Alan M. Feldman Named 'Champion of Justice' by Community Legal Services

PHILADELPHIA - June 3, 2014 - PRLog -- Philadelphia personal injury law firm Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock & Dodig LLP is proud to announce that co-managing partner Alan M. Feldman has received the Champion of Justice award from Community Legal Services (CLS).

The award is in recognition of the dedication of Feldman and the Feldman Shepherd firm to the Philadelphia nonprofit, which provides free civil legal services to low-income people who otherwise could not afford vital legal counsel.

"Alan has been fabulous for Community Legal Services, and, frankly, for the public interest bar overall in Philadelphia," said Catherine C. Carr, Esq., executive director of CLS. "He has always gone out of his way to find the time to call people and ask for money and help us with whatever problem is in front of us at the time. He’s always smiling and excited about our work and really uses his enthusiasm to be a tireless champion for us."

Feldman Shepherd has been a devoted supporter of CLS for years, most recently helping to lead the "Stand up for Justice" campaign to raise money to build a new headquarters for the nonprofit in North Philadelphia. The new building on West Erie Avenue, with a reception area named in honor of Feldman Shepherd, was dedicated during a ceremony on April 24, 2014.

Feldman also coordinated the donation of a $2 million cy pres award in 2013 to CLS, along with an additional $2 million to the Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Board, which was created by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to fund legal services agencies throughout the Commonwealth. He has served on the Community Legal Services board of directors and on its fundraising committee, and recently was appointed by the Supreme Court to the IOLTA board of directors.  As Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2006, Feldman launched the "Raising the Bar" initiative, which continues to raise substantial funds for many of the city’s legal services organizations.

"I have always recognized the parallels between the clients who come to Feldman Shepherd for help and the clients that CLS serves," said Feldman. "Access to the justice system should be available to all, and my partners and I firmly believe it’s the responsibility of everyone lucky enough to have a license to practice law to support legal services for folks who really need but just can’t pay for a lawyer."

The Philadelphia Bar Association established Community Legal Services in 1966 as an independent nonprofit with a mission to help low-income Philadelphia residents obtain equal justice by providing them with advice and representation in civil legal matters; advocating for their legal rights; and conducting community education about the legal issues that affect them. Since its founding, CLS has served more than one million clients.

Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock & Dodig LLP: (www.feldmanshepherd.com) has handled cases producing some of the largest verdicts and settlements in Pennsylvania. The firm represents plaintiffs in significant personal injury, class action, and other complex civil litigation. Clients include victims of medical malpractice, defective products, unsafe workplaces, motor vehicle accidents, legal malpractice and insurer misconduct.