Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Names Henry Gottlieb as its "December 2011 Volunteer of the Month"

Jan. 12, 2012 - PRLog -- Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) has named Henry Gottlieb of West Orange, N.J. as their "December 2011 Volunteer of the Month." A distinguished retired journalist, Gottlieb serves as the principal writer of VLJ's monthly e-newsletter.

Established in 2001, Newark, N.J.-based VLJ provides comprehensive legal services to economically-disadvantaged adults, children, and families in New Jersey. Programs include free legal counsel and advice, educational seminars on various legal matters, and direct representation for at-risk individuals facing critical civil legal issues.

In October 2010, Gottlieb volunteered to help with VLJ's e-newsletter, which was sent out once or twice a year at that time. "Thanks to the countless hours Henry spends interviewing subjects and writing articles, VLJ now produces a monthly e-newsletter which serves as a key tool for keeping our community and volunteers informed about our programs and accomplishments," said Karen Sacks, Esq., founding executive director of VLJ. "We thank Henry for his hard work on our behalf and for generously sharing his writing and creative talents with us."

Gottlieb's impressive background includes a 42-year news writing and editing career at the Atlantic City Press, The Associated Press and, from 1988 to 2010, at the New Jersey Law Journal, where he wrote about all fields of law, politics, the administration of justice and the business of lawyering. He earned his B.A. from New York University in 1965 and his M.A. in history from Rutgers-Newark in 1994. Born in Washington D.C.  and raised in New York City, Gottlieb now lives in West Orange with his wife Agnes, who is vice president for student services at Seton Hall University, and their three children - Annie, Daniel and Thomas.

"My tasks as a newspaperman were to serve as a disinterested observer and a dispassionate writer. I strove to keep my opinions out of my articles. As a writer for VLJ, I continue to stick to the facts but I can take the wraps off my unalloyed appreciation of the acts of charity the staff, volunteer attorneys, donors and sponsors bestow week after week on people who can't afford legal services," said Gottlieb. "The measure of satisfaction I get letting people know about VLJ's great work far outweighs the amount of time I spend on the newsletters."

Since its inception, VLJ has grown from a grass roots effort of 30 volunteer attorneys in Essex County to a state-wide 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with six staff attorneys and more than 1,500 volunteer attorneys providing free legal services to thousands of clients each year. Frequently recognized for its contributions to the community, VLJ received the "Community Builder Award" from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice in 2008 and was the 2007 recipient of the New Jersey State Bar Association's "Annual Pro Bono Award."

The organization is an approved legal services provider of the New Jersey Supreme Court. This designation allows certain court costs and filing fees to be waived for VLJ's clients, enables VLJ volunteer attorneys to claim an exemption from mandatory pro bono assignments after 25 hours of voluntary service, and provides the opportunity for out-of-state attorneys to volunteer with the program.

To receive VLJ's free e-newsletters, submit your email address to www.vljnj.org/index.php?page=media-newsletter. Please visit VLJ's web site at www.vljnj.org to learn more about the non-profit and its volunteer opportunities.

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About Volunteer Lawyers for Justice: Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) provides comprehensive legal services to economically-disadvantaged adults, children, and families in New Jersey to ensure fair and equal treatment within the legal system. Programs include free legal counsel and advice, educational seminars on various legal matters, and direct representation for at-risk individuals facing critical civil legal issues. Established in 2001, VLJ has grown from a grass roots effort of 30 volunteer attorneys in Essex County to a state-wide 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with six staff attorneys and more than 1,500 volunteer attorneys providing free legal services to thousands of clients each year.