The Legal Aid Society Honors Cahill with Pro Bono Publico Award for Third Consecutive Year
Date: 10/23/07
Cahill is again the recipient of the Pro Bono Publico Award, presented by The Legal Aid Society of New York. The 2007 award recognizes the firm's outstanding pro bono efforts to meet the special educational needs of children in foster care who were abused or neglected. Three years ago, the firm initiated a special pro bono educational advocacy project and partners and associates began working closely with Legal Aid Society attorney Cara Chambers and the Kathryn A.McDonald Educational Advocacy Project of the Juvenile Rights Practice.
Laura Padin is recognized for obtaining a private school placement to meet the special needs of a non-verbal 5-year-old child with severe developmental delays. Despite the severity of his needs, the child was never enrolled in a program. Laura also secured early intervention services and a pre-school special education program for three other siblings.
Wendy T. Wylegala is recognized for providing outstanding representation of an Ecuadoran teenager who suffered extreme physical abuse by his father. Wendy successfully represented him in Family Court and continues to represent him in Immigration Court. She is seeking Special Immigration Juvenile Status on his behalf.
Through its partnership program with The Legal Aid Society, Cahill provides pro bono counsel to young children who are the subjects of abuse and neglect proceedings in New York family Courts, disabled individuals in need of Social Security benefits, immigrant youth who are the subjects of abuse, and tenants who are denied the most basic of services. This year, the firm initiated a new project with the Civil Practice's Queens Neighborhood Office. Cahill is recognized for its effective leadership in initiating the Housing Preservation Pro Bono Project with the Queens Neighborhood Office that represents tenants in Housing Court actions to compel landlords to repair dangerous building conditions, threatening life, health, safety and continued occupancy.