responsible leaders - inMotion Inc.

FALL 2005
responsible leaders
THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE
Katrina confronted us all with two inescapable realities—
the special vulnerability of people living in poverty in our
cities and an enormous failure of leadership. We felt
shame and outrage at the governmental failures at all
levels to afford safety to the poorest of our fellow citizens
at a time of unprecedented, but anticipated, crisis. And
most Americans took what steps they could to bring
immediate help to those who had lost family members
and friends, homes and jobs, and the place that was uniquely their own.
This crisis also focused my attention on what needs to be done long term, both
locally and nationally, to address the unacceptable and growing gap between
the rich and the poor in our country, and to nurture and advance leaders we
are willing to trust with our future well-being. I realized that inMotion has
been working toward these ends since our inception.
One of the best things inMotion does, in my view, is to bring together
the worlds of the most privileged and the most in need in New York City.
At the local level, as we connect our volunteers to women who can’t afford
lawyers when they seek justice, we are gradually building a collective awareness
of the need for change, and an informed will to make it happen. It is hard to
ignore that many New Yorkers cannot find jobs, afford decent housing, gain a
first rate education or pay for medical care. It is even harder to look the other
way when these inequities are personified by your client, a woman whom you
have come to admire for her strength and resourcefulness and whose children
you now care about.
Ten days after the devastation of New Orleans, I joined four other women in
non-profit leadership positions at the annual Radcliffe-Harvard Women’s
Leadership Conference. A highly diverse group of undergraduates, eager to
become tomorrow’s leaders, wanted to hear about our experiences and sought
words of wisdom to help them anticipate tough life choices. A common theme
emerged in each presentation and in the intense questioning of our audience:
a true leader is one who takes responsibility and who demands accountability
from herself and those she works with and for. When something important
needs to happen, respected leaders are in the thick of it and not standing on
the sidelines.
Letter from Catherine J. Douglass, Executive Director
I celebrate the fact that inMotion has no shortage of responsible leaders.
People on our staff quietly and competently make sure that what needs to get
done is done, on time and well. To a person, they daily commit their energy,
ideas and sheer hard work to accomplishing our mission. Whether it’s
technology upgrades, new volunteer recruitment, database analysis or event
planning, staff leaders make it happen.
We have been equally fortunate to be supported by a board that takes pride in
its role as a “working board.” Their passion for ensuring that women in New
York City will be able to access justice is evidenced by their actions. One board
member, who is chairing its development committee, has just sent a letter to, as
he describes it, “absolutely everyone I know,” telling them in very personal
terms why he supports inMotion financially and asking them to join him.
And our volunteers—lawyers, legal assistants, law school and graduate
students—assume an enormous responsibility every time they step up
to assist an inMotion client. I recently asked an associate who was just
completing his externship at inMotion whether there was anything he
did not anticipate about his experience of representing a full caseload of
inMotion clients exclusively for three months. His response was that even
though he had been warned by the associate who preceded him, he was
surprised at the emotional toll this work took. He confessed to having trouble
sleeping for the first time in his life because of worry about his clients’
situations and his ability to handle the responsibility for their legal outcomes.
He observed that his work with his firm’s major institutional clients had never
come close to affecting him in this way.
Every year, at our Commitment to Justice Awards evening, held just after
Thanksgiving, we honor all of our volunteers, acknowledging them as
responsible leaders for change in our community. We celebrate that their work
benefits thousands of women who might well have been among those trapped
in New Orleans, had that been their city rather than New York.
Our experience with inMotion clients heightens our awareness every day
of their struggles to access basic protections and informs our efforts to change
this reality. We are fortunate to have enlisted so many New Yorkers in our
urban mission. There is much to be done, here and in the Gulf. It will require
strong leaders committed to ending the sharp divide between the haves and
the have-nots, leaders who care, who are there, and who are accountable.
A N EVEN I NG WITH FRIENDS
Rebecca Weiss Photography/rebeccaweiss.com
On September 26th, board member Julie Saul hosted a reception at her photography gallery in
Chelsea, bringing together over 70 friends and loyal supporters of inMotion. The evening included a
special viewing of a 25-year retrospective exhibition by acclaimed photographer Sally Gall. Sally
has generously donated several of her photographs to inMotion’s annual Photography Auction and
Benefit. It was a festive opportunity to say thank you to Sally and our other devoted contributors for
their commitment to our cause—and a great way for new friends to learn more about inMotion and
the women we serve.
Left: Gallery owner and inMotion board member Julie Saul welcomes George Graham, Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., Inc., to her gallery.
Right: Artist Sally Gall (front center) introduces her work to our many guests and speaks about her long-standing support for inMotion’s mission.

