished capacity, and
institutional care. A phalanx of pro bono attorneys provide expert services for
both individual clients as well as with systemic initiatives that make a positive
impact on issues affecting the population at large.
Thanks to the generous support we receive from foundations, government
agencies, law firms, corporations and individuals, LCE achieved these major
accomplishments in 2007:
1. We responded to more than 6,000 requests from older DC residents for
advice and/or in-depth legal services.
2. The Home Equity Protection Act of 2007—legislation that bans foreclosure
rescue scams in the District, and which was primarily spearheaded by
LCE—passed the DC City Council.
3. LCE vigorously promoted grandparents’ rights, handling 93 cases, including several involving the new subsidy for grandparents raising their grandchildren. A special briefing booklet on this grandparent subsidy program
was also prepared, incorporating recent changes in the law.
4. After extensive litigation, LCE’s Consumer Unit successfully retrieved the
homes and hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity for several clients
who had fallen victim to a series of foreclosure scams.
5. LCE’s “Alternatives to Landlord/Tenant Project” utilized a remarkable
3,500+ volunteer hours in preventing the evictions and homelessness of
more than 220 older tenants in more than 75 properties located in all four
quadrants of the city.
2
6. LCE’s managing attorney, Rawle Andrews, was nominated to the DC
Access to Justice Commission.
7. Jason Johnson, a 3L at Howard University School of Law, was selected as
the first ever John H. Pickering Fund law student.
Jan Allen May, Esq. Director
8. The DC Homebound Elderly Project—“Project HELP”—was successfully
launched by LCE, expanding access to justice for senior citizens who are
homebound due to their age and physical immobility by providing legal
assistance directly in the clients’ homes, assisted living facilities or hospital rooms.
Our sincere thanks go to LCE’s talented staff for their extraordinary dedication
and commitment to DC’s seniors. We also wish to express our profound appreciation to AARP and the AARP Foundation for their steadfast support. We are
very grateful to our devoted Board of Directors for playing such a vital role in
LCE’s continued success, particularly Mimi Castaldi, director of the DC office
of AARP. And finally, we wish to give special thanks and recognition to the hundreds of incomparable LCE volunteers whose contributions of expertise and
precious time truly make all the difference in LCE’s many achievements.
Sincerely,
Adrian L. Steel, Jr., Esq.
Mayer Brown LLP
Chair, Board of Directors
3
Jan Allen May, Esq.
Director
Success Stories
•
The DC Superior Court issued a judgment against an unscrupulous home
contractor who took more than $80,000 from an elderly DC resident.
The court imposed treble damages for violation of the DC Consumer
Protection Procedures Act, with a grand total of $228,000 in money damages, plus related attorney fees and the possibility of an additional award
of punitive damages due to the egregious nature of the contractor’s misconduct. One of the largest awards secured on behalf of an LCE client, this
was also one of the largest awards ever granted on a home-improvement
scam case in the District of Columbia.
•
An older DC homeowner fell behind on his mortgage payments and
was facing foreclosure. After receiving over 100 mail solicitations offering
“assistance,” he responded to an advertisement by a real estate agent who
offered to give him a loan to catch up on his mortgage. The realtor scheduled a meeting with the homeowner after the arrears were paid, ostensibly
to sign a contract with repayment terms for the loan—but instead, the
realtor insisted that the homeowner sign a contract to sell his Northeast
DC home to the realtor for less than one-quarter of its $800,000 value.
Worse yet, the realtor never even paid the homeowner the contract price
and instead tried to evict the homeowner and his 101-year-old mother, for
whom he was providing care. LCE sued the real estate agent for return of
the house, which resulted in a settlement and the return of the house to
the homeowner. LCE then assisted the homeowner in obtaining a reverse
mortgage on the house to help ensure that he will not face foreclosure
again in the future.
•
An elderly client attended an Active Intake clinic at a senior public
housing building in the District of Columbia. The client provided documentation showing that she had overpaid taxes on a federal government
annuity for two years. She sought help recovering these funds. LCE developed the case and then referred it to a tax attorney at a large DC law firm.
On behalf of his client, the pro bono attorney secured tax refunds for the
two years in question.
•
With the help of a translator, LCE interviewed a very distressed client at
the Asian Senior Center. This 91-year-old man had no credit cards, but he
received a bill for $4,000 from a credit card company. Upon investigation,
it appeared that the client had been a victim of identity theft. Someone
had obtained the client’s Social Security number and had opened a credit
card under his name. LCE developed the matter with help from the onsite social worker and then referred the case to a pro bono attorney. The
attorney convinced the credit card company that the client had been a
victim of identity theft, causing the company to write off the entire debt.
•
LCE asked Crowell & Moring LLP to represent two elderly sisters in
seeking restitution from an attorney who stole more than $260,000 from
the older sister. The attorney in question had “befriended” her, isolated
her from her family, and then liquidated and stole her life savings. The DC
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Office of Bar Counsel held a hearing on the attorney’s actions and recommended he be disbarred. When the older sister became legally incompetent, the younger sister assumed power of attorney on her behalf. Crowell
& Moring LLP’s pro bono attorneys filed a suit on behalf of the younger
sister, obtaining a judgment of $774,908 against him. Aggressive efforts to
collect on that judgment were unsuccessful so Crowell & Moring filed a
claim for restitution with the DC Bar Client Security Fund. To make such
a claim, the client must pursue civil remedies against the lawyer before
obtaining relief from the Bar Fund. The Fund limits recovery to $75,000,
which is the amount the client was awarded. The attorney was convicted
of criminal fraud and theft by deception and he was disbarred.
•
LCE obtained a general guardian for an elderly woman whose mental
illness impaired her ability to make health care and financial decisions and led to an eviction action. LCE collaborated with the guardianship panel, a social worker from Greater Washington Urban League, the
social worker from the Department of Mental Health, and the assigned
guardian to provide the necessary supports to prevent her from becoming
homeless.
•
An 85-year-old gentleman came to LCE in September 2007 with both a
non-payment of rent action dating back to May 2006 and a breach of
lease action for hoarding. His rent obligation exceeded his income. LCE
filed an answer with a counterclaim for code violations, and obtained an
agreement from the landlord to reduce the protective order payment by
40 percent pending repairs. LCE’s social worker located a public housing
unit for our client. He moved with assistance from Elder Buddies. The
landlord dismissed the landlord/tenant case and waived more than $8,000
in past due rent.
•
After an outreach to a building that served complaints for possession for
non-payment of rent on 50 tenants in the building, LCE entered appearances in non-payment of rent action for the seniors. The landlord dismissed
most of the cases before the initial return date and settled the others with
rent credits. LCE, Bread for the City, Housing Counseling Services, and
Latham and Watkins LLP teamed up to assist the building in obtaining
repairs of the premises. Tenants also received social work services.
