2014 LADDY AWARDS
for Pro Bono and Community Service
Eighteen to receive honors in Detroit Nov. 18

Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. (LAD) will present our 2014 Laddy Awards, honoring members of the legal community for their pro bono service to LAD clients.

The Laddy Awards will be on Tuesday, November 18 at 2 p.m. in the historic chief judge's courtroom of the Theodore Levin United States Courthouse, 231 W. Lafayette Street, Detroit. For information about the ceremony or sponsorships, contact Bedelia Brown at (313) 967-5619 or [email protected].

This year's Laddy honorees are:

Pro Bono Attorney of the Year:  
Jordan S. Bolton
Clark Hill PLC

In one case handled by Mr. Bolton, our clients purchased a home on a land contract. They did not know that the seller had a mortgage for $65,000 on the property. The seller lost title to their home when that mortgage was foreclosed. Our clients made a $10,000 down payment on the land contract, and improved the property. Mr. Bolton filed a lawsuit alleging fraud by the seller and conducted extensive discovery including depositions. His efforts led to a settlement in which our clients received damages of $9,500.

Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year:  
Bodman PLC 
Left to right: Peter Leto, Ralph McDowell, Jason Currie, Michael Jameson, Kimberly Paulson and Alexander Simpson  

Legal Aid and Defender offers assisted pro se divorce clinics for Wayne county residents. In 2008 Bodman began handling two pro se divorce clinics for Wayne County residents each month Bodman's attorneys handled the presentation and helped the clients prepare pro se pleadings. Since 2012 Bodman attorneys have continued to assist clients at a pro se clinic each month. In the past three years Bodman has donated 646 hours of work for LAD's clients.
 
Kelvin W. Scott Pro Bono Corporation of the Year:  
Ford Motor Company
David Leitech (pictured), Group Vice President and General Counsel 

Ford provides funding and pro bono attorneys from Ford's corporate counsel staff for our Food Stamp Screening Project. Ford's pro bono attorneys handled 16 food stamp clinics from 2010 through 2013 and four clinics so far this year. The Project is conducted in elementary schools and medical clinics that are part of our collaboration with the Beaumont Legal Aid for Families and Children Project (LAFC), and at the offices of our community partners, Don Bosco Hall, and Focus Hope. A number of Ford attorneys also handle individual pro bono cases helping our clients expunge their criminal records and get divorced. 

Pro Bono Spirit Award:
Kristi A. Katsma
Dickinson Wright PLLC 
 
Kristi Katsma of Dickinson Wright represented a client who received a Detroit property tax bill for $2,300 she had already paid. The client had stamped receipts from the City indicating payment in full. The elderly client had lived in her home since 1971. Ms. Katsma filed a successful appeal with the Michigan Tax Tribunal to resolve this matter. Ms. Katsma's work ensured that this client could continue to live in her home. She spent 57 hours on this matter.

Pro Bono Spirit Award:
Kurt Thornbladh
Thornbladh Legal Group PLC

Mr. Thornbladh represented a client, who lived at COTS, a Detroit homeless shelter with her six children. He filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy for her, wiping out a $6,000 balance owed for electricity and heat. Mr. Thornbladh filed the bankruptcy which enabled her to wipe out her balance, get utility service, and move herself and her six children into a new home. Mr. Thornbladh has completed bankruptcy cases for six other clients.

Pro Bono Spirit Award:
Jenny Lynn Zavadil
Bowman and Brooke LLP

Jenny Lynn Zavadil represented a client who was sued by a debt collector for a credit card debt. Ms. Zavadil filed a motion to set aside the garnishment of the property tax credit which is exempt from garnishment under state law. The Court ordered sanctions against the credit for $500 when this payment was not made the court ordered an additional $1000 in sanctions. The creditor paid the total judgment and sanctions of $1,000 which Ms. Zavadil donated to our very surprised and pleased client.

Frank D. Eaman Warrior of Justice Award:
John A. Shea
Sole Practitioner

John A. Shea is the recipient of the Frank D. Eaman Warrior of Justice Award for his outstanding work as a member of our CJA panel of assigned counsel. The panel represents our clients in the U.S. District Court. Mr. Shea is an excellent practitioner and never hesitates to take the difficult case. He represented the former mayors' father, Bernard Kilpatrick in the lengthy trial before Judge Edmunds.

