Patricia Lee, Chair of the firm’s ERISA and Benefit Plan Litigation Group, has been named a 2024 Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year Finalist by the New Jersey Law Journal.
Bolstered by her early-career experience as a practitioner in the areas of criminal, family, municipal, and appellate law, and her enhanced experience over two decades as a commercial and healthcare litigator, Patricia (“Patti”) Lee has carved out significant time over the last several years to provide dedicated pro bono representation of New Jersey domestic abuse victims, both in the trial and appellate courts.
Patti’s volunteer work goes beyond pro bono representation of domestic violence victims. In her role as civil practice committee chair of the Essex County Bar Association (ECBA), Patti dedicated numerous hours over the last several years to develop and oversee a virtual program of experienced volunteer attorneys serving as settlement specialists to help resolve the backlog of trial-ready cases in the Essex Vicinage Superior Court, Civil Division, Special Civil Part. Besides overseeing this program on a daily basis, Patti also volunteered many hours to serve in the role of a settlement specialist. In that role, Patti successfully facilitated settlements to amicably resolve disputes affecting the lives of people who fell on hard times during the COVID-19 pandemic, including landlord-tenant defaults and consumer debts. Patti was able to give parties a fair and open forum to present their issues and proof, and to broker fair, fact-specific resolutions.
More recently, Patti has served on an ECBA committee charged with implementing a “low-bono” program to provide reduced rates on certain legal services to low-income parties who do not qualify for legal aid services from the courts or other non-profit organizations.
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