•
A client with an extremely low-income resided in a group home and
remarkably managed to keep up with her bills. However, she was mugged
and spent several months in the hospital and in rehabilitation. While in
the hospital, she contacted her creditors to report that she had sustained
serious injuries and would need a reprieve from paying her bills until she
got back on her feet. The credit card companies ignored her requests. LCE
referred her case to a pro bono attorney who wrote “cease and desist” letters to her creditors. In addition, the attorney filed a Physical Disability
Debt Cancellation Notice with the U.S. Department of Education to
rescind her largest debt, a government student loan.
5
•
A kindly older DC resident encountered hard times over the years and
had incurred $18,175 in credit card debt. Her credit cards had exorbitant
interest rates and her creditors were harassing her. One creditor was
automatically deducting $150 per month from her small government pension to pay off a debt. LCE referred her case to a pro bono bankruptcy
attorney who filed a Chapter VII bankruptcy petition on her behalf. The
judge discharged her entire debt.
•
An older client with mild dementia was worried about her escalating
utility bills. She was very concerned that the utility company would discontinue her service because she could not afford to pay the $3,000 that
she allegedly owed. The client’s small monthly Social Security income
made it impossible for her to pay off this debt. LCE referred the case to a
pro bono lawyer who negotiated an equitable payment plan. The utility
company agreed to accept $50 per month to settle the debt and to stop
threatening to discontinue service.
•
Since 1988, an elderly client had been diligently making monthly payments on her $10,000 life insurance policy. Suddenly, she began receiving
letters from the insurance company, indicating that it would be canceling
her policy because she allegedly had failed to make one monthly payment. The client knew that the company was mistaken. Active Intake
referred the matter to a pro bono lawyer who proved to the company that
the elderly woman had made the monthly payment as part of a check
that included three months’ premiums at a time. Thanks to the pro bono
lawyer, the client’s $10,000 life insurance policy was no longer in peril.
•
Over the years, an older woman had purchased household items at a
department store known for charging skyrocketing credit card interest
rates to our clients. This client was no exception. She allegedly owed the
department store $16,000 for decades of purchases for household necessities. The credit card had a 32 percent interest rate. LCE developed the case
and referred it to a pro bono attorney, but he had an extremely difficult
time obtaining a response from the department store, despite his extraordinary efforts to make contact. He did not give up, and eventually, the pro
bono attorney convinced the store to execute a settlement agreement in
which the client would pay $75 per month “for as long as she is able.” The
store also agreed to wipe out all of the interest and penalty fees.
•
LCE visited a nursing home for low-income seniors to meet with a resident and her social worker about filing a petition for legal guardianship.
The investigation showed that the client had severe dementia and was
not oriented to time or place. After developing the case, LCE referred the
matter to a pro bono attorney at an area law school who filed a guardianship petition in DC Superior Court. The judge appointed the resident’s
great-niece to be the legal guardian of her incapacitated aunt.
6
Projects and Programs
Active Intake Project
LCE’s Active Intake Project conducts outreach throughout Washington, DC,
in order to meet with seniors where they live and socialize in our community.
By holding neighborhood-based legal outreach clinics, we are able to identify legal problems for underserved older DC residents. Most seniors reached
through Active Intake would otherwise lack access to free legal services
because they may be unaware of LCE and/or our Legal Hotline, or they may
not identify their problem as having a legal remedy. In addition to receiving
assistance from LCE staff attorneys and volunteers, vulnerable seniors are
often matched up with qualified pro bono attorneys who assist them at no cost
in resolving their issue.
The Active Intake
Project handled 177
cases in 2007.
In 2007, the Active Intake Project had its second year of holding in-office
appointments to supplement on-site visits. Active Intake’s caseload included
guardianships, consumer fraud, debt collection, Medicare, health insurance problems, landlord/tenant law, public benefits, and wills and powers of
attorney. The program grew in scope in 2007, handling 177 cases total—for
129 clients—a significant increase over last year’s count of 143 cases for 91
clients. This increase in service was achieved due to LCE conducting 12 wellattended legal outreach clinics during the year at the following locations: Adas
Israel, the Asian Senior Center, the DC Armory, Emory Senior Center, Kennedy
Recreation Center, King Greenleaf Senior Center, Lisner Home, Sarah’s Circle,
and the University of the District of Columbia. A special clinic was also held
at DC’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library to provide information and
assistance for foster grandparents, at which 120 seniors attended.
Advance Directives Workshop
For the past 15 years LCE has partnered with the law firm of Dickstein Shapiro
LLP to conduct advance directives workshops for District seniors at various
locations around the city—free presentations at senior centers, churches,
hospitals, and other venues. Each workshop has two sessions that are held
one week apart. At the first session, lawyers from LCE and Dickstein Shapiro
explain the meaning and importance of having three legal documents: a
durable financial power of attorney, a power of attorney for health care, and a
living will. Then the participants are asked to go home and think about what
they want to say in these documents and discuss matters with their family. At
the second session, the participants execute these legal documents under the
supervision of the attorneys and a notary public. In 2007, LCE and Dickstein
Shapiro conducted eight workshops where a total of 137 seniors executed a
grand total of 274 advance directives.
The workshops were initially launched by Dana DiCarlo at Dickstein Shapiro,
and for the past several years, Kenneth B. Trotter has been at the helm of this
very successful pro bono effort. In addition, Suzanne Kelley has steadfastly
and ably coordinated the behind-the-scenes logistics and served as the notary
public. Other attorneys who participated in the program in 2007 are Doreen L.
7
Manchester, Christa L. Green, Michael Weinstein, Laura V. Szabo, Christina E.
Buschmann, Jill M. Proulx, Lisa R. Thompson, and Andres Colon.
Alternatives to Landlord/Tenant Court Project
The Alternatives to Landlord/Tenant Court for the Elderly Project—also
known as the Alternatives Project—prevents eviction, displacement and
homelessness among the city’s low-income older tenants. In 2007 the
Alternatives Project continued to focus on addressing the tenant’s underlying
problems that often prompt housing providers’ complaints against them:
hoarding and housekeeping issues; non-payment of rent; and mental health
issues (i.e., dementia, alcoholism, substance abuse, behavioral issues).
During 2007, “Elder
Buddies” helped
nearly 40 seniors,
thereby saving the
city approximately
$65,000.
The Licensed Clinical Social Worker of the Alternatives Project provided
over 100 critical crisis interventions, in-home assessments, clinical counseling, and ongoing case management to elderly tenants at risk of eviction.
Drawing upon the District’s expansive senior social service network and volunteer resources, LCE’s social worker addressed the underlying problems of
hoarding, substance abuse, declining physical/mental capacity and financial
mismanagement and abuse, which threaten an elder’s tenancy and often lead
to premature long-term care placement.
When efforts to avoid litigation were unsuccessful, or if LCE received a referral
when a situation had already entered litigation, we were still able to avert
evictions in nearly every case. The litigation efforts carried out by the Project
focused on enforcing rent control laws, obtaining necessary repairs for tenants
(through demand letters or litigation in the Office of Administrative Hearings
or Superior Court), and defending against evictions in Landlord/Tenant Court
or terminations of subsidized housing benefits.
