2,012 Attorneys Registered
A Decade of Growth In the first year of the program, 42 attorneys registered for Emeritus status; in 2018–2019, Emeritus registrations numbered 1,442 and in the 2019–2020 registration period, 570.* Over the course of the decade, 3,313 attorneys elected Emeritus status in their biennial registration for the first time and 2,589 attorneys elected Emeritus status on a subsequent registration. Registrations for the 2020-2021 reporting period are very strong, demonstrating that senior attorneys will continue to commit to pro bono civil legal service and help meet the escalating need resulting from the pandemic. The pro bono work of Emeritus Attorneys is a critical and priceless resource to communities across our state and expands access to justice in a meaningful way. The center’s AmeriCorps VISTA AEP Coordinators communicate with Emeritus Attorneys to identify appropriate pro bono placements based on the skills and experience of the volunteer and available opportunities at AEP-participating legal services organizations. The center’s commitment to mobilize this eligible demographic of attorneys, through programming with bar associations and hosting information sessions, advances social justice in under served communities and improves access to justice for thousands of New Yorkers facing life-altering legal challenges. Strengthening Individuals and Communities Dr. Linda P. Fried, Dean and DeLamar Professor of Public Health Practice at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, a leading scholar and proponent of senior volunteerism, advocated for intergenerational strategic planning to tap the lifelong skills and experiences of seasoned professionals at the Tenth Anniversary Event. Keeping seniors productively engaged in the social fabric of the community is key to their health and vibrancy; scientific literature generally credits older minds with the knowledge, expertise, and ability to tackle urgent, complex problems with patience and tolerance. Dr. Fried praised the Emeritus volunteers and the AEP for engaging professional seniors in such meaningful community work.
as Emeritus during enrollment periods 2018–2019 and 2019–2020
Number of Emeritus Attorneys Per Biennial Registration Period
3,313 Total Unique Registrants
1,442
1,090
769
644
570
424
407
287
143
42 84
The varied and broad-ranging legal backgrounds and experiences of Emeritus Attorneys serve to provide essential assistance to underrepresented New Yorkers, and it has been rewarding to play a role in matching attorneys interested in volunteering with legal services organizations focused on facilitating social change. Olga Tomasello Attorney Emeritus Program Coordinator (2018–2020)
*Please note that the difference between the higher number of AEP attorneys during the even-year biennial registration periods compared to odd-year biennial registration periods is due to the fact the biennial registration requirement went into effect in an even year [1982] and applied to all attorneys already admitted. The differential between even and odd years is narrowing over time.
8 | Feerick Center for Social Justice Biennial Report 2018–2020
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