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Emilia Rodriguez

2022 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award Winner

Emilia is the daughter of immigrants (mother from Colombia/father from Honduras), raised in New York City and Hudson County, New Jersey.  A product of public schools, Emilia received her B.A. in English & Politics from NYU (1981) and her J.D. from NYU School of Law (1984). 

After a year of private practice, Emilia worked as a staff attorney in the Housing Law Unit of South Brooklyn Legal Services. Emilia also served on Community Board 6 in Brooklyn, as well as the NYU Public Interest Law Foundation.  Emilia then took a break from the practice of law to raise her 3 beautiful children. 

13 years ago, Emilia started her volunteer legal work at the Pace Women’s Justice Center, where she has answered Helpline calls, represented & counseled survivors of domestic violence, seeking Orders of Protection, Custody and Child/Spousal Support at the Family Court Legal Program and provided legal consultations in the Walk in Clinic. 

In addition, over the last three years, Emilia has also been volunteering with Catholic Charities of New York, representing clients seeking asylum.

Daniel D. Shonn Jr.

2022 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award Winner

After completing Law School at UB in 1975, I joined the Buffalo firm of Moriarty Allen Lippes and Hoffman and became a partner in a successor firm, Allen Lippes and Shonn in 1981. The firm was well-known in Western New York for its representation of plaintiffs in toxic tort cases such as the Love Canal Home Owners Assoc vs Union Carbide, The Bhopal Gas Disaster Litigation, and numerous Federal Clean Water Act cases in Western New York and the Hudson Valley.

In 1998 I joined two attorneys to form a general practice firm, Bloom Neubeck and Shonn. We participated in the Erie County Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyers Program by representing clients on a pro bono basis in bankruptcy, foreclosure, landlord and tenant, and family court proceedings. The firm was recognized by the Volunteer Lawyers Program as the Small Firm Volunteers of the Year in 2001.

I have been active in the Village of Akron, my home for the past 46 years. I served on the Planning Board, was elected for three terms as a Village trustee, and served as Village Attorney for fifteen years. As part of my community service, on a pro bono basis I have incorporated or amended the documents of Newstead Library, Akron Lions Club, the Akron United Methodist Church, Hearts and Hands Faith In Action, a senior citizens assistance organization which now serves many of the suburban and rural towns in three counties, and a favorite because of my lifetime love of music, the nearly century old, Akron Community Band.

In 2020 I joined the New York Courts Emeritus Program as part of my long and winding road to retirement. At that time, Buffalo’s Center of Elder Law and Justice (CELJ) was organizing a “help” desk to provide limited representation to qualified unrepresented persons seeking assistance with issues in Erie County Surrogate’s Court. I have been an active participant in providing pro bono services since the inception of this program. The “help” desk volunteers provide advice and assistance in filing documents for probate, administration, and guardianship matters. Additionally, I am a frequent panel member as the volunteer attorney for Surrogate Decision Making Committees (SDMC) in Central and Western New York. The role of the SDMC under Art. 80 of the Mental Health Law is that of reviewing requests for certain medical procedures or end of life cases for disabled persons who have no family members or guardians who have the authority or willingness to participate in medical decisions.

Education:
Hamilton College BA 1967
SUNY College MScED Urban Education Teacher Corps 1970
SUNY Buffalo Law School JD 1975

Military Service:
US Air Force 1970—1974

Admissions: NY 4th Department 1976, US Western District of New York 1977, US Bankruptcy Court Western District of NY 1977, US Tax Court 1979