For several years now, the Alternatives Project has utilized an innovative program called “Elder Buddies”—a volunteer youth cleaning service that assists
older tenants in de-cluttering their apartments. In 2007, hundreds of volunteers were recruited through outreach and trainings at 25 schools, churches
and youth service organizations. This innovative inter-generational program
offers young people a meaningful community service opportunity, and some
high school students received credit toward service hours required for graduation. During the year, “Elder Buddies” helped nearly 40 seniors, thereby saving
the city approximately $65,000 in publicly funded cleaning services, and
assisting vulnerable seniors in avoiding legal action and/or eviction for lease
violations.
Brief Services Unit
Launched in 2001, LCE’s Brief Services Unit (BSU) helps hundreds of clients
annually with concerns ranging from grandparent custody cases to identity
theft and everything in between. The BSU was created to increase the efficient
delivery of legal services to low-income older residents of the District. Two
staff members, working in conjunction with a large number of both attorney
8
and non-attorney volunteers, handle matters that cannot be resolved in a
timely manner by LCE’s Legal Hotline. The BSU also develops cases that
require extended representation for referral to the Pro Bono Project for placement with a pro bono attorney.
In 2007, BSU staff and volunteers handled a wide array of issues, including:
grandparent subsidy and custody work; debt collection defense; identity theft;
procurement of benefits (food stamps, Medicaid, TANF, SSI/Social Security,
veterans pension, rental and utility assistance); security deposit refunds;
repair and reasonable accommodation requests; other landlord/tenant matters, including rent control and rent recalculation; deed transfer and probate
matters; traffic ticket and license revocation defense; tax deed foreclosure
prevention; student loan discharge cases; tax assistance; durable medical
equipment fraud; and contracts/warranties cases. The BSU closed out approximately 700 matters during the course of the year.
Consumer Protection
The Consumer and Financial Abuse Unit of LCE, or Consumer Unit, spent a
substantial portion of 2007 litigating “foreclosure rescue” cases. Foreclosure
rescue scams occur when unscrupulous investors track down homeowners
facing foreclosure and promise to help them save their home. What the investors actually do is induce the homeowner to sign over title to his/her home
and then rent it back from the investor, with an option to repurchase within a
given time. The deals are usually structured so that the buy-back option is not
actually feasible and most of the homeowners do not even realize that they
have transferred the title of their home to someone else. The investor leaves
the mortgage in the name of the homeowner and then attempts to evict them
at the first opportunity. The Consumer Unit also filed several cases dealing
with the forgery of clients’ names to quit claim deeds on their properties.
The Consumer Unit handled a number of extensive litigation cases in 2007,
including the settlement of two suits against repeat foreclosure rescue
offenders. The Consumer Unit negotiated complex settlement agreements
that resulted in the return of clear title to several LCE clients’ homes, and it
also successfully defended an LCE client against a lawsuit filed by a real property investment company that tried to enforce a contract to purchase the client’s home for a fraction of its value.
The Consumer Unit worked with pro bono counsel and the office of DC
Councilmember Mary Cheh to provide technical assistance on legislation as
requested seeking to outlaw some of the specific practices used by the investors in the DC Home Equity Protection Act of 2007. Consumer Unit attorneys
made presentations at seminars sponsored by the DC Bar for lawyers litigating
these cases and guest-taught classes on these cases at area law schools. The
Consumer Unit also conducted a number of programs to educate DC residents about consumer issues during the year.
9
DC Homebound Elderly Project—“Project HELP”
According to U.S. Census Estimates, there are more than 96,000 District
of Columbia residents age 60 or older. Within this demographic, U.S.
Administration on Aging officials have identified more than 15,000 District
seniors as having acute physical or mental disabilities that make it virtually
impossible for them to leave their homes even for medical care or groceries.
In many instances, these individuals are aging in place but have become isolated because of their homebound status, thereby infringing on their quality
of life. That is why in April 2007, LCE launched a sustained home visit attorney
project under a sub-grant from the DC Office of Attorney General and the DC
Bar Foundation—grant funds that were appropriated by the DC Council at the
urging of the DC Access to Justice Commission.
In 2007, Project
HELP handled
nearly 120 home
visit cases for more
than 100 clients,
with an estimated
value of benefits/
services gained for
clients exceeding
$250,000.
The DC Homebound Elderly Project, also known as “Project HELP,” utilizes
a full-time staff attorney, para-professional support, and a cadre of pro bono
attorneys, private law firms and government organizations to: (1) interview
clients at home regarding legal problem(s); (2) draft or review legal documents
that seniors may need such as powers of attorney or wills; (3) administer a
“public benefit” check-up to ensure that they are getting all the benefits to
which they are entitled; (4) analyze their housing situation concerning any
landlord problems or consumer problems or, in the case of homeowners, any
problems with home repair, predatory lending, or deed fraud; and (5) ensure
proper follow-up on the identified legal problems either directly or via LCE’s
other program initiatives (e.g., Alternatives Project, Consumer Protection,
Long-Term Care Ombudsman, etc.). In 2007, Project HELP handled nearly
120 home visit cases for more than 100 clients, with an estimated value of
benefits/services gained for clients exceeding $250,000. These are clients and
cases that otherwise might have fallen through the cracks, including instances
where low-income seniors, many of whom are in desperate need of legal
services, were found to be living without running water, amidst heightened
levels of infestation, surrounded by large volumes of clutter due to hoarding
or otherwise were incapable of handling much needed applications for public
benefits.
DC Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Under DC law, the Office of the DC Long-Term Care Ombudsman is charged
with the following responsibilities:
•
To advocate for the rights of older people and other people who are residents of nursing facilities, assisted living residences, and community residence facilities;
•
To investigate and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of an older
person or other person who is a resident of a nursing facility, assisted
living facility, or a community residence facility;
•
To monitor the quality of care, services provided, and quality of life experienced by older people and residents in long-term care facilities to ensure
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that the care and services are in accordance with applicable District and
federal laws;
The DC Ombudsman
Program has long
been ranked as a
national leader in
advocacy for longterm care residents.
•
To establish and conduct a training program for program staff and volunteers; and
•
To establish and maintain procedures to protect the confidentiality of
information regarding residents.
The DC Ombudsman Program has long been ranked as a national leader in
advocacy for long-term care residents. In 2007, the Ombudsman Program
continued this track record of excellence by winning an important mandamus
law suit case for a second time, thanks to the outstanding pro bono legal services provided to this effort by Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP. The positive outcome to this case requires that the District of Columbia establish an Assisted
Living Residence licensure, survey and certification, and application protocols
in order to monitor all assisted living facilities in DC.
During the year the Ombudsman program also investigated more than 570
long-term care cases, generating 1,598 complaints. DC’s largest nursing
home—Beverly Living Center Northwest, with 335 residents—closed its doors
in 2007. The Ombudsman program was therefore responsible for successfully
monitoring all of the residents’ moves, and the program’s staff and volunteers
assisted more than 90 percent of the population and the families affected.
