Legal Services of the Hudson Valley Hosted a Successful
4th Annual Dutchess Partners in Justice Reception
Denise Doring VanBuren from Central Hudson
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY: On Thursday, September 28th, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) held its 4th Annual Dutchess Partners in Justice Reception at Locust Grove Estate in Poughkeepsie, NY. During the fundraising event for LSHV’s work in Dutchess County, the organization honored David L. Posner, Esq., and his firm, McCabe & Mack LLP, as “Champion of Justice” and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation as “Advocate for Justice.” Almost 150 people attended the networking reception catered by The Chocolate Mousse, and almost 40 community leaders lent their support to the organization as Honorary Event Committee Members.
Celebrating its 50th year, LSHV is the only provider in the Hudson Valley of free, comprehensive, legal services in civil matters (noncriminal) for individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney when their basic human needs are at stake. This includes urgent legal needs such as: domestic violence, housing emergencies including eviction and foreclosure prevention, healthcare, disability and benefits, elder law, consumer fraud and more. In 2016, LSHV handled more than 15,000 cases impacting over 36,000 household members.
LSHV’s Chief Program Officer, Rachel Halperin explained to the guests in attendance why this event and the work LSHV does is so important, saying, “As the only provider of free civil legal services in the area for individuals and families who cannot afford an attorney when their basic human needs are at stake, we know that the people we help are our neighbors, our daughters and sons… they are just like us, but after one major illness, job loss, or tragedy, the dominoes start to fall, and they end up in a desperate situation and in need of a helping hand.” Oftentimes, people need an attorney to protect their rights and assure fairness in the justice system. That’s where LSHV’s almost 90 attorneys across seven counties make a difference.
Veteran and Domestic Violence Survivor, Erin Serrano, was joined on stage by LSHV’s Housing Counselor, Tina Harvey, and staff attorney, Solomon Chouicha, who both assisted Serrano earlier this year when she was facing a housing emergency while dealing with a medical crisis. Serrano said, “I went everywhere looking for assistance, and became discouraged & extremely depressed. But the staff at LSHV worked passionately to make sure I did not slip through the cracks and helped me stay in my home and get back on my feet.”
LSHV Board Member and Partner at Cuddy & Feder LLP, Josh Kimerling, presented honoree David L. Posner, Esq. and McCabe & Mack LLP with their award in recognition of their long-standing support of LSHV, as well as their business and philanthropic achievements throughout the Hudson Valley and New York. Posner said at the event, “I began my legal career as a legal services attorney and am very proud to have served on the Board of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley for the last decade and that McCabe and Mack has been very active in its pro bono program. Legal Services of the Hudson Valley has done and will continue to play a leadership role in the provision of high quality legal services to those without the means to pay for it, ensuring that the justice system is open and available to all.”
McCabe & Mack LLP traces its roots back nearly 120 years to the pioneering law practice of John E. Mack. The firm has provided continuous counsel and representation ever since, serving Dutchess County, the Hudson Valley region and clients throughout New York. McCabe & Mack LLP has grown and evolved into a full-service firm that can readily address the needs of individuals, businesses and institutional clients. David L. Posner, Esq., Partner, received his B.A. degree from Union College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his J.D., cum laude, at New York University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has been named as a New York Super Lawyer – Upstate, 2007 through 2016, and his areas of practice are Civil Rights/Police Liability, Employment Discrimination, Litigation/Insurance Defense, and Personal Injury-Plaintiff. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley as well as Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie. He and his wife Joan, Dutchess County Family Court Judge, reside in Poughkeepsie.
In addition, the event honored, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, a regulated transmission and distribution utility serving approximately 300,000 electric and about 79,000 natural gas customers in eight counties of New York State’s Mid-Hudson River Valley in a 2,600 square-mile service territory extending from the suburbs of metropolitan New York City north to the capital district at Albany.
Denise Doring VanBuren, Central Hudson’s Vice President of Public Relations, was presented with the award for its outstanding corporate citizenship, ongoing philanthropic partnership with LSHV, and commitment to all of its customers. When accepting the award, VanBuren said, “Central Hudson is truly honored to be selected for this recognition because we share the same mission of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley — to assist and advocate on behalf of our most-deserving neighbors. Legal Services’ determination to improve the lives of our customers who are facing all sorts of difficulties mirrors our own efforts to provide a helping hand and a compassionate response to those who need help the most.”
This year’s Dutchess Partners in Justice sponsors included: Gold – Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation; Silver – McCabe & Mack LLP; Bronze – Feldman, Kleidman, Coffey, Sappe & Regenbaum LLP, Cuddy & Feder LLP, and Chuck and Mark Rollins of the Rollins Agency; Giving Tree – Jackson Lewis, P.C., an anonymous law firm, and two anonymous individuals. Additionally, Poughkeepsie Journal Media is this year’s Media Sponsor and Adams Fairacre Farms has contributed significant in-kind support.
Information on LSHV’s programs is available online at www.lshv.org.
