The Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) and Nassau Suffolk Law Services are pleased to honor Lisa Jadidian as Pro Bono Attorney of the Month. Ms. Jadidian has a particularly distinguished record of representing pro bono clients in both matrimonial and landlord/tenant matters which are both pro bono practice areas in great demand.
After Lisa Jadidian graduated from Touro Law Center she immediately started her work as in house counsel for two Long Island firms representing lenders in bank closings. Since Ms. Jadidian loves to travel, she particularly enjoyed the work because it allowed her to see many areas of New York State. She soon started her own firm focusing on real estate transactional work and then moved on to a general practice. Currently her firm is located in Long Island City and handles matrimonial, transactional, residential and commercial landlord/tenant matters.
Throughout her career, Ms. Jadidian also managed to begin a family and run a household. She now has three boys to whom she happily devotes her time and attention. She notes that it can be very challenging, working in her practice while devoting herself to running a household and dedicating herself to her children, but she manages to allocate her time. She continues to have a penchant for travel and hopes to do more of it in the future.
Ms. Jadidian has been doing her part in the VLP for several years. She was motivated to join the effort because she liked the idea of helping out. She found her way to the Project through the Nassau County Bar Association, and continues her good works to this day. Though she greatly values her limited time, she considers doing pro bono work a wise and gratifying choice. Her day may be full, but she believes that doing pro bono is a rewarding public service. She comments, “Although pro bono work may not be financially rewarding, I feel good about myself when I help people who are facing difficulties in these challenging times.”
And her clients apparently appreciate the work she does for them. In one instance, Ms. Jadidian was representing a defendant spouse in a contested divorce. Her client was a man who was the non-monied spouse in the marriage and in poor health, while his wife was a professional woman who left the marital residence. The matter started out being highly contested but the parties managed to come to a favorable agreement thanks to the assistance of counsel. The client was particularly grateful and contacted her several times expressing his gratitude. Jadidian felt very satisfied about being able to help him resolve this contentious divorce.
Ms. Jadidian has found that her pro bono practice has also been a great learning experience. She comments that the Project’s mentorship opportunities have been very helpful, especially at a time when she was starting out with less experience. “It is so wonderful to be able to access a list of mentors when you need some guidance,” she says. Commenting on the VLP staff, she praises Susan Biller, staff attorney at Nassau Suffolk Law Services and Roberta Scoll, staff attorney for Law Services’ Landlord Tenant Attorney of the Day project, who make it easier to do pro bono work. “They are so welcoming and are always so great to work with.” The VLP staff are equally complimentary of Ms. Jadidian. Ms. Scoll states, “I am so very appreciative of Lisa’s contribution to assisting tenants in landlord/tenant court and very grateful that she is part of the Attorney of the Day program.” Ms. Biller adds, “I am very impressed not only by Ms. Jadidian’s consistent efforts in the NSLS Attorney of the Day Project, but also by her desire to broaden her skill set by offering to handle matrimonial matters that present a novel issue.”
For her enduring commitment to doing her part for Nassau County residents in need, Lisa Jadidian earns the distinction of Pro Bono Attorney of the Month.