The Ombudsman Program also handled 32 legal requests to appeal involuntary moves from residents of long-term care facilities, appearing in court 54
times, and resolving all of these cases successfully. In addition, the program
published and distributed an educational white paper regarding the rights of
assisted living residents and the laws that protect them.
Legal Hotline
LCE’s Legal Hotline—the first of its kind in the nation—ensures prompt service from a seasoned attorney, effectively and efficiently helping thousands
of DC residents annually. The Hotline is LCE’s primary client intake mechanism, and Hotline attorneys provide legal advice and information, as well
as establish appointments with in-house attorneys and referrals to pro bono
lawyers throughout the city. The Hotline received nearly 3,600 calls in 2007, an
average of about 300 per month, representing a 19 percent increase over the
average number of calls for the last five years.
Money Management Program
The Money Management Program recruits, trains, matches, and monitors volunteers who serve older individuals in need of help with their financial affairs.
Thanks to this help, seniors who are at risk of losing their independence
because of an inability to effectively manage their money are able to age-inplace in the community for a longer span of their life. Volunteers are matched
with clients, and they assist them by writing out checks for the client’s signature, seeing that bills are paid on time, and balancing a checkbook. Some
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longtime volunteers also serve as officially designated representative payees
through the Social Security Administration. The Money Management Program
works closely with the Alternatives Project to provide bill payers and representative payees for clients at risk of eviction due to non-payment of rent. The
program also networks with social workers and case managers from a variety
of agencies serving senior citizens.
Pro Bono Project
In 2007, the Pro
Bono Project
referred 828 cases to
pro bono attorneys
on behalf of 416
clients; 756 cases
were closed during
this period for 395
clients.
The Pro Bono Project refers cases to private sector and government attorneys who handle them on a pro bono basis. Retired non-attorney volunteers,
supervised by LCE professional staff, are responsible for the smooth operation
of the Pro Bono Project. In 2007, the Pro Bono Project referred 828 cases to
pro bono attorneys on behalf of 416 clients; 756 cases were closed during this
period for 395 clients. The Pro Bono Project also publishes LCE’s Pro Bono
Publico newsletter, which won its eighth consecutive APEX award for excellence in 2007.
Law firm attorneys, government attorneys, corporate attorneys, sole practitioners, and law school clinics accept referrals from the project. Several firms and
individual attorneys have also offered to assist LCE with high impact projects:
Attorneys from five firms and one from a law school offered to review LCE’s
authorization forms for ethics issues.
Seven notaries offered their services—four from Venable, one from Jorden
Burt LLP, and two from government agencies.
Nine attorneys offered to prepare home visit wills and powers of attorney on
an ongoing basis—four from McDermott Will & Emery, one from Patton Boggs
LLP, one from Venable LLP, one from Powell Goldstein LLP, one government
attorney, and one solo practice attorney.
•
More than five attorneys responded to the pro bono request for Money
Management volunteers from Venable LLP, Sonnenschein Nath &
Rosenthal LLP, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, and
the Department of Justice.
•
Seyfarth Shaw LLP and DLA Piper expressed interest in assisting the
Ombudsman with an “Adopt-a-Nursing Home” project.
•
Christopher Herrling, on behalf of WilmerHale, accepted eight will/power
of attorney cases at once as a part of LCE’s “bulk wills project” that dramatically improves the timeliness and efficiency of placing clients with
pro bono attorneys. Another firm, Dickstein Shapiro LLP, committed to
taking 12 will/power of attorney cases per year, and one attorney accepted
five will/power of attorney cases all at once.
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Real Property Tax Foreclosure Prevention Project
During 2007, LCE’s Real Property Tax Foreclosure Prevention Project
assisted homeowners with lawsuit defense, counseling and outreach programs designed to preserve affordable housing opportunities throughout
Washington, DC. In July, prior to the District’s annual tax sale auction, LCE
mailed notices to more than 2,200 DC residents whose homes were listed
as being put up for sale in the auction, informing them about DC tax sale
procedures and alerting them to the availability of LCE’s services to assist
in preserving their rights and home equity. As a result, more than 30 people
contacted LCE to obtain counseling on what they could do to avoid the loss of
their homes via a forced tax sale.
In 2007, Self Help
Offices helped 320
older DC residents
with 1,796 services
related to 493 problems presented.
LCE staff also advised seniors seeking information regarding the District’s Real
Property Tax Deferral Law and related tax relief programs. Clients requiring
the most attention were those who contacted LCE after their homes had been
sold and the new owner had brought suit to foreclose the right to redeem
the properties. LCE accepted 10 new defense case matters in this category in
2007. Several clients came to LCE through our Legal Hotline or by referrals
from the DC Superior Court, as well as the newly established DC Bar Pro Bono
Program’s Tax Sale Redemption Project, for which LCE provided technical
assistance.
Tax lien foreclosure cases require in-depth case representation, including
court appearances, motions practice, negotiated settlements and Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) requests. In several of these cases, LCE staff needed
to work with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue, the DC Office of Attorney
General, the DC Water & Sewer Authority (WASA) and the DC Department of
Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and to resolve property tax problems and ensure continued homeownership. In other instances, LCE was
required to intervene in probate court, prepare powers of attorney and resolve
title problems so that clients could refinance their homes or obtain reverse
mortgages. These in-depth engagements preserved affordable housing opportunities for District seniors and more than a million dollars worth of home
equity.
Self Help Offices
LCE’s Self Help Offices (SHOs) provide community-based, free services to
DC seniors. SHOs give residents, with the help of a legal assistant and nonattorney volunteers, the opportunity to use a specially designed website to
obtain: information on requesting services from the DC government, legal
information, self-help guides, public benefits checkups, applications for
public benefits, assistance with housing code enforcement, help drafting consumer complaint letters, referrals to social service agencies, assistance filing
small claims cases, help drafting power of attorney documents, information
on requests for vital records, legal advice by telephone, and assistance with
arranging various other services.
13
In 2007, SHOs helped 320 older DC residents with 1,796 services related to 493
problems presented. This assistance occurred directly in the community at
the five SHO sites, which LCE has strategically co-located throughout DC by
partnering with Emmaus Services for the Aging, Bread for the City (SE location) and IONA Senior Services, as well as with two large churches located in
Wards 5 and 7—Israel Baptist Church and Capital View Baptist Church. Two
volunteers assisted with the Self Help Offices, and the LCE Hotline attorneys
provided additional help resolving legal concerns that clients brought to the
SHO sites. Throughout the year, SHO advertising and promotions were carried
out by monthly correspondence to local churches, community agency groups,
and members of the DC Office on Aging “Senior Services Network.”
Senior Medicare Patrol Project
In 2007, the
Senior Medicare
Patrol Project
expanded outreach
to Medicare and
Medicaid beneficiaries and caregivers
in the Chinese,
Spanish, and nonEnglish-speaking
communities.
