“Pro bono is such an important part of any legal practitioner’s career. As lawyers, we must strive to serve the interests of justice, which cannot be done without improving access to justice for all. We have a duty as professionals and as people to use our skills to help others advocate for themselves.” – Lillian Maguire, Associate, Ropes & Gray
Ropes & Gray associate Lillian Maguire was volunteering at the Clearinghouse’s Legal Clinic for the Homeless when Clinic Director Mia Friedman asked if anyone would be interested in helping a client with a housing case that was going to court the following week. Despite the short notice, Lillian jumped at the opportunity.
The client, Linda*, was due in court after receiving an eviction notice from her landlord. She had been living in the same apartment for over a decade and was a model tenant until her business started to fail and she became unable to work due to medical problems. By mid-2015, she could no longer afford her rent. Her landlord agreed to a payment plan, but Linda found herself falling further and further behind while also facing ongoing health issues requiring multiple surgeries. Despite her inability to pay, her landlord allowed her to stay in the unit even as the amount she owed kept increasing.
By the time the landlord served Linda with an eviction notice, she owed several thousand dollars in back rent. She told Lillian she knew she had to move out, but did not have the ability to pay the amount owed.
Lillian and her colleague, Ropes & Gray associate Marc Migliazzo, accompanied Linda to court. Marc suggested they ask the landlord to waive the back rent in exchange for Linda vacating the unit voluntarily. Lillian and Marc also knew that if the case proceeded to trial, the landlord would probably not have been awarded all of the back rent because of the poor conditions in Linda’s unit. In the interest of avoiding a trial and prolonging the loss of additional rental income, the landlord came to an agreement with Lillian and Marc.
Thanks to Lillian and Marc, Linda’s debt was completely forgiven. She plans to move soon and looks forward to getting back on her feet. Linda was extremely grateful and wrote a note to Lillian expressing her gratitude for all the help during a very difficult time.
*Client’s name has been changed to protect privacy.
