Volunteer Legal Service Program (VLSP)
VLSP Celebrates Outstanding Volunteers at Annual Reception
By Megan Colla, Volunteer Coordinator
BASF’s Volunteer Legal Services Program celebrated its most exceptional volunteers at its annual Outstanding Volunteer Appreciation Party in late March.
More than 180 people were in attendance at the event, which was held at the Green Room of the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco. Chief Justice Ronald George, California Supreme Court, Presiding Judge James McBride, San Francisco Superior Court and Judge Patrick Mahoney, San Francisco Superior Court, Family Court, were on hand to pass out the awards.
More than 50 volunteers were honored with Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service
certificates. Additionally, VLSP also recognized three volunteers, a law firm and a corporation with special awards.
The James P. Preovolos Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Services in Family Law was presented to Kathryn Kirkland, one of VLSP’s most dedicated and tireless supporters. With her wealth of experience as an author of family practice guides, and as a certified family law specialist, she has been invaluable in her mentoring of volunteer attorneys and in her participation in family law trainings.
 The 2009 Housing Justice Award, which honors an attorney who has provided outstanding pro bono services through VLSP in landlord/tenant law, was presented to Jerome Schweich. He began volunteering with VLSP in 2008 in both the Eviction Defense projects - the full scope Landlord/Tenant Project and the Housing Negotiation Project. Schweich is consistently available on short notice to substitute into unlawful detainer cases and participate the Monday of trial ready, willing, and able to try the case.
Catherine Gillespie was the recipient of the Community Service Award, which is given to a non-attorney volunteer who has contributed in a significant way to VLSP, its clients and the community. Gillespie, a third-year law student at UC Hastings, began volunteering with VLSP as an undergraduate intern in 2003. Since that time, she has provided support to many projects, including the Homeless Advocacy Project’s Shelter Project. She has also worked with clients facing evictions through the Housing Negotiation Project and has been instrumental in coordinating LARC, VLSP’s free monthly walk-in clinic providing brief legal advice to low-income clients, and volunteers with this project almost every month.
 VLSP honored Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) with the Outstanding Corporation Award, which recognizes a corporation for its dedication to providing pro bono assistance for low-income and underserved clients. HP attorneys regularly volunteer at VLSP’s Legal and ID Clinics at Project Homeless Connect. They also volunteer at LARC, conducting client intake and providing brief legal advice. Additionally, HP generously donated new laptops and portable printers for use at LARC, allowing volunteers to increase our on-site services to clients. Jonathan DeGooyer accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius was the recipient of the 2009 Outstanding Law Firm in Public Service Award. In 2009, the firm devoted significant time to representing pro per litigants in their unlawful detainer settlement conferences through VLSP’s Housing Negotiation Project. Morgan Lewis has also been incredibly supportive of VLSP’s Community Organization Representation Project (CORP). Through CORP, the firm has provided a wide range of pro bono business law services to nonprofit organizations serving low-income communities. Additionally, Morgan Lewis attorneys have been among the most dedicated volunteers for VLSP’s clinics at Project Homeless Connect and at its Family Law Project and Low Income Tax Payer Clinic.
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