externship
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP
In January of 2004, Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP became our second long-standing corporate partner to establish a litigation externship at
inMotion. Since then, six talented Sidley associates have taken a brief sabbatical from their familiar areas of corporate practice and usual
responsibilities at their firm to dive headlong into the arenas of family and matrimonial law. Working full-time at inMotion’s Manhattan office on a fourmonth
rotating basis, they have taken on 72 of our most urgent and complex cases over the past 20 months—an impressive and challenging caseload.
In turn, these young litigators have gained invaluable court room experience, appearing regularly to advocate on behalf of some of the City’s most
vulnerable families. Here are two of the many successful outcomes Sidley externs have won for inMotion clients:
Elena* was abandoned by her husband nine years ago, after 20 years of
marriage. He left her alone to raise their four children—one of whom has
severe developmental disabilities. Throughout their nine-year separation,
Elena’s husband grudgingly paid as little child support as he could get away
with. Elena somehow managed to hold down a job, raise her children and
give her handicapped daughter the special care she needs. Wanting to move
forward with her life and sever any legal ties to
her husband, Elena turned to inMotion in April
2004 for assistance with a divorce.
Sidley externs Faith Jenkins, Martin Jackson and
Matthew Ferguson represented Elena over the
course of 17 months in what developed into a
hotly contested divorce action. Early in the case,
Martin learned that Elena’s husband had retired
early on a comfortable pension that had been
earned throughout the years of their long
marriage. Legally, Elena was entitled to half of
this pension, which would become an increasingly
important source of income for her and her
disabled daughter once the children turn 21, or
move out on their own, and child support
payments cease. Against fierce opposition from the husband—who resorted
to physical and verbal intimidation when his legal options had run out—
Matt secured Elena’s rightful share of the pension as well as the child
support to which she was entitled.
Within weeks of settling the divorce, Elena’s husband filed a petition for
a downward modification of child support. Matt saw to it that this unfair
request was not honored by the courts. With unfaltering legal
representation from the Sidley externs, Elena now has the financial security
she needs to care for her children and to provide long-term care for her
disabled daughter.
Matthew Ferguson welcomes Kevin Brennan, our newest extern, to
inMotion’s offices. Kevin, a sixth year associate at Sidley Austin
Brown & Wood, prepares to take over Matt’s demanding caseload.
The first time Inez* tried to obtain an order of protection against the
father of her unborn child, he threatened to kill her. In fear for her life, Inez
withdrew her petition. For a brief while after her son was born, her batterer
kept his distance, but it was not long before he turned up at her door
demanding to see their child and renewed his violent threats. Desperate to
protect her little boy, Inez turned to inMotion for help. Sidley extern Faith
Jenkins quickly secured a permanent order of
protection for Inez and her son.
After being laid off from her job, Inez again
turned to inMotion—for help obtaining child
support from her abuser. Martin Jackson took
over Inez’s case from Faith and was successful in
securing the child support to which Inez was
entitled. Shortly after the support order was
granted, her batterer petitioned for custody of
their son. His motivations became transparent
when he offered to allow Inez to maintain custody
if she would withdraw her permanent order of
protection. Inez was mortified. In her eyes, she
was being asked to choose between what she most
feared and what she most loved.
Bravely, and with complete faith in Martin, Inez chose to keep the order
of protection in place and fight for the custody of her son. With the
benefit of strong legal representation, Inez was not coerced into
choosing between her personal safety and the custody of her son. The
moment the judge signed the order, Inez began to weep, scarcely able
to believe that her terrible ordeal had finally come to an end—she
had fought for her child without compromising her own safety—and she
had won.
*All client names have been changed to protect their identities.
OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS
2
We are already benefiting from the contacts, energy, experience and viewpoints of our seven newest board members. Elisabeth Biondi, the visuals editor of
The New Yorker, strengthens the ties between inMotion and the vibrant art world of our city. Edward M. De Sear, McKee Nelson LLP partner, is a leading
supporter of our pro bono program. Together, he and Elisabeth will co-chair the photo auction committee for our 2006 Benefit. Barbara Cipolla, a
managing partner of Mediaedge:cia, brings us tremendous marketing and business development expertise. Patricia G. Hammes continues the long line of
partners at Shearman & Sterling LLP who have ensured valuable contributions from the firm and its lawyers to inMotion. Brad Eric Scheler, a Fried Frank
Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP partner, has already tapped significant resources for inMotion as honorary co-chair of our Benefit last March. Kelly Hoey,
manager of professional development at White & Case LLP, is another Benefit veteran, having served on the benefit committee for the past two years. And
Robert T. Simmelkjaer, II, vice president, special assistant to the president of ESPN, links inMotion to the exciting worlds of major sports and the media.
