October Volunteer Feature: The Legal Aid Society Honors Allen Joslyn and Jay Greenfield, Two Exemplary Second Acts® Attorneys
Serving as quintessential models of a lifetime of dedication to the law and the public good, Jay Greenfield, of Counsel to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, and Allen Joslyn, a retired partner from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, were honored on October 7, 2008 as the first recipients of The Legal Aid Society's Second Acts® Leadership Award.
During the past nine (9) years following retirement from the Cahill firm, Allen Joslyn has maintained a part-time pro bono practice representing dozens of Legal Aid clients in a wide range of practice areas. Serving most recently as counsel to elderly clients at Legal Aid's Brooklyn Office for the Aging and Brooklyn Neighborhood Office, Mr. Joslyn litigated a lengthy and complicated housing matter for an elderly client in danger of losing his home and handled a number of family law matters. His legal expertise and enthusiasm in meeting the challenges of a poverty law practice have made Mr. Joslyn an extremely valued and respected attorney for The Legal Aid Society's staff and low-income elderly clients.
Jay Greenfield has contributed his wealth of litigation experience both in representing clients and mentoring junior Legal Aid attorneys on trial strategy and in second-seating on a lengthy trial. On his individual matters he had demonstrated sensitivity and diligence in defending elderly clients in a complex eviction proceeding and in handling an Article 78 proceeding that included conducting numerous home interviews and preparaing complex pleadings and memorandums aided by associate and other resources from the firm.
The Legal Aid Society has been awarded a three-year grant by the Pro Bono Institute in Washington, D.C. to launch a Second Acts® Pilot project to establish an innovative and replicable Second Acts® model pilot for engaging transitioning and retired attorneys in significant volunteer public interest law opportunities. Allen Joslyn and Jay Greenfield demonstrate the extraordinary value of volunteers in their "second acts" as public service lawyers.