Ed Pokorny Pioneer of Justice Award:
Hon. James R. Chylinski
Wayne County Circuit Court

Judge Chylinski is the recipient of the Ed Pokorny Pioneer of Justice Award because of his awareness of the particular circumstances of our clients. He is innovative in his sentencing. He often will impose a fine or court costs as an alternative to probation or incarceration. He is concerned about saving our clients' employment. He is also willing to consider alternative sentencing such as Drug Court or Mental Health Court.

Friend of Legal Aid and Defender Award:
The Macomb Homeless Coalition

The Macomb Homeless Coalition is a non-profit organization that acts as an advocate for the homeless and potentially homeless in Macomb County. MHC staff and volunteers came to LAD to conduct three poverty simulations for our entire staff and Board of Directors. The poverty simulation allows for persons to "live" the life of a poor person for a month and requires various actors to role-play as agency workers. The simulation is an effective method for staff to understand the struggles that face our clients in their daily lives.

Friend of Legal Aid and Defender Award:
The 37th District Court

Judge Matthew Sabaugh 

 

When the 37th District Court learned that Legal Aid and Defender and other community partners were planning an Eviction Diversion Program in Macomb County, Judge Matthew Sabaugh contacted us and expressed an interest in having the Program at the 37th District Court. The EDP is a voluntary program to assist landlords and tenants in resolving back rent situations without a credit-damaging court judgment. It is the first of its kind in Macomb County.  

 

Pangborn Pin Recipients:

(At least 50 hours pro bono service since last awards ceremony)

 

Seth A. Drucker, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP

 

Olukunle A. Fadipe, solo practitioner (now LAD staff attorney)

 

Kathleen G. Galen, solo practitioner

 

Kathryn Ariella Katz, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP

 

Mary Beth Leija, solo practitioner

 

Mary K. Mansfield, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP

 

Theresa H. Sharp, solo practitioner

 

Christy Q. Williams, solo practitioner

 

 

2014 Laddy Awards Sponsors:












William Booth, Legal Aid and Defender Conduct Child Support Help Program
Seminar held at Detroit Public Library
Attending the child support help program are (left to right) Zenell B. Brown, executive administrator of Third Circuit Court; Joycelyn Ward, staff attorney for Legal Aid and Defender Association; Kent Weichman, interim friend of the court; and judges Kathleen M. McCarthy and Robert J. Colombo Jr. (Photo by John Meiu)

The Salvation Army William Booth Legal Clinic and Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. (LAD) conducted a child support help program on Saturday, October 25 at Detroit Public Library Main Branch.

 

Participants could learn how to check their child support accounts online, seek appropriate child support reductions and modifications, and consult with volunteer attorneys.

 

The program was one of a series of "Everyday Legal Issues Seminars" supported by various community agencies, including Wayne County Head Start, JVS Jewish Vocational Services, Detroit Head Start Fatherhood Initiative, Wayne County Friend of the Court, Abundant Children & Family Services Agency, Wayne County Mediation Center and Wayne County Community College District.

 

Among the attendees were Robert J. Colombo Jr., chief judge of Wayne County's Third Circuit Court; Kathleen M. McCarthy, presiding judge of the court's Family Division; and Kent Weichman, interim friend of the court.

 

"Paid child support is so important," Colombo said. "Children want to know they're being supported."

 

"We do these programs as often as possible," McCarthy said. "The Third Circuit is the largest court in Michigan and the eighth largest in the country. Our judges have heavy caseloads, and we're woefully underfunded."

 

"We're proud of our Friend of the Court," Colombo said. "They do more with less than any other Friend of the Court in the state."

 

"We know court can be scary, so it's better to take care of problems early," Weichman said. "Child support is serious, because if you don't pay, you can go to jail. Don't hide, bad things can happen."

 

"Remedies are available if you can't pay," Weichman said, citing changes in the law on arrearages."

 

Attendees received information folders that told them how to contact the Friend of the Court and how to manage their cases and obtain legal help online. For further information, visit https://www.3rdcc.org/FOC.aspx#/list.
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