How fortunate we are!

idding for a cause
2005 PHOTOGRAPHY AUCTION & BENEFIT
On March 14th, over 600 longstanding supporters and new friends joined us at
Sotheby’s to celebrate our 12th year of providing free legal services to low-income
women living in New York City. The event raised a record $1.4 million to
support inMotion’s programs and services for women and children in domestic crisis.
At full capacity! For the fifth year, inMotion supporters packed Sotheby’s to raise
record-breaking sums to benefit New York City’s most vulnerable families.
At the event, we honored Arthur Fleischer, Jr., partner,
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Serving as honorary co-chairs and greatly expanding our network of financial
sponsorship were Martin Lipton, partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; Jonathan L. Mechanic and Brad Eric Scheler,
both partners at Fried, Frank; and Stephen B. Siegel, chairman, global brokerage, CB Richard Ellis. Completing the event’s
leadership team were co-chairs Lisa J. Donahue, principal, AlixPartners, LLC, and Marla J. Mayer, vice president, human
capital management division, Goldman, Sachs & Co. Each played a crucial role in the evening’s success.
Denise Bethel of Sotheby’s takes the
bidding to new heights for the 10th
straight year to raise over $270,000,
making the evening one of the City’s
most successful charity art auctions.
Sotheby’s Denise Bethel, senior vice president and director, photographs, employed her animated bravado to auction
40 stunning photographic works and private photo commissions donated by world-renown artists and galleries. We give
heartfelt thanks to the artists, gallerists and collectors whose generous contributions enable us to provide vital legal support
to thousands of vulnerable clients in dire circumstances.
a new venue
SAVE THE DATE
Honorary co-chairs Jon Mechanic (left), and
Brad Eric Scheler (right) with inMotion’s
executive director, Catherine Douglass.
Honoree and recipient of the Justice inMotion Award,
Arthur Fleischer (second from left), speaks with friends
during the cocktail reception and photography viewing.
Catherine Douglass, executive director (left)
with singer and fine arts photographer Patti
Smith, who donated an image for auction.
Lynn Borowitz Photography/
lynnborowitz@mac.com
We are excited to announce that The Pierre is the sumptuous new venue for inMotion’s 2006 Photography Auction and Benefit. For the past five
years, our many friends and supporters have filled Sotheby’s beyond capacity. Located just across from Central Park on Fifth Avenue at 61st Street,
The Pierre offers a highly accessible location and greatly expands our seating flexibility. We hope to see you on April 3rd! For more information,
contact David Yu, manager, events at DYu@inmotiononline.org or call 646.442.1174.
reaching women
W H ERE THEY LIVE
There is no shortage of women who call our Manhattan and Bronx offices in need of legal assistance. We know,
though, that many women who most need our help would never find their way to us if we did not connect with
them face-to-face in their own neighborhoods.
For the past three years, inMotion has conducted bilingual community
outreach at hospitals in City neighborhoods with dense populations of
immigrant families. One of our most successful outreach initiatives takes place
at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens. For a full day each month, inMotion
staff attorney Libby Vázquez and bilingual volunteers conduct a free walk-in
clinic in the offices of the hospital’s social work department. Here, they meet
privately with patients who have been referred by the hospital’s social work
staff for information about domestic violence, family, matrimonial and
immigration law issues and access to free legal services. A second, similar walkin
clinic at Long Island City Community Practice at New York Presbyterian
Hospital is held on the second Thursday of each month in the hospital’s lobby.
Talking about her work in community hospitals, Libby states, “Women I meet
at the hospitals tell me they are amazed that they can just walk in and talk to a
lawyer—in their language, at their hospital. For many
of these women, the hospital is one of the few places
they feel secure. It is also a place that they are able to
visit repeatedly without arousing the suspicions of
their abusive partners—for them, the hospital clinics are a lifeline.” Libby
adds, “Community hospitals are often the first place domestic violence
survivors are identified and offered services. Partnering with hospital social
work staff who can help identify women most in need of legal aid has made our
outreach especially meaningful.”
For more information about the dates and times of upcoming clinics, contact
Libby Vázquez at LVazquez@inmotiononline.org or call 718.223.2760.
New clinic volunteers are always welcome!
Libby Vázquez, inMotion staff
attorney, offers free legal advice
and information at the Long
Island City Community Practice at
New York Presbyterian Hospital.
