Firm Attorneys Recognized for Pro Bono Work by New York County Lawyers Association
October, 2023 - New York, New York
On Thursday, October 19, 2023, the New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA), in a ceremony in the rotunda of the New York County Surrogate’s Court, recognized four Patterson Belknap attorneys for their achievements in connection with their pro bono representations.
Nadav Ben Zur was recognized for his pro bono service as part of NYCLA’s Social Security SDNY Project. Nadav’s client suffered from physical and mental conditions that made her unable to work and had required her to be hospitalized multiple times. Nadav’s advocacy for his client led the judge to decide in her favor at the conclusion of the oral argument. Nadav’s client will therefore be able to pursue the disability benefits she requires.
Andrew Kirschenbaum was recognized for his work on NYCLA’s Access-A-Ride project. Access-A-Ride is a service that provides transportation for individuals whose disabilities prevent them from utilizing public transportation. NYCLA’s Access-A-Ride project represents individuals who were denied transportation under the Access-A-Ride service. Andrew successfully advocated for his client as part of NYCLA’s project, granting his client Access-A-Ride access who had previously been denied this benefit.
Madeline More was recognized for her work achieving a new parole hearing for a Vietnam War veteran, as part of the NYCLA Parole Prep Project. In September 2023, the Appeals Unit of the New York State Board of Parole vacated the parole denial of Madeline’s client and remanded the client’s parole application for a de novo hearing, marking the client’s first administrative appeal victory after being previously denied parole six times.
Christina Seda-Acosta was recognized for her pro bono service as part of NYCLA’s Veterans’ Discharge Upgrade Project, which advocates for veterans who have received other than honorable discharges. Christina prepared submissions to the U.S. Naval Discharge Review Board, on behalf of her client, a veteran who served in Afghanistan and earned 5 decorations. Christina successfully obtained an upgraded discharge for her client, with relief granted in March 2023.
Patterson Belknap has a long and proud history of public service, with 100% of firm attorneys participating in pro bono projects for the past 19 years. For more information on the firm’s pro bono practice, please click here.
