Good afternoon. My name is Robert Elardo and I am the Managing Attorney/CEO of the Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project, often referred to as simply VLP. VLP is a member of the Legal Services Funding Alliance, a coalition of the 20 civil legal services providers from outside NYC.

At VLP, we provide free civil legal services to low income people and smaller not for profit groups and we recruit, train and coordinate local attorneys who provide pro bono civil legal services for our clients. VLP primarily serves people in Erie County, although some of our services, such as help for individuals and families affected with HIV/AIDS, extend into the surrounding counties of Niagara, Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming.

Senators Stachowski and Thompson, we want to thank you for conducting this hearing. I know that you are both supporters of civil legal services and that you both signed on to Ruth Hassel Thompson’s letter in support of our funding. 

Click here to read the entire testimony.