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transformational journeys
SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM INITIATES NEW CLIENT WORKSHOPS
In November 2004, inMotion expanded its program to include social work services. Many of our clients face an array of daunting social issues that
often undermine their ability to focus on their legal cases. We are now able to provide these women with intensive social work support designed to
help them and their families address their practical safety, financial, emotional and mental health needs.
MSW interns Diane Malkin (left) and
Beverly Kelly collaborated on a parenting
workshop for domestic violence
survivors.
The social work team is led by manager Gisselle Pardo who recruits MSW (Master of Social Work) students for nine-month
field placements, a requirement of all MSW programs. Three interns joined inMotion in January—Beverly Kelly, from New
York University, and Diane Malkin and Wendy Miron, from Columbia University. Together with Gisselle, they provided
essential social work support to more than 120 inMotion clients, most all of whom are domestic violence survivors.
As part of their assignments, the interns were challenged to develop and facilitate inMotion’s first therapeutic workshops
for clients coping with abusive situations. In addition to providing practical tools, the workshops focused on building selfesteem
and reducing the sense of isolation felt by many domestic violence victims by providing an opportunity to meet other
women who were also struggling to build new lives independent of their abusers.
Beverly and Diane designed a parenting and stress management workshop to address the many complicated issues that
domestic violence survivors face in raising their children. The workshop provided detailed information about building
support networks, safety planning and strategies for preventing domestic violence in subsequent generations. Participants
learned to recognize the physical and emotional symptoms of stress and practiced several stress-reduction breathing exercises.
A committed believer in the therapeutic and healing effects of creating art, Wendy developed an art therapy workshop
for Spanish-speaking domestic violence survivors. Participants were asked to share their stories and reflect on their individual journeys and selftransformation
since leaving their abusers. We would like to share some of their images and stories.
Liana*, a native of Peru, has lived in the U.S.
for the past six years. An inMotion volunteer
attorney is helping her self-petition for legal
residency under a provision of the Violence
Against Women Act (VAWA). Liana came to our
social work program
looking for English as a
Second Language (ESL)
course referrals and
assistance in obtaining
public benefits for
herself and her children. During the workshop,
Liana shared her history of domestic violence and
the trajectory of her healing process that has
included eight months of intensive therapy. She
provided support and encouragement to the
other women. The rainbow in her painting
symbolizes Liana’s pride and sense of
accomplishment—escaping an abusive relationship
and taking charge of her life. While her VAWA
application is pending, she is able to work and
care for her family on her own. For the first time,
Liana is able to look ahead to a future which she
hopes will bring prosperity and tranquility. The
three airplanes flying above the rainbow reflect
her desire to visit Peru once she becomes a legal
resident—she misses the family and friends she
left behind.
Almira*, a Venezuelan native, turned to
inMotion for help in obtaining a divorce from her
batterer. Almira has lived in America for 13 years.
She is now a U.S. citizen but remains isolated due
to language barriers and a long and painful
history of abuse which has made her distrustful of
men and reluctant to initiate new relationships.
Intern Wendy Miron worked closely with Almira
to address her depression and low self-esteem
through supportive counseling, referrals to
mental health providers as well as job training and
ESL classes. Almira was invited to participate in
the workshop as a therapeutic outlet and as a way
of building a network of acquaintances with
women who have similar life experiences. As the
workshop began, Almira appeared withdrawn but
soon became emotional. The other women
reassured and encouraged her to share her
thoughts and feelings. She began painting
and listening to the
others and slowly
started to open up.
Her painting depicts
a bright summer day
and the ocean. Almira
painted herself as an
almost transparent, solitary figure kneeling naked
on an island. She explained that she placed
herself in the middle of the composition because
she envisioned herself half way on her journey to
becoming the woman she wants to be—strong,
independent and whole.
Irmena* was born in the Dominican Republic
and has been living undocumented in the U.S. for
the past six years. InMotion staff attorneys are
helping her self-petition for legal residency.
Irmena has lived
in several homeless
and domestic violence
shelters since leaving
her batterer nearly
a year ago. She is
currently eight months
pregnant with his daughter. After Irmena expressed
feelings of intense isolation, depression and low
self-esteem, inMotion legal staff referred her to
our social work program for supportive
counseling and case-management work. At the
workshop, Irmena shared her history of domestic
violence and fears of the future. The counseling
she has received has given her hope, though—she
knows she’s making progress and growing.
Irmena’s painting depicts a bright sky and tropical
setting with herself at the water’s edge, alone,
inside of a cave. She explained that her painting
represents her hopes for the future. While she is
not certain where life’s waters will carry her, she is
hopeful that she will be able to emerge from her
sorrows to a future that is bright, full of
opportunities and will at last, bring peace to her
and her unborn child.