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Project is a District-wide, multi-lingual, volunteer-delivered initiative that identifies and reports questionable Medicare/
Medicaid charges. In 2007, the SMP Project expanded outreach to Medicare
and Medicaid beneficiaries and caregivers in the Chinese, Spanish, and nonEnglish-speaking communities. The Project conducted 9 public education
sessions reaching 220 beneficiaries; recruited and trained 20 new volunteers;
and participated in 4 community events reaching over 1,000 beneficiaries and
caregivers. The SMP Project sponsored three public service announcements
(PSAs) as well as monthly newspaper advertisements and other modes of successful outreach to beneficiaries and caregivers. The Project also continued
its relationships with the George Washington University Health Insurance
Counseling Project/DC SHIP, Friendship House Association, and the DC
Office on Aging.
14
Types of Cases Handled
3%
Other
26%
Protective Services
(e.g., guardianships, powers of
attorney)
2%
Family
6%
18%
Health
Housing
11%
Economic
Security
16%
Wills & Estates
18%
Consumer Protection
15
LCE in the Media
Our successful public outreach and education efforts rely in part on our ability
to reach a wide audience of District residents, stakeholders and policymakers
through the media. Thanks to more than three decades of responsible advocacy and an outstanding track-record of service, LCE has built a solid reputation as a reliable source of information and analysis for editors and reporters.
Below are some of the highlights of LCE’s media and communications
achievements in 2007.
JANUARY
LCE has built a solid
reputation as a reliable source of information and analysis
for editors and
reporters.
•
Northwest Current—Article reporting on Legal Counsel for the Elderly
delivering a legal information session for low-income DC residents at
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library
•
Washington Post—“Mortgage-Trapped” quotes LCE attorney James
Sugarman on the risks of “alternative” mortgage loans
FEBRUARY
•
Legal Times—“Legal-Aid Groups Line Up for District Cash” mentions LCE
as one of several potential new grant recipients, quoting Director Jan May
•
Street Sense—“Hospital Patients Routinely Discharged Into Homelessness”
quotes DC Long-Term Care Ombudsman Jerry Kasunic
•
Senior Beacon—“How to Resolve Problems at Nursing Homes” includes
recommendations from DC Long-Term Care Ombudsman
•
NORC Gazette—“Transfer/Discharge Work of the D.C. Ombudsman
Program is Model for Hospital Discharge Policy” highlights cutting edge
approach of LCE
MARCH
•
Washington Examiner—“Largest Nursing Home in D.C. to Close” quotes
Ombudsman Kasunic on how LCE is working to protect residents
APRIL
•
NORC Gazette—“D.C. Ombudsman Program to Monitor Closing of City’s
Largest Facility” provides a thorough overview of LCE’s efforts
•
Northwest Current—“Talks Continue on Plan to Close Nursing Home”
includes several quotes from Ombudsman Kasunic
MAY
•
Northwest Current—“Plan to Shut Nursing Homes Irks Advocates for
Seniors” highlights role of LCE, quoting Ombudsman Kasunic several times
JUNE
•
16
Washington Post—“Legal Clinics Help Keep a Roof Overhead: District, Bar
Foundation Expand Lawyers’ Services” notes LCE as being one of the DC
Bar Foundation’s grantees
•
Brennan Center for Justice—makes note of the Washington Post story
•
Washington Business Journal—“Second D.C. Nursing Home this Year May
Shut Down” quotes Ombudsman Kasunic
•
NewsChannel 8—5:30 p.m. news broadcast includes an interview with
Ombudsman Kasunic regarding DC nursing home closures
•
Washington Post—“YWCA Tenants Complain of Bedbugs, Mold” features
the work being done by LCE and Supervisory Attorney Jennifer Berger
AUGUST
•
East of the River—“Robbing Residents of their Golden Years” quotes
Kasunic on the Ombudsman’s lawsuit to implement assisted living law
•
Washington Post—“District Weekly” cover story “Pro Bono Programs
Bring Civil Support” quotes LCE Managing Attorney Rawle Andrews, Jr.
SEPTEMBER
•
WHUR Radio—Ombudsman Kasunic interviewed on long-term care
•
Washington Examiner—“Another Large D.C. Nursing Home to Close its
Doors” quotes Ombudsman Kasunic
•
NORC Gazette—“D.C. Ombudsman Program Publishes Assisted Living
Paper” highlights recent research
OCTOBER
•
NORC Gazette—“D.C. Ombudsman Facing Closure of Another Large
Nursing Home” highlights the important efforts by the Ombudsman
program in 2007
•
Association of Fundraising Professionals News—“Member Motion/
Accolades” section announces new LCE Development Director Aaron
Knight
•
Washington Post—Includes announcement of Development Director
Knight joining LCE
NOVEMBER
•
Faith in Action News and Notes—Includes a feature story on LCE’s “Elder
Buddies” program
•
Afro-American Newspaper—“Orchestrating the Future” quotes Managing
Attorney Andrews on the importance of making a will
DECEMBER
•
17
Management Information Exchange Journal—Book Review by Managing
Attorney Andrews of ABA Legal Guide for Americans Over 50
Clients’ Words
of Thanks
“I’m so glad to know about your office. I think you’re making a fine contribution to the quality of life of senior citizens in the District.”—an LCE client, in a
note of appreciation
“…I thank God for
giving me some
kind and nice people
like you in my time
of trouble. I am
praying for you.”
--Mrs. O., in a New Year’s
message to LCE
“Legal Counsel for the Elderly has literally saved my life. I am well into my
eighties and….found myself with no income except a small Social Security
payment. When my landlord of over 20 years requested my giving up my
apartment because I‘d gotten considerably behind in my rent, it meant….
finding new housing and losing all that was familiar…. I was on the verge of
panic when I […discovered] LCE. [You] boosted my morale and provided solid
advice and empathetic assistance. They helped me avoid eviction….and found
me my present very adequate living space. …my life has taken a turn for the
better.”—Mr. M., a gentleman in his 80s
“Thank you and the volunteer staff for all your help in 2007. I greatly appreciate it. The attorney was most helpful and nice.”—Mrs. B., an LCE bankruptcy
client
“…thank you for the good job you and your staff did for me …”—another satisfied LCE client
“I want to …comment on the excellent manner in which you handled my case
before the Government of the District of Columbia, Office of Administration
Hearings.”—Miss D., following the dismissal of her housing case
“The comfort, care, and compassion…are much appreciated.”—Mrs. M., in a
note regarding LCE’s help with her Medicare issues
“Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet with me on
Monday. I was feeling a little discouraged about finding a good place for my
mom, but I’m on to it now…I’m so glad to know about your office. I think
you’re making a fine contribution to the quality of life of senior citizens in the
District.”—Ms. H., the daughter of an LCE client
18
Financial Statement
For year ending December 31, 2007
REVENUES
Contributions, Grants & Support
$3,054,848
In-Kind Contributions
$1,448,373
Investment Income
Miscellaneous
Total Revenues
$399,415
$1,546
$4,904,182
EXPENSES
Program Services
$3,287,277
Management & General
$958,405
Resource Development
$80,397
Total Expenses
Change in Net Assets
$4,326,079
$578,103
Net Assets at the Beginning of the Year
$7,513,485
Net Assets at the End of the Year
$8,091,588
19
How You Can Help
In order to deliver free, high-quality legal assistance to DC’s low-income, vulnerable seniors, Legal Counsel for the Elderly depends on the generous support of individuals, families, foundations, corporations and law firms. Please
contact Director of Development Aaron Knight at 202-434-2107 to learn more
about any of the following opportunities to help LCE.
