Who We Are - The New Haven Legal Assistance Association

Our Commitment

We are committed to do the work to balance the individual clients who need our help with the impact litigation and organizing work that is part of the fight to dismantle structures of oppression.

Our History

1964

New Haven Legal Assistance was founded in 1964 during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement

We were established on the principle that everyone, regardless of race or income, should have access to one of our country’s cornerstone ideals, that is, the justice system. Our charge was to serve low-income neighborhoods in New Haven and provide free lawyers to people who could not afford to pay for help with everyday issues like eviction, family law, and income support.

1964

May 1, 1965

United States Supreme Court Justice, Arthur J. Goldberg attended a Law Day ceremony at LAA’s office

In his speech, Justice Goldberg said that LAA “would take its place as another of the great historic contributions of this city to the progress of the nation. I hope that we will see in city after city … programs such as this which will bring equal justice and dignity to all. For law is a powerful force. Alone it cannot make a man free, but it can strike the shackles from him. And, it can make him realize in a democracy such as ours, no man need be powerless, for every man is entitled to a say in the affairs of our nation and the conduct of our institutions.”

May 1, 1965

1973

LAA formed the Family Law Unit

LAA formed the Family Law unit to more effectively respond to clients’ domestic problems such as divorce, child custody and child neglect.

1973

1978

The Valley Legal Assistance (VLA) branch opens in Derby, Connecticut

With funding from the New Haven Foundation, LAA founded Valley Legal Assistance (VLA). VLA was established to provide legal services to the low-income residents of the six towns of the lower Naugatuck Valley.

1978

1980-90s

Statewide Legal Services is established

In the early 1980s the federal administration imposed a number of restrictions on Legal Services Corporation funding. These restrictions prohibited legal aid recipients from representing undocumented immigrants, filing class actions, engaging in legislative lobbying, among other activities.

As part of a statewide planning process, LAA determined it could no longer accept LSC funds and effectively carry out its mission. In addition, as part of that planning process, the legal services network created a new entity- Statewide Legal Services (SLS) in 1995.

SLS provides a telephone intake system, advising clients via the telephone and for the state and advice/brief service to clients whose issues cannot be referred to the regional legal services’ programs because of the programs’ limited resources. As a result of this process, there is an ongoing collaboration among the legal services’ programs throughout the state.

1980-90s

1995

LAA establishes the Friends of New Haven Legal Assistance

The Friends Board worked diligently raise funds to support LAA’s work. The Board is comprised of community members who truly believe in LAA’s mission and work.

The Friends Board also established two endowments which are both managed by the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven: the Fund for Legal Assistance Association in Memory of James W. Cooper and the Goldstein Fellowship Fund, named in honor and memory of two of our long-time supporters.

1995

Staff

Alexis Smith
Executive Director

Elizabeth Rosenthal
Deputy Director

Shelley White
Litigation and Advocacy Director

Laura Clark
Finance Director

Cassandra Benoit
HR Manager

Sara Parker-McKernan
Policy Advocate

Cynthia Rogers
Paralegal

Maureen Abell
Staff Attorney

Vicki Acker
Bookkeeper

Kate Geruntho Frank
Web/Publications Manager, CTLawHelp.org

Joanne Gibau
Staff Attorney

Ben Haldeman

Staff Attorney

Richard Hine
Staff Attorney

Maria Velez
Bilingual Legal Assistant

Amy Eppler-Epstein
Staff Attorney

Sandra Aguilar Hernandez
Bilingual Legal Assistant

Amy Marx
Staff Attorney

Ellen Messali
Staff Attorney

Yolanda Vargas
Bilingual legal Assistant

Dan Burns
Staff Attorney

Carolyn Gontarski
Valley Office Coordinator

Rachel Scotch
Staff Attorney

Reilly Stevens
Grants Manager

Daisy Ruiz
Bilingual Legal Assistant

Nhi Tran
Staff Attorney

Denise Williams
IT Administrator

Natasha White
Staff Attorney

Margot Kenefick Burkle
Staff Attorney

Tracey Couto

Staff Attorney

Hedy Montes
Bilingual Legal Assistant

Cassandra Saxton

Staff Attorney

Audra Holmes-Greene
Social Worker

Ingrid Swanson
Staff Attorney

Nashalee Colon
Bilingual Office Assistant

Jennifer Sweeten
Staff Attorney

Andrea Cuartas
Immigration Paralegal

Megan Rodriguez-Carr
Staff Attorney

Carla Leon
Bilingual Office Assistant

Leanne Gale
Staff Attorney

Isabel Espinosa Schatz
Staff Attorney

Yadira Torres
IJC Fellow

Board of Directors

Barbara Katz, President
Joshua Goodbaum, Vice President
Jeff Hellman, Treasurer
Hiram Brett
Maggie Castinado
Conor Duffy
Evette Hamilton
Kia Levey-Burden
Allison Near
Eli Sabin
Jenny Chou
Mia Gratacos-Atterberry
Matthew Tanico
Pam Chambers
Kristen Zaehringer