Stewart Wurtzel, Esq.
November 29, 2014Michael Schmitt, Esq.
January 24, 2015Nassau Suffolk Law Services’ Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) and the Nassau County Bar Association are very pleased to honor Scott Stone as Pro Bono Attorney of the Month. Stone is a frequent participant in the landlord/tenant court-based Attorney of the Day Project which operates under the direction of Law Services’ Staff Attorney, Roberta Scoll and the VLP. Stone has represented 62 clients facing eviction from their homes since joining the Volunteer Lawyers Project in 2012. His level of generosity and constant dedication to landlord/tenant pro bono work makes him most deserving of this honor.
VLP’s Attorney of the Day Project provides direct pro bono representation to low income tenants facing eviction in nonpayment or holdover proceedings. The Project allows attorneys to volunteer just for the day if they choose, to defend or forestall evictions in the hopes of preserving housing or giving the tenants ample time to secure alternative housing and avoid homelessness or shelter placement. Mr. Stone is an active participant in this effort and as pro bono counsel, he is usually able to dismiss the eviction proceeding or negotiate a settlement stipulation that either allows the client’s tenancy to continue or, at a minimum, gives them additional time to look for alternative housing before the tenancy ends. This critical legal service spares the client and their families the trauma and despair of homelessness.
Scott Stone obtained his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and then went on to study law at Hofstra Law School. He was raised in West Hempstead and now lives with his wife, Elyse, and their two young daughters, Maya and Dana, in Bellmore New York. At The Law Offices of Scott Stone PLLC, located in East Rockaway, N.Y. Mr. Stone maintains a general practice, a substantial portion of which involves business transactions and corporate representation, commercial landlord/tenant work (usually landlord representation), real estate and tax certiorari. He also serves as Special Counsel to the City of Glen Cove and the Incorporated Village of Farmingdale for Tax Certiorari.
Asked why he devotes so much of his time to pro bono work Stone responded, “ It’s a way to give back, and I enjoy being able to do that.” Roberta Scoll nominated Mr. Stone for the honor of Attorney of the Month and believes strongly that attorneys like Stone are the backbone of the Project. She comments, “His dedication to the Project and ability to assist so many clients in landlord tenant cases is what contributes to the Project’s continued success. We are so grateful to him and the many other generous attorneys who give of their time every day.”
In light of the continuous, outstanding work Scott Stone has done for the Volunteer Lawyers Project, we are very pleased to recognize him as the Pro Bono Attorney of the Month.
The Volunteer Lawyers Project is a joint effort of Nassau Suffolk Law Services and the Nassau County Bar Association, who, for many years, have joined resources toward the goal of providing free legal assistance to Nassau County residents who are dealing with economic hardship. Nassau Suffolk Law Services is a non profit civil legal services agency, receiving federal ,state and local funding to provide free legal assistance to Long Islanders, primarily in the areas of benefits advocacy, homelessness prevention (foreclosure and eviction defense), access to health care, and services to special populations such as domestic violence victims, disabled, and adult home resident. The provision of free services is prioritized based on financial need and funding is often inadequate in these areas. Furthermore, there is no funding for the general provision of matrimonial or bankruptcy representation, therefore the demand for pro bono assistance is the greatest in these areas. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Susan Biller, Esq. 516-292-8100, ext. 232-2400 x 3136.