Personal Gifts: Send your tax-deductible contribution to LCE via mail or
donate online at www.aarp.org/lcedonate.
Monthly Sustainers: You can now sign up at www.aarp.org/lcedonate for
LCE’s newest donation program, making a small (or large) monthly donation
to sustain our work year-round.
Employee Giving Campaigns & Employer Matching Gifts: A growing number
of employers run employee giving campaigns and/or match charitable contributions made by their employees. Talk to your company’s human resources
department to find out if your gift can be matched, thereby doubling the
impact of your donation.
Bequests: We invite you to remember LCE in your will and estate plans.
Contact us for specific language, or if you have questions, or if you have
already included LCE as a beneficiary of your estate and wish to be recognized
for this act of generosity.
Catalogue for Philanthropy: In the fall of 2008, LCE will be recognized as a
featured charity in the Washington metropolitan area through our inclusion in
the Catalogue for Philanthropy.
United Way/Combined Federal Campaigns: Designate LCE in the 2008 campaigns using United Way #8808 and CFC #31866.
20
Contributors
Legal Counsel for the Elderly greatly appreciates the generous direct and
in-kind support we receive from AARP and the AARP Foundation.
We also express our sincere gratitude to the following foundations and government agencies for their generous support of our work:
The Agua Fund, Inc.
The DC Bar Foundation
The DC Office on Aging
The Office of the Tenant Advocate
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The U.S. Administration on Aging
The United Way & the Combined Federal Campaign
LCE thanks and acknowledges with great appreciation the following individuals, families and law firms for their charitable contributions and pledges
during 2007. Our work simply would not have been possible without their
generous support and their commitment to helping vulnerable seniors who
live in the District of Columbia:
Patron ($10,000+)
Mayer Brown LLP
Guardian ($7,500-$9,999)
Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Benefactor ($5,000-$7,499)
Arent Fox LLP
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP
Morrison & Foerster LLP
William D. Novelli
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher
& Flom LLP
Champion ($2,500-$4,999)
Arnold & Porter LLP
Blake A. Biles & Laura L. Sessums
Kathleen M.Burch
Julianne Cohn
Crowell & Moring LLP
Dickstein Shapiro LLP
21
DLA Piper
Kevin Donnellan
Epstein Becker & Green P.C.
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Rita N. Inoway
William A. Isaacson &
Sophia M. McCrocklin
McDermott Will & Emery
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Mr. Richard F. Riley, Jr.
WilmerHale
Sponsor ($1,000-$2,499)
Kimberly A. Adler & Aaron M. Knight
Ayan A. Ahmed
Rawle Andrews, Jr.
Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
Celia R. Blalock
Brickfield, Burchette, Ritts
& Stone, P.C.
Ronald Guy Bridges
Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered
Mimi Castaldi
Contributors (continued)
Covington & Burling LLP
Dow Lohnes PLLC
Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto
Ronald S. Flagg
Nancy George
Christopher W. Hansen
Ellie Hollander
Howrey LLP
Katharyn Marks
Jan Allen May
Jack H. Olender & Associates, P.C.
Patton Boggs LLP
Mr. Steven M. Schneebaum
Michael R. Schuster
Sidley Austin LLP
Teresa Y. Smith
E. Percil Stanford
Mr. Adrian L. Steel, Jr.
Julia A. Stephens
Ms. Lillie J. Taylor
Aileen Jayne Wallace
Mr. Ralph Wiser
Ralph Yaniz
Advocate ($500-$999)
Sherita M. Alexander
Teresa Calhoun
Nancy Cariello
Stuart R. Cohen
Jacqueline Curtis
Marty Davis
Joseph DeMattos, Jr.
Monica Estabrooke
Mr. Hamilton P. Fox III
David Frank
Alan Herman
Robin L. Kropf
Patricia Markowski
Susan Miler
Thomas C. Nelson
Charlotte Nusberg Edelsack
Teresa Owens
Mr. James J. Sandman
22
Mr. & Mrs. Jerome &
Virginia Schaefer
Cynthia Shultz
David P. Sloane
Makeda Smith
Marian Swain
Robin Talbert
Mary Ann Willow
Supporter ($250-$499)
Anonymous
Tanya Acker
Elena A. Alvarez
Angela Baker
Amsale S. Beshe
Arleen Casey
Mr. William R. Charyk
Robert Church III
Donald V. Fitts
Anthony Gracey
Sean Grieser
Grossberg, Yochelson, Fox &
Beyda, LLP
Terri L. Guengerich
Heidi James
Barbara K. Kagan
Mary Stevens Lake
T.L. Lane
Sara Long
Stacey McDaniel
Sheela Mirmira
Matthew Mitchell
Mary O’Donnell
Gretchen E. Primrose
Mr. Hershel Shanks
Carla A. Sloan
Stein, Mitchell & Mezines
Nancy Stockbridge
Dawn Sweeney
Ms. Cheryl A. Tatum
Larry White
Mr. Holloway Wooten
Friend ($100-$249)
Elvera J. Anselmo
Perla Anzures
Marta C. Arbelaez
William Armbruster
Connie S. Benjamin
Jennifer L. Berger
Ernestine Blango
Mr. Robert M. Bor
Catherine Brousseau
Cynthia Brown
Martin L. Burns
Ms. Leigh Callander
Vanessa Carpenter Lourie
Eunice C. Cash
Helen Castleman
Tanja H. Castro
Brenda Chen
Linda Church
Elizabeth Coleman
Mr. & Mrs. Terence P. Cooney
Mr. Robert H. Cox
Brenda J. Davis
Lorraine Driscoll
Connie Eastman
Mr. Peter B. Edelman
Mr. Walter H. Fleischer
Agnes Flores
Mr. Howard W. Fogt
John Freedman & Cecily Baskir
Mr. Martin J. Gleason
The Hon. Joan L. Goldfrank
Tammy Gordon
Marcy Gouge
John Gray
Karen & Henry Greene
Ms. Stephanie J. Grogan
David Gross
Elena Louise Guerra
Margaret A. Guthrie
Patricia A. Hahn
Sami Hassanyeh
Amy E. Hauser
Susan M. Hoffman
Ms. Dianne Hollingsworth
Gordon E. Hurd
Christopher Hutcherson
Ms. Harriett G. Jenkins
Deloise A. Jones
Mr. Peter J. Kadzik
Mrs. Evelyn B. Kemp
Paul Kerrigan
Mr. Jeff Kincheloe
Mr. David A. Koplow
Tesfaye Lemma
Jesse Ludvigsen
Ladan Manteghi
Tina Mattern
Carol Matthews
Shawn McKee
Nileeni Meegama
Grier Mendel
Sandra Milbourne
Sheryl R. Miller
Mr. Kevin Minsky
Deborah Moore
Franco A. Munoz
The Hon. & Mrs. James E. Nathanson
Susan Necessary
Ms. Laurence C. Nolan
O’Donoghue & O’Donoghue LLP
Thomas Oren
Jean Osbon
Doris Pao
Mary Ann Parker
Mr. Paul D. Pearlstein
Karon Powell
Julie Preis
Shereen Remez
Karen Reyes
Kathy Robinson
Ernest “Chico” Rosemond
Dr. & Mrs. Martin B. Rosensky
Marcelino Ruiz, Jr.
