Baker Hostetler and inMotion Host Holiday Donation Presentation Breakfast for New York City Family Justice Center

NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker Hostetler's New York Women's Steering Committee, chaired by partners Lauren Resnick and Elizabeth Ann Smith, hosted a breakfast on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 to deliver donations collected in the firm's Clean Slate 2011 holiday donation initiative. The donations were presented to Rachelle Abrahami, Executive Director of the New York City Family Justice Center, Bronx, an initiative of the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence. 

"Baker Hostetler's annual Clean Slate initiative is designed to collect and distribute items needed by women and children who are leaving abusive environments and starting over with a 'clean slate.' When you must leave everything behind to move forward, these everyday items can be the foundation of a brand new life," said Ms. Smith.

"Our colleagues at inMotion suggested that the New York City Family Justice Center would welcome the donations gathered through the Baker Hostetler annual Clean Slate Initiative," said Ms. Resnick. "We are delighted to present Rachelle with our holiday donations and we look forward to working with her and the Center again in the future."

"On behalf of our clients and their children, I thank Baker Hostetler for their generosity and inMotion for their continued service on-site at the New York City Family Justice Center, Bronx," said Ms. Abrahami.  "The donated items will help us continue to provide a supportive place where domestic violence victims and their children can heal and take the next steps toward a life free from violence."

In attendance from inMotion were Catherine Curry, Esq., Director, Institutional Relations, and Heidi Lee Henderson, Esq., Senior Director, Legal Services.  Other members of the Baker Hostetler New York Women's Steering Group in attendance included: Loura Alaverdi, Jeanine Conley, Anjula Garg, Heather MacDonald, Donna Tobin, Natacha Carbajal, Melissa Carvalho, Amanda Fein, Jessie Gabriel, Essence Liburd, Sammi Malek, Michelle Marck, Christina Tsesmelis, and Kathryn Zunno.

Since November, Baker Hostetler's New York office has been participating in a donation drive to benefit the clients of the New York City Family Justice Center, Bronx. InMotion is an on-site partner at all three New York City Family Justice Centers, located in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

Since 1993, inMotion has confronted the challenging needs of families in crisis by providing free legal services to low-income, underserved, abused women and their children. InMotion has helped thousands of women in New York City free themselves from abusive relationships, stay in their homes and win the financial support to which they – and their children – are legally entitled.

InMotion recruits volunteer lawyers from New York City's premier corporate law firms and corporations and trains and mentors them in matrimonial, family and immigration law. Last year, inMotion and nearly 2,200 volunteers from 80 firms assisted 7,000 women and children. These volunteers donated 76,000 hours of their time and services, valued at more than $30 million, to represent inMotion clients. For more information about inMotion, please visit www.inmotiononline.org.

Baker Hostetler is a Corporate Partner of inMotion, providing financial as well as pro bono support. Attorneys from Baker Hostetler are currently representing six clients referred by inMotion, fighting to secure court orders granting custody to caring mothers and mandating safe visitation arrangements, and to obtain fair divorce judgments providing financial security for their clients and essential health insurance for their children. Baker Hostetler partner Elizabeth Ann Smith serves as the firm's Corporate Partner representative to inMotion and Baker Hostetler associate Natacha Carbajal serves on inMotion's Junior Advisory Board. 

In 2011, Baker Hostetler's New York office committed nearly 9,000 hours of pro bono legal service to both international and domestic organizations.   For more information about Baker Hostetler, please visit http://www.bakerlaw.com.

The New York City Family Justice Center Initiative of the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence reduces barriers faced by victims of domestic violence who are seeking help. This innovative program enables victims to meet with a prosecutor, meet with a civil legal attorney, speak with a trained counselor, and apply for housing and financial assistance in just one visit – all in their language while their children play safely in the next room. By providing services in one location with partnering City agencies and community providers, the Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx Centers are increasing the effectiveness of service delivery to break the cycle of violence. The New York City Family Justice Center Initiative is a private/public partnership of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, a 501©(3) not-for-profit organization established to promote partnerships between the City and the private sector.  For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/domesticviolence.

Contact:
Amanda Remus
(212) 847-2826

SOURCE Baker Hostetler