*All client names have been changed to protect their identities.
Any client receiving legal representation through an inMotion pro bono referral qualifies for our social services. We encourage inMotion volunteer attorneys
who have clients who may benefit from our social services support to contact Gisselle Pardo at GPardo@inmotiononline.org or call 646.442.1183.
4

welcoming new staff
Beth A. Levy, Esq.—senior staff attorney joined our Bronx office in
September and brings over 18 years of public interest law
and litigation experience. Beth comes to us from The
Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Division, where for
the last year she worked as a senior attorney in the Bronx
Drug Treatment Court. Before that, Beth spent 14 years as
a senior staff attorney in Legal Aid’s Bronx Civil Division,
representing indigent clients in divorce, child custody and support,
adoption, guardianship, public benefits, housing and consumer matters.
Beth is a graduate of Emory University School of Law.
Noële Aabye—Bronx pro bono coordinator joined inMotion’s staff
in April, after completing her Master of International
Affairs degree at Columbia University. Noële is fluent in
Arabic, Russian, Slovene, Spanish and Uzbek. While a
graduate student, Noële volunteered with inMotion.
Utilizing her multi-lingual skills, she coordinated the
translation of The Basics Series—11 easy-to-read booklets designed as
reference guides for women proceeding on their own in court without
lawyers—into many languages spoken in New York City. As pro bono
coordinator, Noële recruits new legal volunteers, coordinates trainings and
matches attorneys with women in need of legal representation.
Lorraine L. Jarvis—manager, operations joined inMotion’s finance and
operations department in October. Lorraine also comes
to us from The Legal Aid Society where she worked for
over 15 years. For the past year, Lorraine served as its
interim director of shared services, overseeing a large
network of facilities located throughout the City’s five
boroughs. Prior to holding this position, Lorraine served
as office manager of the Juvenile Rights Division, managing four different
locations. In this newly created position at inMotion, Lorraine will provide
vital operational support for our ever-growing staff, and facilities.
who we are
C ORPORATE PARTNERS AND BOARD
C O R PORAT E
P ARTNERS
Bernstein Litowitz Berger
& Grossmann LLP
Daniel L. Berger, Esq.
Bloomberg
Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP
Alan B. Vickery, Esq.
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Stephen H. Shalen, Esq.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Darin P. McAtee, Esq.
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Howard A. Ellins, Esq.
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver
& Jacobson LLP
Janice Mac Avoy, Esq.
General Re Corporation
Richard W. Manz
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Stephen L. Rabinowitz, Esq.
King & Spalding LLP
Margaret E. O’Neil, Esq.
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
Elliot Gewirtz, Esq.
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Katharine I. Crost, Esq.
Shearman & Sterling LLP
William F. Roll, III, Esq.
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
Cathy M. Kaplan, Esq.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Joseph F. Wayland, Esq.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher
& Flom LLP
Sheila L. Birnbaum, Esq.
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Sandra D. Hauser, Esq.
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Robert Lewin, Esq.
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Penny Shane, Esq.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
James W. Quinn, Esq.
White & Case LLP
Carol A. Witschel, Esq.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Martin B. Klotz, Esq.
Zurich Financial Services
Christian Halabi, Esq.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Terri D. Austin, Esq.
American International Group, Inc
Dale G. Berger
Elisabeth Biondi
The New Yorker
Reneé Brown
WNBA
Kerry D. Chandler
ESPN, Inc.
Shelley C. Chapman, Esq. ( CHAIR)
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Barbara Cipolla
Mediaedge:cia
Edward M. De Sear, Esq.
McKee Nelson LLP
Catherine J. Douglass, Esq. ( PRESIDENT)
inMotion, Inc.
Drew S. Fine, Esq.
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
Steven D. Germain, Esq.
Patricia G. Hammes, Esq.
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Carla Hendra
OgilvyOne North America
Kelly Hoey, Esq.
White & Case LLP
Helene D. Jaffe, Esq.
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
M. Elaine Johnston, Esq. ( TREASURER)
White & Case LLP
Alison Napack Kallman, Esq.
ThinkBox Inc.
Alan M. Knoll, Esq.
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Lynette P. Koppel, Esq.
Elizabeth Langwith
American Express TRS Co., Inc.
Marla J. Mayer
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Mary Elizabeth McGarry, Esq.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
María D. Meléndez, Esq.
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
Jim Millstein ( VICE CHAIR)
Lazard Frères & Co., LLC
Deborah L. Paul, Esq. ( SECRETARY)
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Julie Saul
Julie Saul Gallery
Brad Eric Scheler, Esq.