Helen Savage
Kenneth Scholen
23
Cynthia Shearin
Linda Slaughter
Ivy J. Smithers
Alfred Sommers
Ms. C. Fairley Spillman
Leona Stasko
Mr. Mark Steinbach
Jay Sushelsky
Mr. Richard B. Treanor
Joan L. van der Horst
Abigail Walters
Susan Weinstock
Jane Wiley
Shirley M. Williams
Mr. Elroy H. Wolff
Kevin Wood
Kay Wright-Hardy
Ellen Yahuda
Ina & Joseph Young
Yvonne L. Zecca
Holly Zimmerman
Katherine Zorn
Contributor (up to $100)
Anonymous (4)
Anita K. Abbot
Estelle R. Alexander
Beatriz Aviani
Ms. Dorothy Beck
Ms. Bronwyn Belling
Mr. David R. Bender, Ph.D.
Harold Boulette
Matthew Brinegar
Katherine S. Broderick
Diane K. Brown
Genesis Cachedon
Darlene M. Carr
Heather Cherry
Catherine M. Clevenger
Stewart L. Colten
Jean Constantine-Davis
Jacqueline F. Crawford
Anthony Davis
Shirley Davis
Contributors (continued)
Mr. Robert Dinerstein
Karen Dodson
Gwen L. Earle
Mr. Eugene Ebert
Terry Edwards
Christopher Ferragamo
Elsie Frost
Jayaraj George
Cheryl Gibson
Elizabeth Haroun
Hewlett-Packard Matching Gift
Program
Albert Hollenbeck
Margaret Hookey
Sally Hurme
Carroll Ingraham
Mr. Kevin D. Judd
Gerald Kasunic
Veronica Kenney
James Kurtz
Karen Larsen
Mr. Steven Laterra
Abraham Lempel
Andrew E. Linberg
Kevin L. Little
Shirley J. Lloyd
David Loyd
Janet Macidull
Darlene Matthews
Theresa Melton
Edward & Mary Miller
Leonard Mitnick, Ph.D.
Amy Mix
John & Livy More
Susan Mrachek
Mr. Mark Myers
Jacqueline P. O’Neil
Carol Page
Debra Payton
Heather M. Pollock
Morton J. Posner
Andreina Rangel
JoAnn Rodriguez
24
Lisa Ross
Pearl Sauls
Diana M. Savit
Stephanie & Donald Schwinn
Doloris Sells
Laraysha Shaw
Victoria Shingleton
Mary Ellen Signorille
Nina Simon
Mr. Morris Sklarsky
Patrick Spikes
Gail Sumi
Jennifer M. Summa
Louis Tobian
Yvonne Tobias
Sharon Vaughan-Roach
Line Vreven
Douglas Walcutt
Peggy White
Lorraine Williams
Deyka Williams
Dede Wilson
Donald Wise
Board and Staff
GOVERNING BOARD
Adrian L. Steel, Jr., Esq., Chair
Mayer Brown LLP
Blake A. Biles, Esq.
Arnold & Porter LLP
Mimi Castaldi
Director, AARP DC
Marty Davis, Secretary
Director, Special Campaigns and
Promotions, AARP
Ronald S. Flagg, Esq.
Sidley Austin LLP
Ernest “Chico” Rosemond, Treasurer
Director, Sponsorships and
Exhibits, AARP Services, Inc.
Robin Talbert
President, AARP Foundation
ADVISORY BOARD
Robert H. Cox, Esq.
Howrey LLP
Thomas E. Dowdell, Esq.
Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
Martha Ford-Gladden
Client Representative
Addie Hailstorks, Esq.
U.S. District Court
Christopher J. Herrling, Esq.
WilmerHale
Susan M. Hoffman, Esq.
Crowell & Moring
Evelyn B. Kemp
Client Representative
Karla J. Letsche, Esq.
Oldaker, Biden & Belair, LLP
David M. Lubitz, Esq.
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Mattie Wilson-Carvon
Client Representative
LCE STAFF
Tanya Acker
Rawle Andrews, Jr. Esq.
Shawna Banks
Jennifer Berger, Esq.
Matthew Brinegar, Esq.
25
Theresa Brownson
Brian Bullock
Genesis Cachedon
Gail Cunningham
Karen Currie
Anthony T. Davis
Danielle Foster Love
Elsie Frost, Esq.
Anthony Gracey
Joyce Gray
Karen Greene, J.D.
Alan Herman, Esq.
Kyle Hreben
Carroll Ingraham
Barbara Johnson
Jason Johnson
Gerald Kasunic
Aaron Knight
Carol Matthews, Esq.
Jan May, Esq.
Sheryl R. Miller, Esq.
Amy Mix, Esq.
Mary Ann Parker, Esq.
Karon Powell, Esq.
Gretchen Primrose
Bruce Rathbun, Esq.
Dalila Rivera
LaRaysha Shaw
Ivy Smithers, Esq.
James Sugarman, Esq.
Yvonne Tobias
Sharon Vaughn-Roach
Deyka Williams, Esq.
Lydia Williams
Shirley M. Williams, Esq.
