NFPA Press Release
Lori Thompson
Pro Bono Co-Coordinator
Probono@paralegals.orgApril 15, 2003
PARALEGAL PRAISED FOR SIGNIFICANT PRO BONO CONTRIBUTIONS
The Affiliates and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) are pleased to announce the selection of Jennifer Pelzman, senior legal assistant at Hogan & Hartson, L.L.P., in Washington, DC, as winner of the NFPA 2003 Pro Bono Award for an Individual. The Affiliates, a leading staffing service specializing in attorneys, paralegals and other highly skilled professionals, sponsors the award annually to recognize a paralegal's contributions and makes a $1,000 donation to a project of the winner's choice.
The nominating letter from Robert Duncan, partner in charge of the law firm's community services department, explained how Pelzman's pro bono work has had a direct influence on clients. Pelzman currently represents three persons with HIV or AIDS who are appealing for Social Security disability benefits, and she has been successful in obtaining benefits for a fourth client. These contacts were initiated at the monthly clinic Hogan & Hartson sponsors. Additionally, during 2001, Pelzman assisted Hogan & Hartson attorneys in interviewing southern African-American farmers in a class action discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture that resulted in one of the largest civil rights settlements in history. Wrote Duncan, "Ms. Pelzman traveled to remote parts of Mississippi to visit local courts, research land deeds and review loan records ... Ms. Pelzman was instrumental in helping rectify years of discrimination felt by African-American farmers in the South."
Pelzman holds a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a paralegal certificate from Georgetown University. She works in her employer's communications and corporate, securities, and finance practice groups.
Previous winners of The Affiliates individual pro bono award are Silvia Lee of Pennsylvania, Laurie Reich, RP, of Pennsylvania, Lori Thompson of Washington, DC, Valerie Chaffin, CLA, of North Carolina, and Karen Woffley, RP, of Indiana.
About The Affiliates
The Affiliates provides law firms and corporate legal departments with project and full-time professionals including attorney, paralegals and legal support personnel. The Affiliates offers online job search services at www.affiliates.com. For more information about The Affiliates contact Lisa Hamilton by phone (650) 234-6234, by e-mail lisa.hamilton@rhi.com or by mail at The Affiliates,2884 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025.About NFPA
NFPA is a not-for-profit association with the largest number of individual paralegal members in the nation. NFPA is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. NFPA is the national voice and the standard for excellence for the paralegal profession through its work on the issues of regulation, ethics and education.