Fried, Frank, Harris, Schriver
& Jacobson LLP
Robert T. Simmelkjaer II, Esq.
ESPN, Inc.
Elizabeth Talerman
Talerman + Partners
Roslyn Tom, Esq.
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Nélida Vélez, Esq.
Office of the District Attorney,
Bronx County
S TAFF
Noële Aabye
Pro Bono Coordinator/Bronx
Heidi L. Henderson, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney
Laurie Lichtenstein
Manager, Development and Marketing
Matthew D. McGuire
Development Assistant
C. Iris Rodriguez
Office Administrator/ Bronx
Ramonita Cordero, Esq.
Director, Legal Program
Lorraine L. Jarvis
Manager, Operations
Mini Lim
Pro Bono Coordinator/Manhattan
Nancy Nagourney
Director, Finance and Operations
Wendy Silva, Esq.
Interim Staff Attorney
Catherine J. Douglass, Esq.
Executive Director
Lisa Kalichman, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Carol M. Lindley
Director, Development and Marketing
Endora Pagan
Office Administrator/ Manhattan
Lisa Smith
Finance Assistant
Nadia K. Gareeb, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Beth A. Levy, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney
Mercedes Medina
Program Assistant
Gisselle Pardo, LMSW
Manager, Social Work
Libby Vázquez, Esq.
Staff Attorney
David C. Yu
Manager, Events
5

volunteer profile
PROTECTING BATTERED IMMIGRANT WOMEN
Luis Rodriguez, Jr., Esq.
Growing up in a Latin American and Caribbean immigrant community in Crown Heights, Luis Rodriguez saw first hand the mistreatment and struggles
of undocumented immigrant families. Shortly after establishing his business law practice in Manhattan, Luis began to look for meaningful ways
to positively impact immigrants living in New York City. Drawn to inMotion’s diverse and supportive pro bono program, Luis enrolled in a Continuing
Legal Education (CLE) training seminar to learn how to help battered immigrant women self-petition for legal residency under the Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA).
My practice serves the derivative
transactional needs of banks and
slowly gained her trust and began to gather the facts of her case and build a
timeline of events.
brokerage firms, as well as the
The biggest challenge in preparing Marcella’s VAWA self-petition was
transactional needs of small businesses.
gathering the evidence required to prove abuse. The only witnesses to
Like many attorneys who work
her pain and suffering were her husband’s family and they were unlikely to
primarily for corporate clients, I began
doing pro bono work because I wanted
to feel connected to an individual—to
make a difference in someone’s life
and my community. For attorneys like
myself that want to do public service
but whose busy schedules prohibit them from taking on pro bono cases that
require a great deal of time in court, inMotion’s immigration program is an
attractive volunteer alternative. And for those without experience in
immigration law, inMotion’s training programs and supportive staff, who are
always available to answer questions and review documents, make it easier
for attorneys to take on these types of cases.
support her allegations. With very limited documentation available, I
petitioned the New York Police Department (NYPD) for a copy of a 911 call
she made early in her marriage which I hoped would provide dramatic and
powerful evidence of abuse. I was disappointed to find that the NYPD erases
these tapes after a short period; only a microfiche with the bare facts of the
call remained on record. InMotion recommended that Marcella see a
domestic violence counselor who could then provide a supporting letter to
the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to attest to her
emotional state as a victim of domestic violence and sexual assault, and as
evidence of mistreatment and abuse by her husband.
I filed Marcella’s VAWA self-petition, status
Over the past two years, I have helped two
adjustment and employment authorization
battered women self-petition for legal
“Once, I was afraid and ashamed to tell
applications in March of 2004. Within a month,
residency. My second inMotion client, anyone what was happening in my marriage.
we received a prima facie letter from the USCIS
Marcella*, was only 17 years old when she And though I am still afraid of men touching stating that they believed her case was credible.
left her family in Guatemala to find work in
America. Two years after arriving in the U.S.,
me sexually, I have learned that there are
times that you must reach out to others and
While the prima facie does not guarantee that the
application will receive final approval, it was a
she met and fell in love with her future
to speak out against domestic violence.” very positive sign and it enabled Marcella to apply
husband. Shortly after the wedding, her
Marcella for important public benefits for herself and her
husband began to drink heavily and became
son pending the agency’s final decision.
increasingly possessive of Marcella. He refused
to let Marcella see her friends, learn to drive or to take English lessons—
reasoning that she only wanted to learn to speak English to flirt with other men.