Kevin Wood
Consultants
Deborah Pinchback-Cook
Donald Stocks
Aaron Trimiar
Natalie Wasserman
Ina Young
Volunteers
LCE gratefully acknowledges the pro bono assistance rendered by attorneys at
the following law firms, law schools, agencies and organizations on behalf of
LCE clients in 2007:
American University, Washington
College of Law
David Chavkin
LaShanda Taylor
Richard Ugelow
Arnold & Porter LLP
Blake A. Biles
Asian Pacific American Legal
Resource Center
Marita Etcubanez
Wendy Lane
Baker & Hostetler LLP
Adam Smith
Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLP
Christopher Betti
Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP
William A. Isaacson
Bonner Clare Law Firm
Peter Clare
Bread for the City
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Diana de Brito
Catholic University, Advocacy for
the Elderly Legal Clinic
Michael McGonnigal
Faith Mullen
Chadbourne & Parke LLP
David Blonder
Ryan Craig
Crowell & Morin LLP
Jeffrey King
DC Department of Transportation
Angela Freeman
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
Jocelyn Bramble
Agnes Li
Karen Marshall
Sonia Medonca
Adam Pecsek
David Ross
Robert Woody
26
Dickstein Shapiro LLP
Julie Abizaid
Christina E. Buschmann
Andres Colon
Dana DiCarlo
Carmiece Graves
Christa L. Green
Venroy July
Suzanne Kelley
Doreen L. Manchester
Ira Polon
Jill M. Proulx
Tina Reynolds
Laura V. Szabo
Rebecca Talbert
Lisa R. Thompson
Kenneth B. Trotter
Michael Weinstein
Steven Weinstein
DLA Piper
Joseph Miller
Christia Pritts
Ping Wang
Foley & Lardner LLP
Gregory Bruch
Derek Casper
Mariel Estigarribia
Christian Fonss
Jay Freedman
Darius Graham
Amy Kroll
Debra Lange
Helen Liu
Erik Paulson
Ed Polk
Friedlander, Misler, Sloan, Kletzkin
& Ochsman, PLLC
Robert Greenberg
George Washington University
Health Insurance Counseling
Project
Suzanne Jackson
Georgetown University Law Center
Jeffrey Gutman
Emily Reed
Hughes & Bentzen PLLC
Michael Bentzen
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
Kathleen Russo
Hunton & Williams LLP
Richard Aguglia
E. Carter Chandler Clements
Sean Cunningham
Susan Dean
John Moore
Kristina Van Horn
Jackson & Campbell, P.C.
Christopher Ferragamo
Jones Day
Brooke Corby
Jorden Burt LLP
Sheila Carpenter
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Megan Christensen
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Susan Schmidt
Maryland Legal Services
McDermott Will & Emery
Gale Chan
H. Guy Collier
Melissa Dorn
Eugene Holmes
Phil McCarty
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Cameron Cohick
Jeff Corsetti
Karri Garrett
Kurt Hamrock
Stephen Lastelic
Feng Shan
Merchant & Gould
Leigh Callander
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley
& McCloy LLP
Steven Kramer
Morgan Lewis
Dean Fanelli
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Obrea Poindexter
Sean Ruff
Nixon Peabody LLP
Cynthia Crawford
Ober|Kaler
Edwin Davila-Bloise
John Rodock
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Jason Zarin
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Lidia Kidane
David Ridenour
O’Toole, Rothwell, Nassau
& Steinbach
Mark Steinbach
Kimberly Angott
Douglas Everette
Jennifer Maree
Alan Noskow
Patton Boggs LLP
Paul Hastings
W. Iris Barber
Katerina Moshinski
Lynda Noggle
Patrick Quigley
Erin Sears
Roger Simon
Powell Goldstein LLP
Reed Smith LLP
Elizabeth Ransom
Regan Zambri & Long, PLLC
Victor Long
Reno & Cavanaugh PLLC
Melissa Worden
Saul Ewing LLP
William Mogel
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Victoria Hao
Heather Pitz
Jamison Weinbaum
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Kristen Garry
Debra Laboschin
Sidley Austin LLP
Aissatou Diop
Kurt Jacobs
Lauren Silvis
Christine Tan
Skadden, Aarps, Slate, Meagher
& Flom LLP
Vanessa NesSmith
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Barbara Kagan
27
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
Christopher Mathews
Michael Pawluk
Elise Piper
Patrice Pitts
Doug Siegler
Jeffrey Starkey
The Harvey Law Group, PLLC
Stephenson Harvey
The Hilder Law Firm, PLLC
Betsy Scott
The Wilson Firm
Albert Wilson
U.S. Chemical Safety Board
Gary Visscher
U.S. Department of Housing
& Urban Development
Elizabeth Cypers
U.S. Department of Justice
Esperanza Anderson
Patrick Bumatay
Carrie Dunsmore
Rachel Hines
Helena Joly
Susan Reilly
Amy Tryon
Robert Zanger
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
Elizabeth Jones
Urban League
Venable LLP
Ellen Traupman Berge
Marina Zalevsky
White & Case LLP
Sam Alberts
Dana E. Foster
Jeffrey Schmitt
Anne Smith
WilmerHale
Christopher Herrling
Becky Read
Volunteers
We extend our sincere thanks to the following volunteers who have worked
tirelessly to assist our clients:
Jacob Allen
Abigail Askew
Heather Ettus
Rachel Hines
Edward Hughes
Tonya Love
Patricia McDonald
Jean Provost
Patricia Reynolds
Richard Treanor
Catherine Wakelyn
Mary Williams
David Yudin
In-House Volunteers Clark Adams
Elena Alvarez
Kelly Barclay
Joseph Battle Katricia Bennett
Donald Bertman
Shirley Best
Bridgett Cameron
Mattie Carvon
Richard Clark
Elizabeth Clark
Aileen Cooper
Judge Cornish
Emily Denay
A. Epstein
Matthew Famiglietti
Kathy Ferger
Robert Frank
Emory Givens
Martha Ford Gladden
Bettye Grayson
Elizabeth Hastings
Thelma Hauser
Gloria Johnson
Gira Joshi
Zelda Kapner
Evelyn Kemp
Ellen Klem
28
Martin Kohn
Lenora Lancaster
Thomas Lane
Rosemary Larry
Lawrence Levit
Anne Lewis
Beverly Lewis-Koch
Elizabeth Mailler
Kenneth McCall
Annie McCluney
Leonard Mitnick
S. O’Connell
Latisha Moore
Lucas Moore
Jacqueline O’Neil
Bettye Owens
Marissa Picard
Alice Proctor
Kimberly Pulick
Magdalene Renfrow
Bettye Richardson Martin Rosensky
Emma Salter
Adele Sawicki
Mary Schoenfuhs
Ivy Smithers
Sherlon Starks
Sharon Steiner
Theodora Stervinou
Ernest Stewart
Donald Stocks
Don Tanguilig
Lillie Taylor Julianne Thorpe
Natalie Wasserman
Ralph Wiser
Beatrice Wright
Susan Wuchinich
Ellen Yahuda
William Zuckerman
“[You] displayed professionalism and
understanding, were considerate,
courteous, and thoughtful. They
explained the law and how it affected
my case and how I should handle
myself in court...The most important
element of all was their expression of
support which gave a feeling that I was
not completely alone.”—Ms. S
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Legal Counsel for the Elderly
Contributions to Legal Counsel for the
Elderly, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the District of
Columbia, are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
601 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20049
Phone 202-434-2120
Fax 202-434-6464
www.aarp.org/lce
LCE greatly appreciates the generous
support provided by our donors, volunteers and partners. Every effort has
been made to provide a complete and
accurate listing of the individuals, law
firms and organizations who contributed
to the success of LCE in 2007. If there
has been an error or omission, we sincerely apologize and encourage you to
contact Director of Development Aaron
Knight at 202-434-2107.
Part of the Senior Service Network
Supported by the DC Office on Aging
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