JUF Volunteer Goes Above and Beyond!
Our volunteers are made of stern stuff – they’re known to handle complicated and difficult cases. Steven Friedman took one such case through our Jewish United Fund (JUF) clinic over two years ago. The client, Lloyd, came to CVLS because he had been served with a foreclosure complaint.
Lloyd is an interesting 80-year-old. At the time of his intake appointment, he had stopped working, had mortgaged all the equity in his house, and was barely making ends meet by selling off his own assets. The house, an inheritance, was uninhabitable and filled, wall to wall, with antique radio equipment.
Steven consulted with other volunteer attorneys at Jewish Legal Services and filed a response to the foreclosure complaint. At the request of the Chancery Court, Steven had Lloyd examined by a doctor to determine whether Lloyd was capable of making decisions on his own. Steven also explored, at length, the possibility of appointing Lloyd a guardian. Lloyd was ultimately deemed competent to make decisions for himself.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Steven kept in extensive contact with Lloyd, his family, and his social workers. He was concerned that if Lloyd was no longer able to afford his rent, he would become homeless. Steven went as far as to meet with an auctioneer who agreed to examine Lloyd’s radio equipment for possible sale.
When foreclosure proceedings resumed, Steven represented Lloyd fully in court and reached a satisfactory result. The house was put up for sale, and the sale provided Lloyd with enough money to discharge all of his debt. The bank’s case against Lloyd was dismissed with prejudice.
Steven’s advocacy went above and beyond. He did what he could to protect Lloyd’s rights and put him a better situation. Our aim at CVLS is to provide low-income clients with access to quality representation by pairing them with dedicated lawyers like Steven. Well done!