The USCIS approved Marcella’s employment authorization in October
2004. With no support from her husband, she had been forced to work very
hard for very little in the City’s underground economy. Receiving her work
After the birth of their son, Marcella’s husband promised to stop drinking,
authorization was especially important to her. It made her feel, in a very
but like many times before, his promise was short-lived. He regularly stayed
tangible way, that she was making progress in her life. Then, just nine
out drinking all night. When he returned home drunk, he often demanded
days later, we received notification that Marcella’s VAWA self-petition was
sex—and if Marcella refused, he would hit her and force her to have sex. On
approved. Marcella was overjoyed! Marcella had her status adjustment
one occasion, he beat her face so severely he broke her nose. He then
interview just a few months ago. She was extremely nervous about the
stopped giving Marcella money for household expenses and she became
interview. Marcella was shocked when the USCIS agent asked her only three
entirely dependent on his parents for rent, food, diapers and milk.
mundane questions and then stamped her passport. On June 6th, Marcella
Eventually, he moved out of their apartment, only returning when he was
became a legal permanent resident of the United States.
drunk and wanted sex. His sexual assaults became more violent; he once
raped her in front of their then four-year-old son. Like so many battered
Latin women, Marcella was too ashamed to tell her family or friends about
the abuse and humiliation she was suffering in her marriage.
Since becoming a legal resident, Marcella is more confident and selfassured.
She has told me of her ambitions to further her education and
employment skills. She recently returned to Guatemala with her son to visit
her family for first time since coming to America 10 years ago. I am very
I was assigned Marcella’s case in July 2003. At our first meeting, Marcella was
happy for her and to have had this opportunity to help her build a safer and
not comfortable speaking about the domestic violence in her life with a
more secure life for herself and her son.
male—especially a Latin male. I interviewed Marcella several times and
*Client name has been changed to protect her identity.
6

our contributors
CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND LAW FIRMS
$50,000 & OVER
AlixPartners, LLC
Anonymous
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver
& Jacobson LLP
IOLA Fund of the State of New York
The New York Community Trust
OgilvyOne Worldwide**
$15,000–$24,999
Bernstein Litowitz Berger
& Grossmann LLP
Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
The Leonard and Evelyn Lauder Foundation
Lazard Frères & Co., LLC
Linklaters
Masson & Company
Miller Buckfire Lewis Ying & Co., LLC
Oaktree Capital Management, LLC
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton
& Garrison LLP
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Winston & Strawn LLP
$1,000–$4,999
American Express Foundation
Bank of America, N.A.
Covington & Burling
Credit Suisse First Boston
Stick Figure Productions*
White & Case LLP**
Zurich Financial Services**
$25,000–$49,999
Louis and Anne Abrons Foundation
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Alvarez & Marsal, LLC
American Express TRS Company, Inc.
Carnegie Corporation of New York
CB Richard Ellis
CIT Group Inc.
Evercore Partners Inc.
Jefferies & Company, Inc.
Josephine Chaus
Pachulski Stang Ziehl Young Jones
& Weintraub
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
Silver Point Capital
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP**
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Hedge Funds Care
Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin
King & Spalding LLP
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Rothschild Inc.
The Scherman Foundation, Inc.
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
$10,000–$14,999
Blank Rome LLP
Bloomberg
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
Citigroup, Inc.
Conway Del Genio Gries & Co., LLC
Deutche Bank AG
General Re Corporation
Giuliani Capital Advisors LLC
Haynes & Boone, LLP
The J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Perry Ellis International
The Else Sackler Foundation
Seward & Kissel LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher
& Flom LLP
Stonehill Capital Management LLC
Storch Amini & Munves, P.C.
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston L.L.P.
$5,000–$9,999
Alston & Bird LLP
Angelo, Gordon & Co.
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Bankruptcy Services, LLC
Chadbourne & Parke LLP
CourtAlert*
Jean and Louis Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.
Financial Dynamics
The Garden City Group, Inc.
Kekst and Company
Kroll Zolfo Cooper, LLC
LeBeouf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, LLP
Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
Greene–Levin–Snyder LLC
Hillard Group, LLC
Hudson Global Resources
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
Keen Consultants, LLC
LexisNexis
Lifetime Entertainment Services
Loews Theatre Management Corporation
Metzger-Price Fund, Inc.
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and
Popeo P.C.
Morrision & Foerster LLP
MTV Networks
The New York Bar Foundation
The New York City Partnership Foundation
New York Yankees Community Council
Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP
Peter J. Solomon Company, LP
Proskauer Rose LLP
Sean John Clothing, Inc.
Triarc Companies, Inc.
Vector Enterprises, Inc.
Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch LLP
W.R. Berkley Corporation
* in-kind support
** in-kind and financial support
2005 SUMMER PARTY
With generous underwriting from American Express and sponsorship from HBO,
inMotion held its third annual Summer Party at Crobar on June 7th. More than 900 young
professionals, including associates from over 30 of the City’s leading law firms, filled the
dance floor and lounges of Crobar, one of the City’s hottest nightclubs. They enjoyed
cocktails, gourmet hors d’oeuvres and moved to music spun by DJ Jason. Several lucky
participants topped off the evening by winning fabulous raffle prizes. We give special
thanks to benefit co-chairs Stephanie Golden, Kathrine Mortensen and Allyson Rothberg
for their tremendous work and enthusiasm in organizing this event. With the assistance
of a resourceful benefit committee, they made this truly a night to remember.
Left: New York City’s up-and-coming movers and shakers pack Crobar to learn about
inMotion and how they can help women in crisis. Right: Catherine Douglass, executive
director (left), with benefit co-chair, Kathrine Mortensen.
Photos by Perry Hu
LASTING LEGAL SOLUTIONS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN DOMESTIC CRISIS
Since 1993, inMotion has helped thousands of women free themselves from abusive relationships, stay in their homes and win the financial support to which they—and
their children—are legally entitled. Our mission is to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of women—low-income, under-served, abused—by offering them
legal and social services designed to foster equal access to justice and an empowered approach to life. We fulfill our mission by providing free legal services, primarily
in the areas of matrimonial, family and immigration law, and intensive social work support in a way that acknowledges mutual respect, encourages personal growth, and
nurtures individual and collective strength. Informed by this work, inMotion promotes policies that make our society more responsive to the legal issues confronting
the women we serve.
7

inMotion, Inc.
70 West 36th Street, Suite 903
New York, New York 10018
Tel 212.695.3800
Fax 212.695.9519
Email inquiries@inmotiononline.org
www.inmotiononline.org
SAVE THE DATE!
COMMITMENT
TO JUSTICE
AWARDS
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
For more information, contact David Yu, manager, events,
DYu@inmotiononline.org or call 646.442.1174.
upcoming trainings
FALL 2005
Are you interested in volunteering to represent an inMotion client? Do you want to earn Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits while helping a woman in domestic crisis?
We make it easy! InMotion offers free, CLE-accredited, live trainings throughout the year in family, matrimonial and immigration law. Upon completing a training seminar,
each attorney commits to taking a pro bono case, either individually or as part of a team. Detailed practice manuals and sample documents are provided. Our experienced
staff attorneys are on hand to answer questions and review documents throughout your inMotion case. Here are a few of the trainings that will be offered in the coming
months—it’s not too late to sign-up! Please note that pre-registration is required for all trainings.
ORDERS OF PROTECTION AND CHILD CUSTODY/VISITATION
Tuesday, October 18, 2005, 6:00 pm–9:00 pm;
Registration and refreshments at 5:30 pm.
Location: Bronx Supreme Court, 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY.
Instructors: Beth A. Levy, Esq., senior staff attorney, inMotion;
second instructor to be announced.
To pre-register contact Noële Aabye at NAabye@inmotiononline.org
or call 718.233.2749.
ORDERS OF PROTECTION AND CHILD CUSTODY/VISITATION
Thursday, November 17, 2005, 6:00 pm–9:00 pm;
Registration and refreshments at 5:30 pm.
Location: Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY.
Instructors: Heidi L. Henderson, Esq., senior staff attorney, inMotion; and
Wendy Silva, Esq., interim staff attorney, inMotion.
To pre-register contact Noële Aabye at NAabye@inmotiononline.org
or call 718.233.2749.
HANDLING A DIVORCE CASE—PART I
Wednesday, November 30, 2005, 6:00 pm–8:00 pm;
Registration and refreshments at 5:30 pm.
Location: Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY.
Instructors: Ramonita Cordero, Esq., director, legal program, inMotion; and Lisa
Kalichman, Esq., staff attorney, inMotion.
To pre-register contact Noële Aabye at NAabye@inmotiononline.org
or call 718.233.2749.
LITIGATING DIVORCES—PART II
Tuesday, December 6, 2005, 6:00 pm–9:00 pm;
Registration and refreshments at 5:30 pm.
Location: Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY.
Instructors: The Honorable Ellen Gesmer, Civil Court of the City of New York; and
Lisa Kalichman, Esq., staff attorney, inMotion.
Prerequisites: Attorneys must attend Part I of the training in order to participate
in Part II. Exception is made for attorneys who have attended a previous inMotion
uncontested divorce training or for those who have matrimonial law experience.
To pre-register contact Noële Aabye at NAabye@inmotiononline.org
or call 718.233.2749.
FREE CLE TRAININGS