Georgia Online Justice Community

DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation held a reception on May 29, 2003 at the Old Courthouse on the Square celebrating its 21st Anniversary and honoring its volunteer attorneys. The Foundation has approximately 450 metro area volunteer attorneys who represent indigent citizens of DeKalb County in civil legal matters. Over the course of its twenty-one year history the Foundation has assisted over 6800 individuals with their legal problems. Many DeKalb state court, juvenile and superior court judges and other elected officials were in attendance to help honor the attorneys who have donated their time to help those in need.

Special recognition was given to several local attorneys who have distinguished themselves in representation of clients on a pro bono basis. The Law Firm Award was presented to Hudson & King. Together, members of the firm have accepted over 45 cases. Two members have been accepting cases since the Foundation was incorporated in June 1982.

A special recognition was awarded to a volunteer attorney who has served on the panel for less than five years. This year's recipient was N. Wallace Kelleman. Ms. Kelleman joined the panel in1998 and has already handled 10 pro bono cases.

Our Intermediate Award recognizes an individual who has been on the panel of volunteers for at least 10 years and has distinguished themselves by their willingness to represent eligible clients. This year=s recipient, Bette Elaine Rosenzveig, joined the panel in November 1991 and has averaged taking two cases per year ever since. She donates from 30 to 65 hours on each case.

This year's recipient of DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation's Pro Bono Publico Award was D. Joseph Girardot. The Pro Bono Publico Award is designed to recognize individual achievement in volunteerism. Mr. Girardot was one of the first attorneys to volunteer to take pro bono cases when the Foundation was originally formed in 1982. He has personally handled forty pro bono cases. He is always willing to take the most difficult domestic relations cases.

-- For more information, contact DVLF Executive Director Sheila Ogletree at treecook@aol.com or (404) 373-0865 (press 2).