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Spotlight
on Clients and Volunteers
Merck & Co.
Volunteers Assist
With Community Development Projects in Camden, New Jersey
January
2004: In just a few short months after joining the
Pro Bono Partnership, the legal department of Merck & Co.
has already made a tremendous impact by assisting, among other
clients, a community development corporation in Camden, New Jersey.
Parkside
Business and Community in Partnership
is committed to reversing the decline of the Parkside neighborhood of Camden,
NJ, and to improving the quality of that neighborhood’s life through a variety
of strategies, such as the acquisition and rehabilitation of homes, and resale
to low-moderate income families. Parkside approached the Pro Bono
Partnership for assistance in reviewing a contract for preparation of a
neighborhood plan, which is an essential element in developing the City’s Master
Plan.
Vance Camisa, Assistant Counsel at Merck & Co.,
negotiated key terms of the contract on behalf of Parkside. The client wrote
Vance, “Thank you for providing legal expertise and insight to PBCIP in the
negotiations of the consultant’s agreement … for the Parkside neighborhood plan.
As a result of your assistance, PBCIP is embarking on a planning process that
will identify critical neighborhood issues and, through resident and stakeholder
participation, formulate strategies that will lead to the successful
revitalization of Parkside.” More recently,
Kay Boulware-Miller,
Managing Counsel, Latin America at Merck & Co.,
has volunteered to
assist PBCIP in reviewing its by-laws to assure that they are complete,
including provisions dealing with matters such as conflicts of interest and
other board responsibilities. In light of its awareness of the need for careful
accounting and financial controls, PBCIP also wants to ensure that its financial
policies clearly set forth the practices and standards that will best protect
the organization.
Baerbel Brown, a Merck & Co. patent attorney,
with an MBA background and interest in urban revitalization, has agreed to
review PBCIP’s financial and accounting policies.
Michelle
Riordan of Jackson Lewis LLP Assists in a Connecticut Wage and Hour Matter,
Relieving a Partnership Client of Back Wages, Interest and Penalties
November 2003:
The Connecticut Department of Labor audited one of the Partnership’s
clients and determined that the client had incorrectly classified a former
employee as "exempt," resulting in significant penalties, interest and a hefty
assessment for back wages. One of the Partnership's volunteer employment
attorneys,
Michelle Riordan,
formerly of
Schering Plough
Corporation,
who now works in the Stamford office of the law firm of
Jackson Lewis LLP,
convinced the DOL that the organization's classification was correct, leading
the DOL to reverse its assessment and saving this community serving organization
over $17,000 in back wages, interest and penalties.
The
Partnership’s Volunteers Assist Nonprofits In Successful Mergers.
October 2003:
Two Stamford, CT-based nonprofit health agencies,
Student Health Services and
Stamford CARES, wanted to merge in order to
enhance their ability to expand their mission and services , leverage additional
financial opportunities and increase marketing capabilities. The organizations
turned to the Partnership, which had provided pro bono services to each
agency in the past. The Partnership was able to engage volunteer
attorneys from two of CT’s leading law firms,
Shipman & Goodwin LLP and
Wiggin & Dana, to guide the nonprofits to a
successful merger. Particular thanks to Kyle Odin
of Shipman & Goodwin who took the lead in
this successful project.
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