OAKLAND, CA – On the evening of October 17, 2014, The National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) shared stories from women struggling to age with dignity during its annual fall reception at The National Press Club. NSCLC also honored Proskauer Rose LLP with the organization’s Inaugural Justice Award for the firm’s pro bono work in the Clark v Astrue case, which restored $1 billion in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to nearly 100,000 people.
The case successfully challenged the Social Security Administration’s practice of using records of outstanding probation or parole warrants to deny benefits. In many cases these warrants were a result of mistaken identity and were for minor crimes that the individual knew nothing about. In all cases they were deemed so old or so minor that the law enforcement agencies in the communities where the warrants were issued were not interested in pursuing the individual.
Proskauer is a globally recognized law firm working with many of the world’s top companies, financial institutions, investment funds, not-for-profit institutions, governmental entities, and other organizations across industries and borders. Proskauer has a robust pro bono program working with diverse clients including community groups, refugees seeking asylum, domestic violence victims, artists and musicians, Holocaust survivors, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, among many others. Proskauer lawyers have played a crucial role in shaping important issues such as gender rights, voting rights, prisoner rights and religious freedoms.
“We are proud to honor Proskauer Rose LLP with this award,” said Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director of the National Senior Citizens Law Center. “Our partnership was essential to the outcome of this case, restoring benefits to people who depend entirely on their SSI benefits for survival.”
“We are honored to receive this recognition for our work with the NSCLC as plaintiffs’ counsel in this far-reaching case. At Proskauer we pride ourselves on our pro bono work and it was our privilege to have been able to draw from our firm’s strong capabilities – along with those of Gerald McIntyre and team at NSCLC – to prevail in restoring social security and disability benefits to those who most need them. The outcome of this case serves as a shining example of the value of pro bono partnerships. As such, it is with immense gratitude that we accept this award,” stated Russell L. Hirschhorn, senior counsel, Proskauer ERISA Practice Center.
The event, an invitation only event for supporters of NSCLC and partners in the fields of aging, law and women’s rights, also honored Carroll Estes with its Paul Nathanson Distinguished Advocacy Award. Estes is Professor Emerita in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and founder and former Director of Institute for Health & Aging at UCSF Medical School in the School of Nursing in San Francisco, CA.
This annual event is a venue for NSCLC partners, advocates, and donors to connect and celebrate our collective work in this field and inspire each other in our ongoing efforts to ensure the health and economic security of our nation’s low-income senior citizens.
The National Senior Citizens Law Center is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to protect the rights of low-income older adults. Through advocacy, litigation, and the education and counseling of local advocates, we seek to ensure the health and economic security of those with limited income and resources, and access to the courts for all. For more information, visit our Web site at www.NSCLC.org.