The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law paid tribute to its longstanding tradition of service to others during the Pro Bono Reception, held on March 27, 2018. The reception honored CUA Law students, faculty, and staff who volunteered their time and effort to pro bono causes during the past year.

"Our Pro Bono Program has taken part in opportunities such as the D.C. Alternative Spring Break, "Wills for Vets" project, and the Pro Bono Wish List," Pro Bono Coordinator Aoife Delargy said.

"The American Bar Association states that every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. Today, over 80 current students have volunteered close to 5,500 hours for no academic credit or compensation."

CUA Law Dean Daniel F. Attridge introduced the program's speaker, The Honorable Vytas Varekojis Vergeer '93.

"Our speaker today is an alumnus who has gone well beyond what is expected. Judge Vergeer has dedicated his life to public service in Washington D.C. Before he became an Administrative Law Judge to the District of Columbia Office of Administrative Hearings, Vergeer worked for 20 years at Bread for the City. He served as a staff attorney and later as a legal director. His work focused on low income housing issues and public benefits," Attridge said.

During his remarks, Judge Vergeer discussed what he has gained from a career in public interest. "My legal career has been an honor because of what I chose to do with it, which is to work with impoverished people and try to assist them in gaining as much justice as possible," he said.

"I did this for the vast riches and tremendous prestigious, though not in the traditional sense of the words…. Each and every day I felt enriched. I was able to take my skills and use them to assist people who would not otherwise get help."

Judge Vergeer discussed how he helped people navigate a complicated and intimidating legal system to obtain income, safety, and shelter. "I was enriched by the opportunity to try to help someone without asking anything in return. I went into my clients' homes, met their children, heard their stories, and not just their legal stories, but their stories."

Judge Vergeer encouraged the audience to take part in pro bono work. "Try as hard as you can to dedicate some of your time to pro bono work. Whether it be volunteering for an afternoon, or doing a rotation for your law firm, or taking on one case."

"The people I had the pleasure helping were the most resilient, engaging, interesting, funny, and beautiful people I have ever met," he concluded.

PRO BONO SERVICE HIGHEST HONORS - CLASS OF 2018 (150+ Hours)
Sydny Bryan
Ruth Ann Mueller
Carly Towne
Melemaikalani Moniz
Alyssa Murphy
Borui Wang
Jocelyn Moore
Esperanza Sanchez

PRO BONO SERVICE HIGHEST HONORS - CLASS OF 2019 (150+ Hours)
Caitlin McClay
Jordanne Miller

PRO BONO SERVICE HIGH HONORS - CLASS OF 2018 (100-149 Hours)
Sarah Ensenat
Katherine Sullivan
Larisa Traub

PRO BONO SERVICE HIGH HONORS - CLASS OF 2018 (100-149 Hours)
Jason Abbott
Gemma Forest
Kristin Mitcham
Victoria Boyle
Askan Jain
Gwendolyn Nale
Willie Burden
Brittany McNurlin

PRO BONO SERVICE NOTABLE HONORS - CLASS OF 2018 (50 - 99 Hours)
Olivia Krebs
Veda Rasheed
Erin McAuliffe
Hannah Zapfe
Reed Moody

PRO BONO SERVICE NOTABLE HONORS - CLASS OF 2019 (50 - 99 Hours)
Laura de la Torre
Kieran Reilly
Nastashia Matos
Elizabeth Ulan
Adriane Rapp

PRO BONO SERVICE NOTABLE HONORS - CLASS OF 2020 (50 - 99 Hours)
Taylor Dontje

PRO BONO SERVICE HONORS - CLASS OF 2018 (0 - 49 Hours)
Kwambina Coker
Taliesin Gabriel
Charleen Hutson
Dina Scalo
Mark Dourmashkin
Latena Hazard
Marie-Christine Levi
Megan Shuster
Gregory Fink
Casey Hughes
Elizabeth Ross

PRO BONO SERVICE HONORS - CLASS OF 2019 (0 - 49 Hours)
Arun Arokiaswamy
Rachel Goloff
Haley Hoff
Payton Murphy
Andres Cruz
Katherine Heise
Ahad Khilji
Tamara West
Sean Grafton
Katelyn Holbrook
Christian Litwiller

PRO BONO SERVICE HONORS - CLASS OF 2020 (0 - 49 Hours)
Anita Alanko
Elizabeth Bowen
Jacqueline Cipolla
Lauren Huston
Paige Markley
James O'Donohue
Adrianna Sanchez Soto
Vania Smith
Rachel Thomson
Kenny Walters
Jude Antonyappan
Chris Carrara
April Currey
John Karellas
Larry McCammon
Ashnelly Rodriquez
Rebecca Schisler
Zahra Syed
Anne Ustynoski
Theodore Warner
Hannah Baker
Jennifer Cigler-Brooker
Maribeth Guarino
Nneka Maceo
Robert McReynolds
Logan Samuels
Claudia Shannon
Rachel Thinnes
Kelsey Vincent
Casey Wiggin

PRO BONO SERVICE HONORS- CLASS OF 2021 (0 - 49 Hours)
Kristen Crowder
Jennifer Deci
Jake Seaboch